2007 World Rally Championship

Regulation changes

Remote service was introduced. Between two sets of stages, instead of returning to the main service location, cars are serviced in a remote location. The service duration is 15 minutes, only four mechanics are allowed and the only parts which can be changed (save for tires) are the ones carried in the car itself.

Since 2006 manufacturer is understood to mean a manufacturer, a team designated by a manufacturer, or a privateer team taking part with a single make of car. In 2007 two categories were created to compete for the Manufacturer's championship, replacing the previous M1 and M2 categories:

Manufacturer (M)

• undertakes to take part in all the rallies of the Championship
• must enter only cars corresponding to the latest homologated version of a World Rally Car in conformity with the 2007 Appendix J
• must inform the FIA of the name of the first driver entered for the season at the time of registration for the Championship. No change of the first driver is authorised, except in a case of force majeure. The driver of the second car may be changed for each of the rallies in the Championship
• In order to score points in the Championship, a Manufacturer must take part with two cars of the same make in all the rallies of the calendar

Manufacturer Team (MT)

• undertakes to take part in 10 or more Championship rallies which it has nominated
• cannot enter World Rally Cars homologated during the year 2007 and cannot use parts homologated after 2 January 2007
• In order to score points in the Championship, a Manufacturer Team must take part with two cars of the same make in 10 or more rallies it nominated on registering for the Championship. The Manufacturer Team can only score points in the events it nominated on registering

Calendar

The 2007 championship was contested over sixteen rounds in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.

Teams and drivers

Team and driver changes

Citroën Total World Rally Team returned to the WRC in 2007 with their new C4. Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Sordo joined the team from Kronos who had been the de facto works Citroën team. Kronos would remain in the WRC as a Manufacturer team with Manfred Stohl returning to Kronos after driving for the Bozian run Peugeot team. Daniel Carlsson was signed to compete in six rallies in 2007, but after Rally Italy, Carlsson was banned from participating in the remainder of the season. François Duval was later signed to compete in the remaining four tarmac rallies.

MMSP, formerly Ralliart, announced via the WRC website that Mitsubishi would be returning to the WRC in 2007, with Toni Gardemeister and Khalid Al Qassimi as their drivers. However, Mitsubishi of Japan refused to approve of the entry, preventing MMSP from entering as a manufacturer. Khalid Al Qassimi and his main sponsor Abu Dhabi withdrew from the team and would later join Ford with Al Qassimi driving a third car for the remainder of the season.

Argentinian ice cream parlor chain, Munchi's, would set up Ford's third manufacturer team in the WRC. Their drivers were Luis Pérez Companc, who had driven for Stobart Ford the previous year, and Juan Pablo Raies although the latter would be replaced by Federico Villagra.

Subaru dropped tarmac specialist Stéphane Sarrazin from their line-up with Chris Atkinson now having a full time seat with Subaru. Midway through the season, Subaru signed Xavier Pons to drive a third car for the remainder of the 2007 season. Prodrive had considered running a secondary manufacturer team for 2007, similar to Citroën and Ford, but this failed to materialize.

OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team and Red Bull Škoda Team left the WRC after the 2006 season.

P-WRC Entries

JWRC entries

Events

Results

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Statistics

Season results summary

Drivers' championship

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• Sébastien Loeb secured the drivers' championship title in Wales.

Manufacturers' championship

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• Ford secured the manufacturers' championship in Ireland.

PWRC

JWRC Drivers' championship