2025 WRC2 Championship
The 2025 FIA WRC2 Championship is set to be the thirteenth season of WRC2, a rallying championship for organised and governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile as the third-highest tier of international rallying. It is open to privateers and teams using cars complying with Group Rally3 regulations.[1] The championship is planned to begin in January 2025 with the Monte Carlo Rally and would conclude in November 2025 with the Rally Saudi Arabia, and runs in support of the 2025 World Rally Championship.\
Sami Pajari and Enni Mälkönen are the defending drivers' and co-drivers' champions.[2] However, Pajari would not defend his title as he was promoted to the top tier by Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT.[3]
Calendar
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A map showing the locations of the rallies in the 2025 championship. Event headquarters are marked with black dots.
The 2025 season is scheduled to be contested over fourteen rounds crossing Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.
| Round | Start date | Finish date | Rally | Rally headquarters | Surface | Stages | Distance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 January | 26 January |  Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo
|
Gap, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France | Mixed[a] | 18 | 344.01 km | [4] |
| 2 | 13 February | 16 February |  Rally Sweden
|
Umeå, Västerbotten County, Sweden | Snow | 18 | 301.16 km | [5] |
| 3 | 20 March | 23 March |  Safari Rally Kenya
|
Nairobi, Nakuru County, Kenya | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 4 | 24 April | 27 April |  Rally Islas Canarias
|
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain | Tarmac | 18 | 308.50 km | [6] |
| 5 | 15 May | 18 May |  Rally de Portugal
|
Matosinhos, Porto, Portugal | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 6 | 5 June | 8 June |  Rally Italia Sardegna
|
Olbia, Sardinia, Italy | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 7 | 26 June | 29 June |  Acropolis Rally Greece
|
Lamia, Central Greece, Greece | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 8 | 17 July | 20 July |  Rally Estonia
|
Tartu, Tartu County, Estonia | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 9 | 31 July | 3 August |  Rally Finland
|
Jyväskylä, Central Finland, Finland | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 10 | 28 August | 31 August |  Rally del Paraguay
|
Encarnación, Itapúa, Paraguay | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 11 | 11 September | 14 September |  Rally Chile
|
Concepción, Biobío, Chile | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| 12 | 16 October | 19 October |  Central European Rally
|
Bad Griesbach, Bavaria, Germany | Tarmac | TBA | TBA | |
| 13 | 6 November | 9 November |  Rally Japan
|
Toyota, Aichi, Japan | Tarmac | TBA | TBA | |
| 14 | 27 November | 30 November |  Rally Saudi Arabia
|
Jeddah, Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia | Gravel | TBA | TBA | |
| Sources:[7][8] | ||||||||
Calendar changes
[edit]The calendar was expanded to fourteen rounds, including five flyaway events.[9] This was originally planned for the 2024 season,[10] but WRC Promoter GmbH retained the total of thirteen events in the hopes of attracting more Rally1 entries.[11]
- Rally Estonia is set to return to the championship after missing the 2024 season.[12] The event is due to replace Rally Latvia on the calendar.[13]
- Rally Islas Canarias is due to be promoted from the European Rally Championship and become a World Championship event under a two-year deal.[14] The event is planned to be run on tarmac roads.[15]
- Rally Saudi Arabia is due to join the championship in 2025 as their organisers signed a ten-year contract with WRC Promoter GmbH.[16] The rally is planned to be based in Jeddah, and be run as the season finale.[17]
- Rally Paraguay is set to become a WRC event from 2025 after signing a multi-year deal, making Paraguay the thirty-eighth nation to host a WRC championship round.[18]
- The Croatia Rally will not be featured on the calendar for the first time since the event joined the championship in 2021.[19] However, the event is set to return in 2026.[20]
- Rally Poland will also be removed from the calendar after making a one-year return to the championship in 2024.[21]
Contracted crew
[edit]The following teams and crews are under contract to contest the WRC2 championship in 2025. Teams must enter two crews to be eligible for Teams' Championship points.
| Entrant | Car | Driver | Co-Driver | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver Name | Category | Co-Driver Name | Category | ||
| Printsport
|
Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 | Oliver Solberg
|
 Elliott Edmondson
|
||
| Teo Martin Motorsport
|
Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 | Diego Domínguez Jr.
|
Rogelio Penate
|
||
In detail
[edit]Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson signed with Printsport to drive a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 for the team.[22]
Newly-crowned WRC3 champions Diego Domínguez Jr. and Rogelio Penate is set to step up to the WRC2 category with Teo Martin Motorsport.[23]
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Monte Carlo Rally is run on a tarmac and snow surface.
References
[edit]- ^ "2022 FIA World Rally Championship – Sporting regulations" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Pajari and Mälkönen crowned 2024 WRC2 Champions". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Pajari promoted as Toyota reveals 2025 WRC roster". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Itinerary Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo 2025". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "Itinerary Rally Sweden 2025". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Itinerary Rally Islas Canarias 2025". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "WRC reveals spectacular expanded 2025 calendar". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "WRC reveals spectacular expanded 2025 calendar". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Howard, Tom (4 July 2024). "WRC set to expand to 14 rounds for 2025 campaign". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ Howard, Tom (19 May 2023). "WRC closing in on 14-round 2024 calendar". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ Barry, Luke (15 August 2023). "WRC to unveil 13-round 2024 calendar before Greece". dirtfish.com. DirtFish. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ Cole, Michael (23 November 2023). "European Rally Championship set for Estonia in 2024 as WRC returns in 2025". balticnews.com. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ Howard, Tom (23 June 2024). "WRC adds Paraguay to 2025 calendar in multi-year deal". Autosport. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ Brittle, Cian (12 March 2024). "Rally Islas Canarias agrees two-year deal to join WRC calendar". blackbookmotorsport.com. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ Evans, David (11 March 2024). "Canary islands WRC slot for 2025". dirtfish.com. DirtFish. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ Howard, Tom (2 June 2024). "WRC signs 10-year deal to host Saudi Arabia round". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ Evans, David (1 June 2024). "Saudi Arabia confirmed as WRC round for 2025". dirtfish.com. DirtFish. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ Lindsay, Alasdair (23 June 2024). "Paraguay joins WRC calendar from 2025". dirtfish.com. DirtFish. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ Howard, Tom (20 July 2024). "Croatia Rally confirms absence from 2025 WRC schedule". Autosport. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Howard, Tom (15 November 2024). "Croatia strikes new deal to rejoin WRC in 2026". Autosport. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ Howard, Tom (27 April 2024). "WRC working on Croatia renewal, Poland a one-off". Autosport. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "Solberg's WRC2 ambitions take shape with Printsport move". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Domínguez chooses Teo Martín Toyota for 2025 WRC2 title tilt". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
External links
[edit]- Official website (in English, French, and Spanish)
- FIA WRC2 Championship 2025 at eWRC-results.com
- FIA WRC2 Championship for Challenger 2025 at eWRC-results.com