List of World Rally Championship Drivers' champions: Difference between revisions

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The World Rally Championship (WRC) is a rallying series administered by Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body.^[1] The series currently consists of 13 three-day events driven on surfaces that range from gravel and tarmac to snow and ice. Each rally is split into 15–25 special stages, which are run against the clock on closed roads. The WRC was formed from well-known and popular international rallies, most of which had previously been part of the European Rally Championship and/or the International Championship for Manufacturers; the series was first contested in 1973.^[2] The drivers' championship was first awarded in 1977 and 1978 as an FIA Cup for Drivers title, to Sandro Munari and Markku Alén, respectively. The first official world champion in rallying was Björn Waldegård in 1979.^[3]

Each season normally consists of 12 to 16 rallies driven on surfaces ranging from gravel and tarmac to snow and ice. Points from these events are calculated towards the drivers', co-drivers' and manufacturers' world championships. The driver's championship and manufacturer's championship are separate championships, but are based on the same point system. In the current points system, points are awarded at the end of each rally to the top ten WRC (overall) drivers and co-drivers that qualify as follows: 25, 17, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. In addition to those points, from 2011 each event holds 1 special stage, the Power Stage, in which drivers and co-drivers can score extra points – currently awarded to five fastest drivers (5, 4, 3, 2, 1). From 2025 points are awarded to the five fastest crews on Sunday (5, 4, 3, 2, 1). ^[4]

Sébastien Loeb holds the record for the most drivers' championships, winning nine during his career.^[5] He also holds the record for the most championships won in a row; he won his nine titles consecutively from 2004 to 2012.^[6] Sébastien Ogier is second with eight. Kalle Rovanperä is the youngest world champion; he was 22 years old when he won the 2022 World Rally Championship.^[7] French drivers have won the most titles with 18 championships between 3 drivers. Finland are second with 16 championships between 8 different drivers. Citroën cars have won the most drivers' championships with nine titles, all of them with Loeb.

Key

Podiums	The number of times the champion finished in the top three in a rally
Margin	The margin of points by which the champion defeated the runner-up(s)

Winners

By season

List of World Rally Championship Drivers' champions
Season	Country	Driver	Car	Wins	Podiums	Points^[a]	Margin
1977	Italy	Sandro Munari^[b]	Lancia Stratos HF	3	4	31	1
1978	Finland	Markku Alén^[b]^[c]	Fiat 131 Abarth	4	8	52	21
1979	Sweden	Björn Waldegård^[d]	Ford Escort RS1800	2	7	112	1
1980	West Germany	Walter Röhrl	Fiat 131 Abarth	4	6	118	54
1981	Finland	Ari Vatanen	Ford Escort RS1800	3	5	96	7
1982	West Germany	Walter Röhrl	Opel Ascona 400	2	8	109	12
1983	Finland	Hannu Mikkola	Audi Quattro A1/A2	4	7	125	23
1984	Sweden	Stig Blomqvist	Audi Quattro A2/Sport Quattro	5	6	125	21
1985	Finland	Timo Salonen	Peugeot 205 T16/E2	5	8	127	52
1986	Finland	Juha Kankkunen	Peugeot 205 T16 E2	3	6	118	14
1987	Finland	Juha Kankkunen	Lancia Delta HF 4WD	2	5	100	6
1988	Italy	Miki Biasion	Lancia Delta HF 4WD/integrale	5	6	115	29
1989	Italy	Miki Biasion	Lancia Delta integrale 16v	5	5	106	41
1990	Spain	Carlos Sainz	Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165	4	9	140	45
1991	Finland	Juha Kankkunen	Lancia Delta HF integrale 16v	5	7	150	7
1992	Spain	Carlos Sainz	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD	4	8	144	10
1993	Finland	Juha Kankkunen	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD	5	7	135	23
1994	France	Didier Auriol	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD	3	6	116	17
1995	United Kingdom	Colin McRae	Subaru Impreza 555	2	5	90	5
1996	Finland	Tommi Mäkinen	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III	5	6	123	31
1997	Finland	Tommi Mäkinen	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV	4	9	63	1
1998	Finland	Tommi Mäkinen	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV/Evolution V	5	7	58	2
1999	Finland	Tommi Mäkinen	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI	4	7	62	7
2000	Finland	Marcus Grönholm	Peugeot 206 WRC	4	7	65	5
2001	United Kingdom	Richard Burns	Subaru Impreza WRC 2001	1	6	44	2
2002	Finland	Marcus Grönholm	Peugeot 206 WRC	5	9	77	40
2003	Norway	Petter Solberg	Subaru Impreza WRC 2003	4	7	72	1
2004	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën Xsara WRC	6	12	118	36
2005	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën Xsara WRC	10	13	127	56
2006	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën Xsara WRC	8	12	112	1
2007	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën C4 WRC	8	13	116	4
2008	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën C4 WRC	11	13	122	19
2009	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën C4 WRC	7	9	93	1
2010	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën C4 WRC	8	13	276	105
2011	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën DS3 WRC	5	9	222	8
2012	France	Sébastien Loeb	Citroën DS3 WRC	9	10	270	57
2013	France	Sébastien Ogier	Volkswagen Polo R WRC	9	11	290	114
2014	France	Sébastien Ogier	Volkswagen Polo R WRC	8	10	267	49
2015	France	Sébastien Ogier	Volkswagen Polo R WRC	8	10	263	80
2016	France	Sébastien Ogier	Volkswagen Polo R WRC	6	11	268	108
2017	France	Sébastien Ogier	Ford Fiesta WRC	2	9	232	24
2018	France	Sébastien Ogier	Ford Fiesta WRC	4	6	219	18
2019	Estonia	Ott Tänak	Toyota Yaris WRC	6	9	263	36
2020	France	Sébastien Ogier	Toyota Yaris WRC	2	5	122	8
2021	France	Sébastien Ogier	Toyota Yaris WRC	5	7	230	23
2022	Finland	Kalle Rovanperä	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	6	7	255	50
2023	Finland	Kalle Rovanperä	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	3	8	250	34
2024	Belgium	Thierry Neuville	Hyundai i20 N Rally1	2	6	242	32

