History of World Rally Championship: Key Eras
History of World Rally Championship began in 1973, when the FIA created an international rallying series with titles for drivers, co-drivers, and car makers.
Key Takeaways
- The World Rally Championship began in 1973 under FIA governance as an international rallying sport category. World Rally Championship – Wikipedia
- The official WRC history lists the early years as 1973-1981. WRC History
- Group B ran from 1982 to 1986, followed by Group A from 1987 to 1996. WRC History
- The first World Rally Car period lasted from 1997 to 2016. WRC History
- The second World Rally Cars period ran from 2017 to 2021. WRC History
- Mitsubishi Motors entered international rallying in 1967, six years before the WRC began. Mitsubishi Motors
- The 2026 page lists 3 manufacturers, Hankook as tyre supplier, Sébastien Ogier as drivers’ champion, Vincent Landais as co-drivers’ champion, and Toyota as manufacturers’ champion. World Rally Championship – Wikipedia
What is the World Rally Championship?
The World Rally Championship is an international rallying sport category governed by the FIA. Its first season took place in 1973. World Rally Championship – Wikipedia
The series created a formal world title structure for drivers, co-drivers, and car makers. Why does that matter? It gives separate groups a clear place in the yearly record.
For a simple guide to rally formats, see types of rally racing.
Did rallying begin before the WRC?
Yes. Mitsubishi Motors says it entered international rallying in 1967, six years before the WRC began in 1973. Mitsubishi Motors
This date shows that car makers competed in international rally events before the FIA formed the WRC series. The championship later gave those events a formal world title structure.
Mitsubishi’s 1967 entry helps place the WRC inside a longer record of international rally competition.
What happened during the early WRC years?
The early WRC years ran from 1973 through 1981, according to the official WRC history page. WRC History
These 9 seasons form the first period in the official timeline. The 1973 start marked the point when rallying gained a named FIA world championship.
Readers who want to study season results can use this guide to season statistics for drivers and constructors.
What was Group B in WRC history?
Group B was a WRC car category used from 1982 through 1986. The official WRC history page lists these 5 seasons as a separate era. WRC History
Group B cars were built for high performance and became linked with some of the sport’s best-known years. The period ended after safety concerns and major rule changes.
Safety remains a major part of rally work. Read about motorsport safety and compliance jobs for related roles.
| WRC period | Years | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Early WRC years | 1973-1981 | <a href="https://www.wrc.com/en/misc/wrc-history">WRC History</a> |
| Group B | 1982-1986 | <a href="https://www.wrc.com/en/misc/wrc-history">WRC History</a> |
| Group A | 1987-1996 | <a href="https://www.wrc.com/en/misc/wrc-history">WRC History</a> |
| First World Rally Cars | 1997-2016 | <a href="https://www.wrc.com/en/misc/wrc-history">WRC History</a> |
| Second World Rally Cars | 2017-2021 | <a href="https://www.wrc.com/en/misc/wrc-history">WRC History</a> |
What years did Group A run?
Group A ran from 1987 through 1996, according to the official WRC history page. This gave the period 10 calendar years. WRC History
It followed Group B and set a new set of rules for eligible rally cars. Group A cars had closer links to road models, which let car makers show a clearer link between competition cars and cars sold to the public.
That link between rules, cars, and performance is useful for readers studying motorsport technical roles.
When did the first World Rally Car period begin?
The first World Rally Car period began in 1997 and ran through 2016. The official WRC history page lists this as a 20-season period. WRC History
This era followed Group A and gave teams a new technical rule set. The name refers to the World Rally Car class, which became a key part of WRC competition during those years.
Car design and race support depend on many technical jobs, including motorsport engineering jobs.
What followed the first World Rally Car period?
The second World Rally Cars period ran from 2017 through 2021. The official WRC history page lists these 5 seasons as a separate period. WRC History
This period followed the first World Rally Car period. The two periods cover 25 calendar years from 1997 through 2021, with the official timeline placing them in separate groups.
For a current view of results, see WRC 2026 drivers’ standings.
What does the 2026 WRC record list?
The 2026 World Rally Championship page lists 3 manufacturers. It lists Hankook as tyre supplier, Sébastien Ogier as drivers’ champion, Vincent Landais as co-drivers’ champion, and Toyota as manufacturers’ champion. World Rally Championship – Wikipedia
These entries describe the record shown on that page at the research date of August 13, 2026. They provide a snapshot of the series after the historic periods listed by the official WRC timeline.
To see how scoring fits into the series, read the WRC scoring system explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the World Rally Championship begin?
The World Rally Championship began in 1973 as an international rallying series governed by the FIA, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile. Its series page calls it the third oldest FIA world championship. The first season began a formal world title record for rally drivers, co-drivers, and car makers. World Rally Championship – Wikipedia
What was Group B in WRC history?
Group B was a WRC car category used from 1982 to 1986. The official WRC history page lists these 5 seasons as a separate period. Group B cars were built for high performance and became linked with the sport’s best-known years. The period ended after safety concerns and major rule changes. WRC History
What years did Group A run in the World Rally Championship?
The official WRC history page lists Group A from 1987 to 1996. This 10-year period followed Group B and set a new set of rules for eligible rally cars. Group A cars had closer links to road models, which helped car makers show how competition cars related to cars sold to the public. WRC History
When did the first World Rally Car period begin?
The first World Rally Car period began in 1997 and ran through 2016, according to the official WRC history page. This 20-year period followed Group A and gave teams a new technical rule set. The name refers to the World Rally Car class, which became a key part of WRC competition for two decades. WRC History
How many manufacturers are listed for the 2026 WRC season?
The World Rally Championship page lists 3 manufacturers for the 2026 season. It lists Hankook as tyre supplier, Sébastien Ogier as drivers’ champion, Vincent Landais as co-drivers’ champion, and Toyota as manufacturers’ champion. These entries describe the record shown on the page at the research date. World Rally Championship – Wikipedia
Did rallying begin before the WRC?
Yes. Mitsubishi Motors says it entered international rallying in 1967, six years before the World Rally Championship began in 1973. This shows that car makers took part in international rally events before the FIA created the WRC series. The WRC later gave those events a formal world championship structure. Mitsubishi Motors
