2019 WRC2 Championship
The 2019 FIA World Rally Championship-2 was the seventh season of the World Rally Championship-2, an auto racing championship for rally cars that is recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile as the second-highest tier of international rallying. The category was created when the Group R class of rally car was introduced in 2013 and runs in support of the World Rally Championship. The championship is open to cars complying with R5 regulations.[1]
The 2019 season saw the creation of a new class within the championship, known as the World Rally Championship-2 Pro.[2][3] The Pro class was open to manufacturer entries competing in cars built to R5 specifications, while the wider World Rally Championship-2 was open to privately-entered cars.
Calendar
The championship was contested over fourteen rounds in Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, and Australia.[2]
| Round | Dates | Rally | Rally headquarters | Rally details | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Finish | Surface | Stages | Distance | ||||
| 1 | 24 January | 27 January |  Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo
|
Gap, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur[a] | Mixed[b] | 16[c] | 323.83 km | |
| 2 | 14 February | 17 February |  Rally Sweden
|
Torsby, Värmland | Snow | 19 | 316.80 km | |
| 3 | 7 March | 10 March |  Rally Guanajuato México
|
León, Guanajuato | Gravel | 21 | 316.51 km | |
| 4 | 28 March | 31 March |  Tour de Corse
|
Bastia, Corsica | Tarmac | 14 | 347.51 km | |
| 5 | 25 April | 28 April |  Rally Argentina
|
Villa Carlos Paz, Córdoba | Gravel | 18[d] | 347.50 km | |
| 6 | 9 May | 12 May |  Rally Chile
|
Concepción, Biobío | Gravel | 16 | 304.81 km | |
| 7 | 30 May | 2 June |  Rally de Portugal
|
Matosinhos, Porto | Gravel | 20[e] | 311.47 km | |
| 8 | 13 June | 16 June |  Rally Italia Sardegna
|
Alghero, Sardinia | Gravel | 19 | 310.52 km | |
| 9 | 1 August | 4 August |  Rally Finland
|
Jyväskylä, Central Finland | Gravel | 23 | 307.58 km | |
| 10 | 22 August | 25 August |  ADAC Rallye Deutschland
|
Bostalsee, Saarland | Tarmac | 19 | 344.04 km | |
| 11 | 12 September | 15 September |  Rally of Turkey
|
Marmaris, Muğla | Gravel | 17 | 318.77 km | |
| 12 | 3 October | 6 October |  Wales Rally GB
|
Llandudno, Conwy | Gravel | 22[f] | 312.75 km | |
| 13 | 24 October | 27 October |  RACC Rally Catalunya de España
|
Salou, Catalonia | Mixed[g] | 17 | 325.56 km | |
| 14 | 14 November | 17 November |  Rally Australia
|
Coffs Harbour, New South Wales | Gravel | Cancelled[h] | ||
| Source:[2][5][6] | ||||||||
Calendar expansion
Following the return of Rally Turkey to the championship in 2018, the FIA announced plans to expand the calendar to fourteen rounds in 2019 with the long-term objective of running sixteen championship events. Twelve prospective bids for events were put together,[7] including candidate events in New Zealand, Japan and Chile.[8] Prospective events in Kenya, Croatia, Canada and Estonia expressed interest in joining the calendar within five years.[9][10][11][12]
The planned expansion put pressure on European rounds to maintain their position on the calendar as teams were unwilling to contest sixteen events immediately. The Tour de Corse and Rally Italia Sardegna proved to be unpopular among teams for the logistical difficulties of travelling to Corsica and Sardinia and low spectator attendance at the events.[7][13] Organisers of Rally Japan reached an agreement with the sport's promoter to host a rally in 2019, with the proposed event moving from Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido to Toyota City in Honshu.[14] However, plans to return to Japan were abandoned when the promoter came under pressure to retain the Tour de Corse.[15]
The proposed events in Japan and Kenya ran candidate events in 2019 in a bid to join the championship in 2020.[16][17] Both were successful in secure a place on the 2020 calendar. The calendar published in October 2018 included Rally Chile as part of the expansion to fourteen rounds.[2] The event was based in Concepción and ran on gravel roads.[18]
Route changes
The route of Rallye Monte Carlo was shortened by 70.91 km (44.1 mi) compared to the 2018 route.[19] The route was revised after rule changes that were introduced for the 2019 championship limited the maximum distance of a route to 350 km (217.5 mi).[2] Organisers of the Tour de Corse announced plans for a new route, with up to three-quarters of the 2019 route being revised from the 2018 rally.[16] Rally de Portugal was also shortened by 46.72 km (29.0 mi) compared to the 2018 route.[20]
Entries
In accordance with the 2019 regulations, all crews in WRC-2 were required to register as independent entrants. Teams were still allowed to be present, but only to prepare the car for the driver.[1]
Crew changes
Daniel Barritt left the M-Sport World Rally Team to partner Toyota protégé Takamoto Katsuta.[31]
Changes
The formation of the World Rally Championship-2 Pro class saw the introduction of changes to class eligibility. The Pro class will be open to manufacturer-supported entries, with teams permitted to enter two crews per event. Pro class entries must contest a minimum of eight rallies, including one outside Europe. Only the eight best results will contribute to the Pro class championship. Crews contesting the wider World Rally Championship-2 will not face any such restrictions.[32]
The team's championship of the wider World Rally Championship-2 was discontinued. Entrants in the championship are now required to register under the name of the crew's driver.[1]
Results and standings
Season summary
Scoring system
Points were awarded to the top ten classified finishers in each event.
