WRC offers 35 points through three classifications at each rally. Dropping Sunday points while retaining the Power Stage would make results easier to understand.
WRC awards 35 points across three classifications at every rally, which is 10 too many. A championship decided by elapsed time should not require separate calculations for the overall result, Sunday and the Power Stage.
Winning should bring the clearest reward
The 2026 system gives the rally winner 25 points, with 17 for second and 15 for third. Sunday carries another 5 points, and the Wolf Power Stage offers the same 5-point maximum.
A driver can therefore collect 10 bonus points after the main classification has effectively been settled.
We understand the objective. WRC wants crews to attack on Sunday instead of protecting their positions, while broadcasters want meaningful final-day action. But this solution has weakened the value of the rally result, the competition’s most important measurement.
The arithmetic demands too much
Fans should be able to see who finished first and immediately understand the championship impact. With this structure, a winner can score anywhere between 25 and 35 points, while a lower-placed rival can limit the damage through two separate Sunday classifications.
It creates strategy. It also creates homework.
The overall scale already provides meaningful gaps. First place earns 25, second gets 17 and third takes 15. The remaining positions through 10th pay 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1. Victory is properly rewarded by an eight-point advantage over second, but Sunday bonuses then alter that hierarchy.
Keep the Power Stage
We would keep one bonus opportunity. The Power Stage is simple to explain, provides a defined climax and gives crews outside the leading positions a reason to push.
The separate Sunday classification should be removed.
Dropping its 5-4-3-2-1 scale would bring the maximum back to 30 points, with 25 awarded for winning the rally and 5 available on the final stage. Sunday would still matter, without a secondary table for the entire day competing with the event result.
Fans need immediate clarity
WRC’s appeal rests on an unforgiving format. Crews compete against the clock on changing roads, and the lowest total time wins. The points system should be equally clear.
We are not calling for conservative driving. Organizers can set demanding final loops, and tire limits and road order already create difficult decisions. A five-point Power Stage prize offers enough incentive for a final attack.
The FIA should act for 2027
The FIA can remove Sunday points in the next regulatory cycle and publish a simpler 2027 scale before teams complete their sporting plans. Until then, every 2026 rally will continue awarding 25 points for victory, 5 for Sunday and another 5 on the Wolf Power Stage.
