2008 World Rally Championship season

Current sport


event = motor sporting event

The 2008 World Rally Championship season is the 36th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consists of 15 rallies and began on January 24, with the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally.

Rule changes

The running order for the first day is governed by championship position, with the championship leader running first on the road. For every other day of a rally, the order is decided by the previous end of day classification (with the leader on classification running first). The term 'leg' has been replaced by 'day' in order to sound more understandable. Extra 10 minute service prior to the finish podium has been added, intended to allow the service park to remain an attraction until the end of the event. [cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/156400-0/fia_reveals_regulation_changes.html |title=FIA reveals regulation changes. |date=2007-10-24 |accessdate=2008-02-11 |work=Crash.net ] With the switch to Pirelli tyres, tyre mousse (along with all anti-deflation devices) has been banned, and fewer compounds are available. Also the teams aren't allowed to modify tyres by themselves (eg. by making additional cuts) anymore. [cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158685-0/new_tyre_rules_good_for_wrc,_says_mikko.html |title=New tyre rules good for WRC, says Mikko. |date=2008-01-15 |accessdate=2008-02-11 |work=Crash.net ] [cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158421-0/loeb_tyre_changes_create_a_lot_of_unknowns.html |title=Loeb: Tyre changes create a lot of unknowns. |date=2008-01-04 |accessdate=2008-02-11 |work=Crash.net ] At the first event of the season, the available tires were the soft slick DS tire ("Pirelli PZero"), the WX snow tire without studs, and the WX snow tire with studs (both variants of "Pirelli Sottozero"). [cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158896-1/preview_rallye_monte_carlo_-_pt_1.html |title=Preview: Rallye Monte Carlo - Pt. 1. |date=2008-01-23 |accessdate=2008-02-11 |work=Crash.net ] The same snow tyres were used in Sweden as well. Later on loose surface tyres were introduced: "Pirelli Scorpion", available in two variants - hard compound for abrasive surfaces, such as roads in Mexico or Greece, and soft one, for more muddy stages as seen on Welsh event.cite web |url=http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=360&desc=Third%20new%20Pirelli%20WRC%20tyre%20makes%20debut%20on%20Rally%20Mexico |title=Third new Pirelli WRC tyre makes debut on Rally Mexico |date=2008-02-15 |accessdate=2008-02-16 |work=WRC.com ] Tire walls have been strengthened in order to endure long, rough gravel stages often full of sharp rocks. The tread on "Scorpions" is asymmetric and directional, as it has proven more efficient during the tests.

Calendar

The 2008 season includes 15 rallies, which is one less than the 2007 season. Rally Norway, Rally Portugal and Rally Ireland were dropped from the calendar for 2008. Rally of Turkey returned to the schedule, and Jordan Rally is part of the calendar for the first time. Rally Australia was planned to make a return after being absent in 2007, but the organizers submitted a request to the FIA to delay the event's return to the schedule until 2009. [cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/156398-1/australia_return_delayed_mexico_gets_call.html |title=Australia return delayed, Mexico gets call. |date=2007-10-24 |accessdate=2008-02-11 |work-Crash.net]

The events also part of the Production World Rally Championship are Sweden, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, Finland, New Zealand, Japan and Britain. [cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158744-0/pwrc_28_to_battle_it_out_in_08.html |title=PWRC: 28 to battle it out in '08 |date=2008-02-13 |accessdate=2008-02-13 |work-Crash.net] The seven rallies also on the Junior World Rally Championship schedule are Mexico, Jordan, Italy, Finland, Germany, Spain and France. [cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158739-0/jwrc_16_competitors_to_contest_junior_series.html |title=JWRC: 16 competitors to contest Junior series |date=2008-02-13 |accessdate=2008-02-13 |work-Crash.net]

The Rally Finland is notable this year for having dropped its famous "Ouninpohja" stage. This has been done for safety reasons, however this is likely to be a huge disappointment for race fans. [cite web | title=What's on Dave - 2008 WRC Calendar | last= | first= | work=What's on Dave | url=http://uktv.co.uk/dave/stepbystep/aid/598029 | date= | accessdate=2008-02-08 ]

tandings

Drivers' championship

Manufacturers' championship

Junior championship

ources

External links

* [http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=400&season=2008 2008 calendar at WRC.com]