World Rally Championship

The 2007 rallies will be held in Monte Carlo, Sweden, Norway, Mexico, Portugal, France, Argentina, Italy, Greece, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, France, Japan, Ireland and Great Britain. Australia dropped out of the 2007 rotation, but will return for the 2008 season.

WRC Rally Betting Odds - Click Here

Governed by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), WRC races are for production based 2.0-liter turbocharged four-wheel drive cars built to WRC regulations. Power output is limited to about 300 bhp (225 kW). Races are held on a variety of terrains, including tarmac, gravel and snow.

Founded in 1973, the WRC awards a driver’s championship and a manufacturer’s championship. Both are based on the same point system with the top eight drivers and manufacturers in each rally receiving points on a 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis. Manufacturers can nominate only two drivers to score points for the team as well as for themselves, regardless of how many drivers are on a team.

Despite missing the final four rallies because of a mountain bike injury, France’s Sebastien Loeb captured the 2006 driver’s championship by one point over Finland’s Marcus Gronholm, 112 to 111. Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen was a distant third with 57 points. Loeb won eight of the 12 rallies he entered while Gronholm picked up seven victories.

Loeb also won driver’s championships in 2005 and 2004. Finland’s Tommi Makinen won three consecutive crowns from 1996 to 1999. Other recent champions include: Norway’s Peter Solberg, 2003; Gronholm, 2002 and 2000; and Richard Burns, 2001.

The 2006 manufacturer’s championship went to the BP-Ford team with 195 points. Kronos Total Citroen finished second with 166 points and Sabaru was third with 103.

» Latest World Rally Championship Odds: World Rally Championship Odds

Live Motor Sport Union Odds Motor Sport Betting Odds - Available 24/7