The fifty-second edition of the World Rally Championship (WRC) It starts between Thursday and Sunday with legendary Monte Carlo Rallyfirst in the thirteen appointments scheduled in 2024year where the champion of the last two editions, the Finnish Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota GR Yaris), will compete in a limited career program in a tournament with a new scoring system.
The Toyota team, current constructors’ world champion, there will be two pilots for all teststhe British Elfyn Evanscurrently runner-up and starting his fifth season with the team, and the Japanese Takamoto Katsutawho will take a full-time seat, while Rovanperä, who, despite signing a multi-year contractjust plan to play a partial program of about six races to rest after two intense years. His The first event was in Sweden, the second round of the World Cup.
Besides, the eight-time world champion and nine-time winner in Monte Carlothe French Sebastien Ogierstill in Toyota, but competing only in a series of elite rallies.
The ‘M-Sport’ team (Ford Puma) presents a lineup of drivers consisting of the Frenchman Adrien Fourmauxwho remains in training, and the first Luxembourger in the top category, Gregoire Munsterfrom WRC2.
The French were also left behind Pierre-Louis Loubetwhile the champion in 2019, the Estonian Ott Tänakmove to ‘Hyundai Shell Mobis’ team.
Ott Tänak changed Puma for i20 in a Hyundai team where he was and where he joined the Belgian Thierry Neuvillefive-time runner-up. Both full timewhile the Finnish Esapekka Lappi will run a reduced program, like Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsencurrent WRC2 champion and returning to the elite after five years, and the Spaniard Dani Sordo. Tänak has already won nine rallies with the South Korean manufacturer between 2020 and 2022.
A thirteen-race WRC and new scoring system
He The 2024 WRC will consist of thirteen rallies. The main new is the Rally of Latviawhich replaces the Estonia and abandoned the name he used in the European specialty: Liepāja Rally. Besides, Poland is back in the competitionwhich was the last part of the WRC in 2017.
The main novelty of the 2024 regulations affects the scoring system, which has been changed to prevent drivers from saving tires for the ‘Power Stage’ that closes each race.
So, The first ten overall at the end of the day on Saturday will add 18, 15, 13, 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points, while The first seven at the end of Sunday will add 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1. The final ‘Power Stage’ continues to distribute 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
No points will be awarded if a team does not complete the entire course, including Sunday sections. Instead, whoever finishes behind gets their points.
As for power units, By 2024, a maximum of three new ones can be used per car in the top categoryRally1, compared to the previous nine, according to the rules implemented to reduce competition costs.
Besides, Rally1 cars can compete in World Championship events without using the standard plug-in hybrid system. However, they must carry the equivalent weight of the entire system in ballast and will not be eligible for constructors’ championship points.
He Monte Carlo Rallythe oldest in the calendar, It is held from Thursday to Sunday with a total route of 1,649.89 kilometers, 324.44 of which correspond to 17 special stages on asphalt roads in the Maritime Alps sometimes covered with ice and snow, making it difficult for drivers to choose the perfect tire. It starts on Thursday in Monaco’s Casino Square.
The base is centered in the French city of Gap, near where Ogier, 40, was born and is seeking his tenth victory in the Monte Carlo Rally.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
