Many influential people in the service park have expressed their approval of the new points structure for the FIA World Rally Championship, indicating a positive start to the 2024 season.
Along with the official start of the 2024 season, last week’s Rallye Monte-Carlo marked the implementation of a completely new scoring system designed to raise the stakes on racing.
Points are now awarded throughout the rally, not just at the end, according to the updated system. If they make it to the finish line on Sunday, the top crew on Saturday night earns 18 points; if not, they can earn seven more points depending on Sunday’s classification. The highest possible score for a WRC rally is increased to 30 points by bonus points scored during the Wolf Power Stage.
The effect of this modification was demonstrated by Thierry Neuville’s performance last week, as his calculated attempt to take the lead back in Saturday’s last stage won him 18 points as opposed to the 15 he would have received had he stayed in second place overnight.
Neuville said, “[We will need] to try and fight up as many positions as we can,” acknowledging its importance. It is a three-point differential for the lead, so it matters a lot.”
Jari-Matti Latvala, the team principal for Toyota Gazoo Racing, expressed his happiness with the new system’s practical use. “I think it worked out quite well here in the end, but there has been a lot of speculation about the new points system,” the Finn stated. This rally demonstrated that the rally winner received the most points as well.
Toyota driver Takamoto Katsuta, who lost control of his vehicle on Friday and finished the rally in seventh place overall, acknowledged the benefits of the revised point system, saying it “keeps Sunday exciting.” There are advantages and disadvantages, but overall, the new method is undoubtedly creating a little more enthusiasm.
Grégoire Munster, a rookie with M-Sport Ford competing in his first full season in a Puma Rally1, seemed upbeat.
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“It is truly beneficial,” the Luxembourger remarked. “It is challenging to push on Sunday if you ask me to do so in Sweden, but it’s definitely helpful to know for a rally later in the year when we feel more at ease in the vehicle.”
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