The WRC has undergone quite a few rule tweaks forward of the 2024 season with a brand new factors construction arguably essentially the most vital change.
This season, championship factors will now be divided into two with factors awarded on the finish of Saturday adopted by a separate factors allocation for Sunday. The brand new system goals to enhance the present on the ultimate day of rallies, as drivers had beforehand cruised by levels preserving tyres for the end-of-rally Energy Stage.
Underneath the brand new system, a driver can nonetheless obtain a most of 30 factors. Nonetheless, a sliding scale of 18-15-13-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 factors can be awarded on the finish of Saturday, however provided that a crew reaches Sunday’s ultimate classification. If a crew fails to complete on Sunday, the Saturday factors can be awarded to the subsequent best-placed pairing.
Rivals may even do battle for a most of seven factors on Sunday. Factors can be awarded to the highest seven rivals through the next sliding scale: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1. The tip-of-rally Energy Stage stays unchanged with factors awarded to the highest 5 quickest occasions.
Whereas the rally winner will nonetheless be decided by total time throughout the rally, Hyundai’s Tanak feels a victory gained’t carry as a lot weight as in earlier years.
Picture by: McKlein / McMaster
Ott Tänak (EST), M-Sport Ford World Rally Staff, Ford Puma Rally1
“Let’s see the way it works out. When it comes to method, it gained’t change something as you want to take the utmost from all the things,” Tanak informed Motorsport.com.
“It’s all the time simple to criticise however usually let’s say the which means of victory is quite a bit much less, so it’s not a giant distinction anymore in case you are successful or second. It simply will get a bit extra difficult as effectively. I suppose for us because the drivers it doesn’t actually change something. Yeah for positive, it implies that you must maximise on Sunday.
“I imply I nonetheless wish to win however beforehand successful had a bit extra which means. The successful must be particular and also you also needs to profit with the factors. For the time being, let’s say the factors profit you possibly can obtain with a win is sort of a bit much less.”
Tanak’s Hyundai team-mate Thierry Neuville has this week shared his ideas on the factors system, revealing that it’ll add pleasure and technique, however the Belgian is anxious the way it may gain advantage part-time drivers by street place.
Hyundai has stepped up its preparations for the Monte Carlo season opener (25-28 January) with the workforce holding its pre-event check this week. Neuville is behind the wheel of the i20N on Wednesday, earlier than handing over to team-mates Tanak and Andreas Mikkelsen.