By driver

List of World Rally Championship Drivers' Champions by driver
Driver	Total	Seasons
Sébastien Loeb	9	2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Sébastien Ogier	8	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021
Juha Kankkunen	4	1986, 1987, 1991, 1993
Tommi Mäkinen	4	1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Walter Röhrl	2	1980, 1982
Miki Biasion	2	1988, 1989
Carlos Sainz	2	1990, 1992
Marcus Grönholm	2	2000, 2002
Kalle Rovanperä	2	2022, 2023
Sandro Munari	1	1977
Markku Alén	1	1978
Björn Waldegård	1	1979
Ari Vatanen	1	1981
Hannu Mikkola	1	1983
Stig Blomqvist	1	1984
Timo Salonen	1	1985
Didier Auriol	1	1994
Colin McRae	1	1995
Richard Burns	1	2001
Petter Solberg	1	2003
Ott Tänak	1	2019
Thierry Neuville	1	2024

By nationality

List of World Rally Championship Drivers' Champions by nationality
Country	Drivers	Total wins
France	3	18
Finland	8	16
Italy	2	3
Sweden	2	2
United Kingdom	2	2
West Germany	1	2
Spain	1	2
Norway	1	1
Estonia	1	1
Belgium	1	1

By manufacturer

Privateers counted as manufacturers.

Manufacturer	Total
Citroën	9
Toyota	9
Lancia	5
Ford	4
Mitsubishi	4
Peugeot	4
Volkswagen	4
Subaru	3
Audi	2
Fiat	2
Opel	1
Hyundai	1

Notes

^ Until 1997, only a certain number (seven, eight or nine) of a driver's best results counted towards the championship. The points column lists the points counted in the championship.^[8]
^ ^a ^b In 1977 and 1978, the drivers' championships was the FIA Cup for Drivers.^[9]
^ Alén drove a Lancia Stratos HF at the Rallye Sanremo and at the Lombard RAC Rally.^[10]
^ Waldegård drove a Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0 at the endurance rallies; the Safari Rally and the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire.^[11]

References

General

Specific

^ "About FIA". FIA. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
^ "What is WRC?". World Rally Championship. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^ "The WRC's greatest drivers". World Rally Championship. 23 July 2008. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
^ Rule changes summary juwra.com
^ "Loeb clinches eighth title". Sky Sports. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
^ "Hirvonen's exit hands eighth straight world title to Loeb". CNN. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
^ Howard, Tom (2 October 2022). "WRC New Zealand: Rovanpera clinches history making world title with victory". Autosport. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
^ "1997 – Subaru". Subaru. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
^ Hope-Frost, Henry; Davenport, John (2004). The Complete Book of the World Rally Championship. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. p. 13. ISBN 0-7603-1954-5.
^ Hope-Frost & Davenport 2004, pp. 13–14
^ "Björn Waldegård". Rally Base. Retrieved 10 December 2008.

External links

[points-9] Until 1997, only a certain number (seven, eight or nine) of a driver's best results counted towards the championship. The points column lists the points counted in the championship.^[8]

[cup-11] In 1977 and 1978, the drivers' championships was the FIA Cup for Drivers.^[9]

[Alen-13] Alén drove a Lancia Stratos HF at the Rallye Sanremo and at the Lombard RAC Rally.^[10]

[15] Waldegård drove a Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0 at the endurance rallies; the Safari Rally and the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire.^[11]

[1] "About FIA". FIA. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2008.

[2] "What is WRC?". World Rally Championship. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2019.

[Waldegard-3] "The WRC's greatest drivers". World Rally Championship. 23 July 2008. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008.

[4] Rule changes summary juwra.com

[5] "Loeb clinches eighth title". Sky Sports. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.

[6] "Hirvonen's exit hands eighth straight world title to Loeb". CNN. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.

[7] Howard, Tom (2 October 2022). "WRC New Zealand: Rovanpera clinches history making world title with victory". Autosport. Retrieved 2 October 2022.

[8] "1997 – Subaru". Subaru. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2008.

[10] Hope-Frost, Henry; Davenport, John (2004). The Complete Book of the World Rally Championship. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. p. 13. ISBN 0-7603-1954-5.

[12] Hope-Frost & Davenport 2004, pp. 13–14

[14] "Björn Waldegård". Rally Base. Retrieved 10 December 2008.

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