2012 World Rally Championship season
The World Rally Championship 2012 was the 40th FIA World Rally Championship. She was discharged on 13 rallies in the period from 18 January to 4 November. For the first time since the establishment of the World Rally Championship, the FIA has a title sponsor for this rally series admitted. After the FIA has concluded with the telecommunications giant Nokia a contract, the World Rally Championship from 2012 officially called WRC powerd by Nokia.
- 2.1 Factory Team 2.1.1 Mini
- 2.1.2 Ford
- 2.1.3 Citroën
- 2.1.4 Volkswagen
- 2.1.5 proton
- 2.1.6 Vehicles
- 2.2.1 Czech Ford National Team
- 2.2.2 PH Sport
- 2.2.3 M-Sport
- 2.2.4 Ice 1 Racing
- 2.2.5 Adapta
- 2.2.6 Sweden World Rally Team
- 2.2.7 Go Fast Energy WRT
- 2.2.8 Elias Motorsport
- 2.2.9 Palmeirinha Rally
- Armindo Araujo WRT 2.2.10
- 2.2.11 Monster WRT Ford
- 2.2.12 Other
- 5.1 Drivers' Championship WRC
- 5.2 Manufacturers' Championship WRC
New Regulations
Starting Order
From 2012 there is a new rule to the start sequence for gravel rallies. It is no longer forcibly Championship leader first on the often polluted stretches. For the drivers of the priorities one and two of the last passage of the shake down will be upgraded to qualify. The fastest gets to choose his starting position, followed by the next fastest drivers in descending order. The remaining ( n ) step ( n ) is started in the reverse order. In gravel rallies of the 2-hour shakedown will be called in future free practice stage in which the distance must be traveled twice. The once busy qualification ie from 2012 Qualifying Stage. In the asphalt rallies it stays the same shakedown system and the World Cup first place winner is before the Second - and so on - to start.
Class A1 and A2
Fitted with 1600cc turbo engines Super 2000 vehicles of the new generation ( class A1) were not admitted in the previous SWRC. As of 2012, they may participate in the SWRC, provided they are equipped with a 30- mm air restrictors. They may also start in the WRC class together with World Rally Cars, but then with a 33 - mm - Lufmengenbegrenzer and the homologated WRC conversion kit. The FIA reserves the right to change the size of the air restrictor without any prior notice.
SupeRally Regulations
As of 2012, the rally organizer may choose freely whether he again, after SupeRally regulations, permits participants failed the next day to start.
Tire Equipment
The official tire supplier of class A -0 to A-2 since 2011 Michelin. As of 2012, there is a limit, from 48 to 35, inserted tires per rally and vehicle. The run-flat systems which virtually unlimited Continue at race pace enabled in tire damage, remained banned. With snow rallies, which were also partly on tarmac (Monte Carlo), the participant was allowed to choose from three different types of tires. The studded tires are mounted on 18 inch rims from 2012.
Route
As of 2012, a change of the pavement between two stages is prohibited. Asphalt tests may not have gravel roads, but asphalt tests are allowed on gravel rallies.
Changes the teams
Works team
Mini
Supported by Prodrive Mini WRC team starts from 2012 as a registered factory team also points in the Manufacturers' Championship. As the driver of the Mini WRC Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke were already fixed. Since David Richards problems with financing of the project had - he could be confirmed by contract of mini that Prodrive is solely responsible for the sponsors question - it came to restructuring in the team. The standing as a works driver Kris Meeke under contract has not been used at all World Championship races. The factory cars with the traditional starting number 52 was partially leave a Paydriver. In the Monte Carlo Rally of supported by the FFSA Frenchman Pierre Campana started in the second factory cars. In the Swedish Rally Patrik Sandell started (usually Sweden WRT) as a 2nd driver instead of Pierre Campana.
Ford
The Ford works team had announced plans to make a decision about remaining in the World Rally Championship in October 2011. In mid-December was not known to the Ford will extend the future involvement in the World Rally Championship for a further two years. As a new team-mate Jari -Matti Latvala in the Ford World Rally Team, Petter Solberg has been committed for a year.
Citroën
The Citroën Total World Rally Team started again this season with the series champion Sébastien Loeb Citroën DS3 WRC at the wheel of. In November 2011 it was announced that Ogier's contract was terminated. For the 2012 season, Citroën undertook the long-standing Ford works driver Mikko Hirvonen as the new No. 2 driver alongside Loeb. Citroen team principal Olivier Quesnel announced that from the Rally Sweden is gone with three DS3 WRC at the start. Nasser Al- Attiyah first took part in the Dakar Rally in order to subsequently deny twelve rounds of the World Rally Championship.
Volkswagen
Partly under the SWRC, Volkswagen Motorsport prepared during the World Rally Championship 2012 intensively for the full WRC entry from 2013. It was planned as early as 2011 with the Škoda Fabia S2000, the floor pan, transmission, differentials and drivetrain shared with the Polo to participate in all World Championship races. The experience that makes this VW should flow directly into the development of the VW Polo R WRC, which was officially presented at the IAA 2011. The two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz and VW test pilot Dieter Depping completed in early November 2011 in the vineyards around Trier the first test runs in preparation for the WRC entry. As the first factory driver Sébastien Ogier has been committed for the next three years.
