The WRC kicks off on the ice of Monte Carlo between January 23 and 25 and ends on the other side of the globe in November with the Rally of Japan. Here, the WRC will be present from May 15 to 18, with the Automóvel Club de Portugal having a hand in organizing the Vodafone Rally de Portugal, the 5th event on the world calendar.
Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe, finally world champions, will have special honors among all those seeking the world rally title. New technical regulations, new tires and cars abandoning the hybrid system, becoming lighter but also less powerful, will have the first test of the season and - who knows - cause some surprises. Hyundai, Toyota and M-Sport Ford are the three regulars in recent years of the WRC, who will once again be fighting for the constructors' and drivers' titles.
Ott Tänak, defending champion Thierry Neuville and now Adrian Fourmaux are the official Hyundai drivers for this first challenge, while Toyota, the world constructors' champion, has a line-up made up of the young two-time champion Kalle Rovanperä, Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari, last year's WRC2 champion who is making his debut with the brand with a full calendar and a new navigator. There's also the Monte Carlo specialist, the experienced Sébastien Ogier, who has won the opening event nine times, but who won't be doing all the events on the calendar this year, although he will always be passionate about the Vodafone Rally de Portugal.
M-Sport Ford will be joined by Grégoire Munster and rookie Josh McErlean. With a new points system involving the top ten finishers and bonuses for the top five finishers on Sunday, in addition to the Power Stage, the first race of the 2025 WRC is here, starting next Thursday, January 23rd.