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Drivers' standings
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Co-Drivers' standings
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Footnotes
- ^ The rally base of the Monte Carlo Rally was located in France.
- ^ The Monte Carlo Rally was run on a tarmac and snow surface.
- ^ The third stage of the rally was cancelled on safety grounds when spectator areas became overcrowded.
- ^ The third stage of the rally was cancelled due to the weather.
- ^ The 14th and the 15th stage of the rally was cancelled.
- ^ The 20th stage of the rally was cancelled due to insufficient safety cover.
- ^ The first leg of Rally Catalunya will run on gravel stages and the second and third legs on tarmac stages.
- ^ Rally Australia was cancelled due to a bushfire emergency in Northern New South Wales.[4]
- ^ a b Pseudonym of Massimo Pedretti.
- ^ Grégoire Munster entered Rally Monte Carlo with a racing licence issued by Luxembourg and Rally Finland with a Belgian licence.
References
- ^ a b c "2019 WRC Sporting Regulations" (PDF). Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "FIA announces World Motor Sport Council decisions". fia.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ Herrero, Daniel (13 October 2018). "Australia remains finale on 2019 WRC calendar". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (12 November 2019). "UPDATE: Rally Australia cancelled due to bushfires". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- ^ "Rally Calendar Overview". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 18 February 2019. Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
- ^ "Season 2019 WRC". ewrc-results.com. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
- ^ a b Evans, David (4 July 2018). "Japan and Chile now both expected to host 2019 WRC rounds". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Howard, Tom (17 November 2017). "Rally Aus continues push for multi-year WRC deal". speedcafe.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ Coch, Mat (9 February 2018). "Canada seeking to host WRC from 2023". speedcafe.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "FIA signs agreement for 'modern-era' Safari Rally". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "Urmo Aava: eesmärk on jõuda WRC sarja, mitte nendega konkureerida" [Urmo Aava: the goal is to reach WRC, not to be their rival] (in Estonian). Eesti Rahvusringhääling. 30 May 2018.
- ^ "Rally Estonia naaseb ja tahab murda 2021. aastaks MM-sarja" [Rally Estonia returns and wants to reach the World Championship by 2021] (in Estonian). Postimees. 1 November 2017.
- ^ Evans, David (14 June 2018). "WRC team pushing for Italy 2019 boycott over Sardinia route". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ Evans, David (22 August 2018). "Rally Japan gets go-ahead from WRC Promoter for 2019 event". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 23 August 2018.
- ^ Evans, David (11 October 2018). "Rally Japan's WRC return set to be abandoned at FIA council meeting". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
- ^ a b Evans, David (12 October 2018). "Tour of Corsica announces 2019 World Rally Championship reprieve". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
- ^ Evans, David (12 October 2018). "2019 WRC calendar: 14-round schedule given green light by FIA WMSC". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Chile steps up to 2019 WRC". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "86è Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo 2018" (PDF). acm.mc (in French). Automobile Club de Monaco. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "52. Vodafone Rally de Portugal 2018". ewrc-results.com. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
- ^ "87. Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo" (PDF). Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "Entry list Rallye Automobile de Monte Carlo 2019". Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "87. Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo". ewrc-results.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ "Rally Sweden 2019 Official Entry List" (PDF). rallysweden.com. Rally Sweden. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ "LISTE OFFICIELLE DES ENGAGÉS CORSICA linea – Tour de Corse 2019" (PDF). 2 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- ^ "Rally Finland 2019 Official Entry List" (PDF). nesterallyfinland.fi. Rally Finland. 5 July 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
- ^ "Rallye Deutschland 2019 Official Entry List" (PDF). adac-rallye-deutschland.de. ADAC. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- ^ "Rally Turkey 2019 Official Entry List" (PDF). rallyturkey.com. Rally Turkey. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- ^ "Wales Rally GB 2019 Official Entry List" (PDF). walesrallygb.com. Wales Rally GB. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "Rally RACC Catalunya 2019 Official Entry List" (PDF). rallyracc.com. rallyracc.com. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ "Toyota reveals 2019 programme for WRC protege Takamoto Katsuta". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ Evans, David (6 December 2018). "FIA reveals more details of WRC support structure in 2019". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "Rally Australia Cancelled". www.wrc.com. Retrieved 12 November 2019.