World Rally Championship (WRC)
In 1973, the FIA organized the now popular World Rally Championship (WRC) series events, which culminates with 2 separate championships, the driver's championship and the manufacturer's championship, quite similar to F1.
The championship features 15 rallies. All cars are built to WRC regulations and are driven across tarmac, gravel, and snow and ice surfaces. Points earned at these events are calculated towards the drivers' and the manufactures' World Championships. Points are awarded to the top eight at the end of each rally. Constructors are only allowed to nominate 2 of their drivers to score points for the Team as well as scoring for themselves. However the Team can consist of 3 drivers participating ni each rally. A WRC Team can have between 40 - 100 members; only 40 are allowed at the rallies.
To date, 20 manufacturers have won a WRC event, including Lancia, Peugeot, Ford, Citroën, Subaru, and Toyota. Citroën and Ford will make up the 2009 manufacturer teams. Three semi-factory teams (Stobart VK M-Sport Ford, Munchi's Ford and the Citroen Junior Team) will be eligible for the manufacturers' championship. In 2008, Subaru and Suzuki withdrew from the WRC due to the economic issues facing the automotive industry.
Urmo Ava is the new signee for Team Stobart VK M-Sport Ford for the 2009 season.
On Team BP Ford Abu Dhabi are Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, Mikko Hirvonen, who is the lead driver for the Rally team, and Jari-Matti Latvala. This is Qassimi's second year with Abu Dhabi. In 2008 Latvala took his first WRC win.
Chris Atkinson, a former Subaru veteren driver, will drive for C4 WRC for the Citroen Juniour Team. Also driving for the junior squad is Evgeny Novikov, Sebastien Ogier, the 2008 World Rally Champion, and Conrad Rautenbach.
Sebastien Loeb has a 6th WRC title in his sights. He is driving for the Citroen Total World Rally Team, which also consists of Dani Sordo, who placed 3rd in the 2008 Championship drive to the finish.
Henning Solberg of Ford Focus World Rally Car and Federico Villagra of the Munchi's Ford World Rally Team will also vy for the 2009 Championship title.
