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Expectations/predictions: Rovanpera drives full season again and based on 2024 performance, he will take third crown with ease. Tanak has found his feet at Hyundai and will be best driver of the team. He can potentially challenge for the title, depending on his luck.
After third round, Evans already has two wins and second place, meaning 35 pt lead over second placed Neuville. From then on, running first on road was continual hindrance to him and his lead shrunk and shrunk until after Estonia, Tanak had went past.
Oliver Solberg scored a unexpected first win in Rally Estonia, driving a last-minute Rally1 entry. It was also Toyota's 100th WRC win.
Hyundai announces that Tanak is not nominated for Manufacturers' points for three last rallies, official reason cited is so that he would be able to concentrate on Drivers' championship despite trailing with considerable margin. Decision is odd because he could have been nominated but told he needn't worry about it. I do expect that this move signals a move of some sort for Tanak.
News: Hyundai signs Fourmaux for full programme, leaving M-Sport in need of new driver. M-Sport performance sinks even further.
9th of Oct, Kalle Rovanpera announces his retirement from WRC at the end of 2025. Exactly one month later, 9th of Nov, Ott Tanak did the same.
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Calendar was expanded to fourteen events with three completely new events (Canarias, Paraguay and Saudi Arabia) and Estonia making a return. Croatia, Poland and Latvia were dropped to make room for these changes.
Control tyre is now manufactured by Hankook (was Pirelli).
Cars no longer have hybrid unit, instead are powered solely by traditional 1.6 litre combustion engine.
Points scoring scheme was refined, with more points scored for overall position and separate Saturday points being dropped. Super Sunday remains but with fewer points.
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Drivers scoring their
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first win
O. Solberg (Estonia)
first drivers' point
A. Cachon Rodriguez (Canarias)
R. Dapra (Sardinia)
J. Cerny (Central Eur. Rally)
first stage win
G. Munster (Monte Carlo)
O. Solberg (Estonia)
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