World Rally Championship
Considered the most challenging motorsport competition in the world, the World Rally Championship (WRC) pits driver against the environment for a series of three-day events across five continents. Drivers race against the clock in a set of stages, and have to deal with surfaces ranging from slippery snow, to hard rock to loose gravel to smooth tarmac. Due to high speeds and uncertain terrain, co-drivers are necessary to read the pace notes of each stage and inform the driver of upcoming turns and varying conditions of the road ahead. The cars competing in the WRC look like regular cars you might find on the road, but they are modified to become supercharged, four-wheel drive warriors of the road.
| Series: | World Rally Championship  |
| Category: | Rally Car |
| Course Type: | Asphalt / gravel stages |
| Approximate Race Length: | ~25 special stages: 3 to 40 miles each |
| Top Speed: | ~125 mph |
| Fuel: | Racing gasoline / diesel provided by series |
| 0-60 mph: | Know the answer? Let us know! |
| 0-100 mph: | Know the answer? Let us know! |
| Horsepower: | 300 bhp |
| Traction Control: | Not allowed |
| Engine: | Varies by manufacturer; 2.0 liter turbocharged |
| Gearbox: | 6 forward gears with sequential shifter |
| Tires: | Pattern tires & racing slicks for asphalt |
| Wheelbase: | Varies by manufacturer |
| Chassis: | Original to manufacturer |
| Brakes: | Carbon fiber discs |
| Suspension: | Varies by manufacturer |
| Min. Weights: | Varies by manufacturer |
| Max Height: | Varies by manufacturer |
| Max Width: | Varies by manufacturer |
| Geographic Scope: | International |
| Driver Change: | No. Co-driver present |
| Annual Cost Per Car: | Know the answer? Let us know! |
| Vehicle Manufacturers: | Citroen, Ford, Subaru, Suzuki |
Upcoming Races
| Date | Event | Venue | Location | Get Tickets! |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/27/2008 00 | 76th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo | |||
| 02/10/2008 00 | Uddeholm Swedish Rally | |||
| 03/02/2008 00 | Rally Mexico | |||
| 03/30/2008 02 | Rally Argentina | |||
| 04/27/2008 02 | Jordan Rally WRC |
Recent Blog Posts
A Rally of Turkey Conversation with Urmo Aava
June 13, 2008 - 3:49pm — balanceracingThe Rally of Turkey offers a gravel surface with 16 stages. For some insight into the Rally of Turkey and some post Acropolis Rally of Greece comments check out the interview with the Citroen C4 driver, Urmo Aava.
You gotta love these guys. The driver / co-driver's concentration during the race and their continuous commitment to learn about their cars is amazing. With every race delivering new challenges of road conditions, weather, accidents and mechanical problems they push hard and finish the job.
After seven rounds of WRC racing, here's how the top 10 driver's standings looks.
Sebastien LOEB (50), Mikko HIRVONEN (49), Chris ATKINSON (31), Jari-Matti LATVALA (26), Dani SORDO (25), Petter SOLBERG (17), Gianluigi GALLI (17), Henning SOLBERG (12), Matthew WILSON (10), Federico VILLAGRA (8)
The Manufacturer's Championship is tight with two points separating the top two teams. As the new kid on the block you have got to wonder how long it will take Suzuki to build their team into something formable.
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team (81), Citroen Total WRT (79)
Subaru World Rally Team (50), Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team (37), Munchi's Ford World Rally Team (16), Suzuki World Rally Team (7)