Proton
With proton, the fifth factory team had registered for the World Rally Championship. The Proton Satria Neo S2000 onset team started yet in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2011, where she completed the IRC - plant use and decreases in 2012 in part as part of the World Rally Championship with Alister McRae and Per- Gunnar Andersson, seven rounds of the S2000 World Cup, also the Scot McRae to defend his title in the Asia -Pacific Championship ( APRC). The European Rally Champion Giandomenico Basso should come at SWRC asphalt runs to use and promote the development of the Satria. For Andersson and Basso the season began in January at the Monte Carlo Rally.
Rolling stock
Ford Fiesta RS WRC
Mini WRC
Skoda Fabia
Private teams
Czech Ford National Team
As the first privateer Martin Prokop has announced plans to start 2012 in a Ford Fiesta World Rally Car at the World Rally Championship. There were planned in Europe ten participants.
PH Sport
The former promoter of Loeb and Dominique Heintz and Bernard Piallat, from the use of PH Sport team started off the Rally Monte Carlo with two DS3 WRC in the World Rally Championship. 2012 the Belgian Thierry Neuville young talent was given the chance to prove themselves in the World Rally Championship. Yet his vehicle went under the team name Citroën Junior Team at the start. There were plans for nine to ten starts in New Zealand no participation was provided. Thanks to its good results Neuville also received the opportunity to go in the World Rally Championship races in Italy and Spain at the start. It was also planned, irregularly and alternately use as a second driver for the team, the Dutchman Peter van Merksteijn senior and Peter van Merksteijn junior. Their DS3 then appeared as Van Merksteijn Motorsport in the entry list.
M-Sport
M-Sport also continued this year, but without the support of Stobart, the customer team program in the WRC continued. In the Monte Carlo Rally Francois Delecour, Yevgeny Novikov and Ott Tanak started for this team. From the Rally Sweden, the European champion Michal Solowow took over the cockpit of Delecour.
Ice 1 Racing
Kimi Raikkonen finished with season end of 2011 his involvement in the World Rally Championship, to return in 2012 with Lotus in Formula 1.
Adapta
Mads Østberg should take part in 11 World Rally Championship races in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC. His first race of the season was completed by the Norwegians in the Rally of Sweden. In New Zealand he did not go to the start due to the huge transportation costs. The 24-year -old Norwegian Eyvind Brynildsen was brought in as the second driver in the service of Østberg clans in the team.
Sweden World Rally Team
The WRT Sweden, founded in 2012 by former Swedish rally greats like Stig Blomqvist and Thomas Rådström Jan Pettersson, Leif Asterhag and Staffan Parma Santander chose Patrik Sandell for young drivers for the next three years. Together with his co-driver Staffan Paramander he went in 2012 in the Mini WRC at the start.
Go Fast Energy WRT
The Go Fast Energy WRT team participated in all 13 rallies. Until after the shakedown for Rallye Monte Carlo this was unclear due to financial difficulties; finally piloted Matthew Wilson and Henning Solberg Ford Fiesta WRC team.
Elias Motorsport
The Swedish Touring Car star Richard Göransson drove from the Swedish Rally with a Mini JCW WRC for the team.
Palmeirinha Rally
The Brazilian Paulo Nobre took part in a customer - Mini since the Rally Monte Carlo.
Armindo Araujo WRT
Armindo Araujo formed his own team, and started as Paulo Nobre in a customers car from Prodrive.
Monster WRT Ford
Ken Block competed in this year only three rallies. Start of the season was for him in Mexico, then he drove in New Zealand and Finland. At the Rally Mexico Christopher Atkinson made his comeback; He also competed in a Ford Fiesta for the Monster team.
Other
Julien Maurin took part in the Monte Carlo Rally in a Ford Fiesta WRC. From the Rally Sweden took over Jari Ketomaa this vehicle.
Teams and Drivers
Changes in the racing calendar
The Monte Carlo Rally, which was from 2009 to 2011 to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge ( IRC), found in 2012 as a running back instead of the World Rally Championship. It started on Tuesday, January 17 with the shakedown and ended after 6 days, 17 stages over 433 km and a total distance of 1246 km on Sunday, 22 January. This event replaced the last year driven in April Jordan Rally.
As part of the 9th discharged to 12 February Rally Sweden transnational six special stages of the rally Norway were traveled for the first time. In four days, 24 WPs were completed over 360 km. The total length was 1874 km.
After the FIA World Rally Championship rotation principle Rally Australia 2012 was replaced by the New Zealand Rally. The Rally Great Britain 2012 will take place in late summer. The Rally Sardinia was replaced by the Targa Florio Rally in Sicily and moved together with the Rally of Catalonia at the end of the World Cup calendar.
Competitions
The registered kilometer correspond to the distance of the special stages. The distance of the links between the different WPs is not included.
Appreciation
WRC Drivers' Championship
WRC Manufacturers' Championship
The Armindo Araújo World Rally Team Rally and Palmeirinha have merged to WRC Team Mini Portugal. The points which you have to ride in the Rally Monte Carlo out, was removed from the Manufacturers' Championship.