Live stages to get extra points in WRC

4th September 2010

By Anthony Peacock

The World Rally Championship’s points system could be set for another radical shake-up when extra points are introduced for live televised stages.

Championship promoters are evaluating the concept of live televised tests that will provide the stage winner with a ‘jackpot’ of points: possibly as many as five or more, although the exact weighting is still to be decided.

Not every rally will carry the live televised stages at first, which are unlikely to run in the established superspecial format. Rather than stadia-based events, the televised stages are intended to be short city centre tests, designed to appeal to a wider audience. Unlike many superspecials, they will not necessarily be held at the very start or the very end of a rally either.

The extra points will give drivers an incentive to push as hard as possible on the televised stages, adding an extra dimension to the competition that can easily be broadcast on television.

If organisers and teams are in agreement, there is a chance that the scheme could be rolled out next year, although a 2012 debut is more probable. The championship promoter, North One Sport, is aiming to introduce a number of measures over the coming months that will enhance the appeal of rallying to new manufacturers, with live televised stages set to become a key draw in future.