Consequently, the number of drivers who will get to score points in the WRC throughout the 2010 season will be 10, as compared to 8 until now. The overall Top 10 of each event will be awarded points in the same way the F1 drivers will, meaning the WRC will switch to the 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 system.
The news was reported by the official WRC site, who said that “the decision to adopt the system was taken on 9 February, after the FIA put the matter to a fax vote of competitors. It was also approved by the members of the World Motor Sport Council.”
It seems the decision came as a result of more teams being announced in the 2010 WRC entry list that usual. Ken Block and Kimi Raikkonen are only a couple of names that make that description, while Petter Solberg is set to doing an all-round campaign in the WRC for the first time since 2008.
However, despite the increased number of drivers announcing their racing programmes for the 2010 WRC season, one cannot help but wonder why the FIA proceeded to this change this year. Except for last year, when only two car manufacturers were part of the WRC entry list, the championship benefited from the presence of many teams (Subaru, Suzuki, Peugeot) and drivers (Christ Atkinson, Toni Gardemeiser and Gigi Galli to name a few).
Regardless of what we think, the fact of the matter is that the new point format will come into effect immediately, starting with this weekend's Rally Sweden.
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