2017 WRC dates confirmed

Dates for the opening seven rounds of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship were confirmed today (Wednesday) at the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris.

Six of the seven rallies – Monte-Carlo, Sweden, Mexico, Argentina, Portugal and Italy – have similar dates to this season, but France moves forward from late September to become the fourth round in early April.

Five other rallies – Finland, Germany, Spain, Great Britain and Australia – were also confirmed on the calendar but their dates have still to be finalised. ¬

It has not yet been clarified whether the championship will comprise 13 or 14 rounds and the candidate countries that could potentially fill the remaining slot(s) are Turkey, China and Poland. The final calendar will be confirmed within the next few weeks.

The confirmed rounds are:

— Monte-Carlo 20 - 22 January
— Sweden 10 - 12 February
— Mexico 10 - 12 March
— France 7 - 9 April
— Argentina 28 - 30 April
— Portugal 19 - 21 May
— Italy 9 - 11 June
— Finland TBC
— Germany TBC
— Spain TBC
— Great Britain TBC
— Australia TBC

Other decisions agreed at the meeting were:

— From 2017 a manufacturer may nominate a minimum of two and maximum of three cars for the purpose of scoring points in the Manufacturer’s Championship. Scores from the two best cars in the final classification will amass points in this Championship. Additional cars may be entered by a manufacturer but will not be eligible to score points in the Manufacturers’ Championship. Only drivers entered by Manufacturers are eligible to drive 2017 World Rally Cars, with the approval of the FIA.

— A Privateers’ Cup will be created for competitors entering current World Rally Cars in WRC events, ensuring cars with valid homologations can continue to compete for a title.

— As such, the new driver classification system will be as follows:

P1 – drivers of World Rally Cars entered by a manufacturer and approved by the FIA
P2 – drivers entered with older specifications of WRC cars
P3 – drivers entered by a competitor eligible to score points in the WRC2 Championship

The FIA will launch an invitation to tender for the 2017 FIA Junior WRC Championship.