The World Motorsport Council of the International Automobile Federation FIA announced the new WRC calendar in Paris on Wednesday. The 2016 season will feature 14 rounds, instead of the 13 rallies that previously made up the World Rally Championship. New to the calendar: China, which last appeared in the WRC in 1999. The rest of the rounds remain the same as this year: Argentina, Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Monte Carlo, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
The provisional calendar was agreed without dates, which will be released within the next few weeks. There are still a few questions to be answered before the 2016 World Rally Championship is officially confirmed: in the case of the WRC rounds in Monaco and France, final contract terms and conditions are yet to be finalised between the FIA, WRC marketer and the respective events. And confirmation of the rally in China is subject to fulfilling the FIA requirements for the World Championship.
Further decisions regarding the coming season have also been announced: WRC competitors returning under Rally 2 conditions must start at the back of the WRC field – which means the World Championship leader must also open the route on day two, regardless of the cars starting under Rally 2 regulations. Furthermore, in the future, at least 51 per cent of a rally’s route must be completed in order to receive the full quota of championship points. Should a crew complete less than 51 per cent, the points will be halved.
