W2RC: FIVE ROUNDS ON THREE CONTINENTS
The Dakar will once again get the show on the road in Saudi Arabia in January. Next up will be the dunes of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which will bring down the curtain on the Middle Eastern act in late February. The Rallye du Maroc, another event that has been on the calendar since 2022, will continue to wrap up the series in October. In contrast with these classic bookends, winds of change are blowing in the mid-season. The BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal is returning after its inaugural edition last year, but it will now come at the tail end of the season, moving from April to late September to set up a Portugal-Morocco one-two combo. The two weeks between the finish of the Portuguese rally and the start of the Moroccan race will provide ample time for the teams to cross the Mediterranean by ship.
The South African Safari Rally, the latest addition to the calendar, will take up the third slot of the series in late May. Just like the BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal in 2024, the South African round is the brainchild of an experienced organiser eager to host the W2RC. The team in charge of the South African Rally Raid Championship (SARRC) will roll out the red carpet for the international caravan in South Africa to bring back the memories of the 1992 Paris–Cape Town rally! It will be the first time in the history of the W2RC that Africa sets the scene for two championship rounds. The promoter ASO, the FIA and the FIM have their finger on the pulse of the competitors and the teams.
Calendar
- Dakar (SAU) : 03/01/2025 > 17/01/2025
- Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (ARE) : 21/02/2025 > 27/02/2025
- South African Safari Rally (ZAF) : 18/05/2025 > 24/05/2025
- BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal (PRT) : 22/09/2025 > 28/09/2025
- Rallye du Maroc (MAR) : 10/10/2025 > 17/10/2025
FIA points scale
The standings will change according to the results of each stage and the overall outcome. The points awarded for stages will not be added to the tally unless the riders, drivers or crews remain in the race until the finish. However, competitors will be allowed to start a stage (and, therefore, to earn points) even if they have failed to complete the previous one, albeit with a heavy time penalty
Marathon events
- General standings, points awarded to the top 15 competitors: (50, 40, 30, 26, 23, 20, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4), then 4 points for competitors finishing from the 16th position, and 2 points for not classified competitors
- Stage classification, points awarded to the top 5 competitors: (5, 4, 3, 2 and 1).
- Power selective section classification, points awarded to the top 3 competitors: (3, 2, 1).
Rally events
- General standings, points awarded to the top 15 competitors: (30, 25, 20, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2), then 2 points for competitors finishing from the 16th position, and 1 point for not classified competitors.
- Stage classification, points awarded to the top 5 competitors: (5, 4, 3, 2 and 1).
Power selective section classification, points awarded to the top 3 competitors: (3, 2, 1).
Constructor classification
- Each constructor can field a maximum of three riders, drivers or crews in each event. Only the top two from each team will score points, which will be awarded following the above scale.
- Stage classification, points awarded to the top 5 manufacturers: (3, 2, 1).
FIM points scale
Due to the particularities of the motorbike race, most notably the hazards faced by riders, the FIM strongly emphasises consistency over raw speed. Therefore, points towards the world championship standings will be based entirely on the final general standings of each event. A coefficient will be applied to the points at stake according to the event format.
Scale of points
- General standings, points awarded to the top 15 competitors: (25, 20, 16, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1).
Coefficients
- A coefficient of 1 will be applied to "FIM Rally" events.
- A coefficient of 1.5 will be applied to "FIM Marathon Rally" events. The result will be rounded up to the nearest integer.
Constructor classification
- Each constructor can field a maximum of three riders or drivers in each event. Only the top two from each team will score points, which will be awarded following the above scale.
