2010 World Rally Championship

Changes

Event organisers are given more flexibility. Rallies can be run over two, three or four days, but must finish on a Saturday or Sunday. Mixing asphalt and gravel surfaces is allowed, either within a stage or within the itinerary of a day. There will no longer be a minimum or maximum distance for a special stage. The total stage distance of the event has been changed to 300–500 kilometres. Night stages are permitted but should not form the whole itinerary of a day.

There will be a new Super 2000 World Rally Championship (SWRC) class for drivers with Super 2000 cars, and within it there will be a WRC Cup for teams. Teams need to contest at least seven rounds, including at least one outside Europe.

The WRC will also introduce a ranking system called the Drivers' World Rally Ranking system in 2010, similar to that in golf or tennis.

A new points system has been introduced to all classes for the 2010 season, so that more finishers in a rally are awarded points. Previously points had been awarded to the top eight finishers:

It is the first time since 1997 that ten drivers will score points on a rally.

From June, the name of the co-driver will be included on the rear side windows of competition cars.

Calendar

The 2010 season includes thirteen rallies, which is one more than 2009. Australia, Argentina, Cyprus, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Italy and Greece are dropped from the calendar for 2010 while Sweden, Mexico, Jordan, Turkey, Germany, New Zealand, France and Japan return to the 2010 season. Bulgaria is part of the calendar for the first time.

The nine events also part of the Production World Rally Championship are Sweden, Mexico, Jordan, New Zealand, Finland, Germany, Japan, France and Great Britain. The six rallies also on the Junior World Rally Championship schedule are Turkey, Portugal, Bulgaria, Germany, France and Spain. The ten rallies on the new Super 2000 World Rally Championship (for S2000 driver) and WRC Cup (for S2000 teams) are Sweden, Mexico, Jordan, New Zealand, Portugal, Finland, Germany, Japan, France and Great Britain.

The finalised calendar was published by the FIA on 11 December 2009, following earlier proposed calendars issued in September and October 2009.

Teams and drivers

For the 2010 season, the championship has two manufacturer teams (Citroën Total World Rally Team and BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team) and three semi-factory teams (Stobart M-Sport Ford, Munchi's Ford and the Citroën Junior Team) that will be eligible for the manufacturers' championship.

†^ – At each rally, the organiser may nominate two "guest drivers" from their country to score support category points.

JWRC Drivers' championship

Notes

† Egoi Eder Valdes Lopez has been removed from the Classification.

SWRC Drivers' championship

Notes

† Andersson's entrant RUFA Sport failed to compete in the required number of events, meaning all of Andersson's points scored with the team have been annulled. His win in Sweden remains as he competed as a wildcard entrant and not with RUFA.

‡ Tuohino has not completed the season due to a lack of budget, which resulted in the FIA excluding him from the championship.

PWRC Drivers' championship

Notes

† Miguel Baldoni has been removed from the Classification.