As expected, the World Rally Championship points scoring system will change for 2025, scrapping the ‘Saturday points’ that were introduced in 2024.
Veering away from the traditional FIA system with 25 points for victory down to one point for 10th place – plus the powerstage – a new championship points structure was implemented for 2024 in a bid to spice up the action on the final day, introducing the ‘Super Sunday’ concept.
This season, the seven quickest drivers across Sunday’s leg of a rally received up to seven extra championship points on a sliding scale, on top of the usual points up for grabs for the five fastest drivers on the powerstage.
A maximum weekend score still stood at 30, with 18 points available for the leader after Saturday – but those points could only be scored if the driver finished the rally on Sunday.
This created the possibility for the rally winner not to end the weekend with the highest points haul – a widely unpopular scenario that occurred several times throughout the season.
The scoring system will therefore change from next season, as agreed by Wednesday’s meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Rwanda.
As previously reported by DirtFish, Saturday points will be scrapped with the winner of the rally receiving 25 points just as they used to from 2010-2023.
But Super Sunday has also been modified, with the fastest five drivers (down from seven) now eligible for extra points, while the powerstage remains unchanged.
That means the maximum weekend score for a crew is now 35, and anybody who retires prior to Sunday can only claim a maximum 10 points instead of 12.
However, the winner of the rally can still be outscored if they do not register any Super Sunday or powerstage points.
Confirming the decision, the FIA said: “The revised format brings simplification by removing Saturday points, reduces the chances of a rally winner scoring fewer points than the second-placed competitor, and continue to enhance Sunday’s excitement and competitiveness. The “Super Sunday” format will maintain its role as a critical competition day, while the Power Stage remains a key element for broadcasters and fans alike.”
In addition to announcing a revised points system, the FIA also confirmed the next set of technical regulations which will come into force in 2027.
