Motorsport championship
The 2023 FIA WRC2 Championship was the eleventh season of WRC2 , a rallying championship organised and governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile as the second-highest tier of international rallying. The category was open to crews with cars complying with Group Rally2 regulations.[ 1] Rallye Monte-Carlo and concluded in November with Rally Japan , and ran in support of the 2023 World Rally Championship .
Emil Lindholm and Reeta Hämäläinen entered as the defending drivers' and co-drivers' champions, while Toksport WRT entered as the defending teams' champions.[ 2]
Andreas Mikkelsen and Torstein Eriksen became the 2023 WRC-2 champions, their second title victories in the championship.[ 3] Toksport WRT 3 took victory in the teams' championship.
A map showing the locations of the rallies in the 2023 championship. Event headquarters are marked with black dots.
The 2023 season is scheduled to be contested over thirteen rounds crossing Europe, Africa, North and South America, and Asia.
Round Start date Finish date Rally Rally headquarters Surface Stages Distance Ref. 1 19 January 22 January Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo Monte Carlo , Monaco Mixed[ a] 18 325.02 km [ 4] 2 9 February 12 February Rally Sweden Umeå, Västerbotten County , Sweden Snow 18 301.18 km [ 5] 3 16 March 19 March Rally Guanajuato México León, Guanajuato , Mexico Gravel 23 315.69 km [ 6] 4 20 April 23 April Croatia Rally Zagreb , Croatia Tarmac 20 301.26 km [ 7] 5 11 May 14 May Rally de Portugal Matosinhos, Porto , Portugal Gravel 19 329.06 km [ 8] 6 1 June 4 June Rally Italia Sardegna Olbia, Sardinia , Italy Gravel 19 322.88 km [ 9] 7 22 June 25 June Safari Rally Kenya Naivasha, Nakuru County , Kenya Gravel 19 355.92 km [ 10] 8 20 July 23 July Rally Estonia Tartu , Estonia Gravel 21 300.41 km [ 11] 9 3 August 6 August Rally Finland Jyväskylä, Central Finland , Finland Gravel 22 320.56 km [ 12] 10 7 September 10 September Acropolis Rally Greece Lamia, Central Greece , Greece Gravel 15 270.89 km [ 13] 11 28 September 1 October Rally Chile Concepción, Biobío , Chile Gravel 16 321.06 km [ 14] 12 26 October 29 October Central European Rally Passau, Bavaria , Germany Tarmac 18 310.01 km [ 15] 13 16 November 19 November Rally Japan Toyota, Aichi , Japan Tarmac 22 304.66 km [ 16] Sources: [ 17] [ 18]
The championship was expected to be expanded to fourteen rounds from the thirteen rounds in the previous season by WRC Promoter GmbH , with eight Europe-based rallies and six fly-away events covering the season.[ 19] Jeddah , absent from the calendar.[ 20] [ 21]
Rally Mexico (picured in 2008 with a Subaru Impreza WRC ) returned to the calendar.Rally Mexico returned to championship after missing the 2021 and 2022 championships.[ 22] [ 23] Rally Chile rejoined the calendar after having been ruled out in 2020 and 2021 due to the Chilean protests and COVID-19 pandemic respectively.[ 24] [ 25] The Central European Rally , a tri-nation event held across Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic , was introduced into the championship, replacing the Catalonian Rally .[ 26] Passau in Bavaria , and ran on tarmac .[ 27] Rally New Zealand , a round of the 2022 season , was not included on the calendar, but the organizers tried to seek an opportunity for a 2024 return as a part of the rotation program with Rally Australia .[ 28] Ypres Rally Belgium , which was a part of the championship for the prior two seasons, dropped off the calendar and instead formed part of the 2023 British Rally Championship .[ 29] Several rally organizers also expressed their interests to return to the championship, including Rally Argentina , Rally Australia, the German Rally , and an event in Northern Ireland .[ 30] [ 31] [ 32] [ 33] [ 34] [ 35] WRC Promoter GmbH was also working on the calendar expansion to the Middle East and United States, but no rallies were added for the 2023 season.[ 36]
The following teams and crews contested the 2023 WRC2. Teams had to enter two crews to be eligible for Teams' Championship points.
Crews entered by or via teams Entrant Car Driver Co-driver Rounds Driver name Category Co-driver name Category Hyundai Motorsport N Hyundai i20 N Rally2 Emil Lindholm Reeta Hämäläinen 8–9, 11–12 Teemu Suninen Mikko Markkula 2, 5–6 Fabrizio Zaldivar Challenger Marcelo Der Ohannesian Challenger 2, 5–6, 8–9, 11–12 M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Fiesta Rally2 Adrien Fourmaux Alexandre Coria 1, 3–6, 9–10 Grégoire Munster Challenger Louis Louka Challenger 1, 4–7, 9–10 George Vassilakis Challenger Tom Krawszik Challenger 7 Robert Virves Challenger Hugo Magalhães Challenger 2, 5–6, 10 Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy Hyundai i20 N Rally2 William Creighton Challenger Liam Regan Challenger 1 Eamonn Kelly Challenger Conor Mohan Challenger 5, 9 Josh McErlean Challenger John Rowan Challenger 1, 4–6 James Fulton 8–9, 12 Patrick O'Brien Challenger Stephen O'Brien Challenger 4, 6 PH Sport Citroën C3 Rally2 Yohan Rossel Arnaud Dunand 1, 4–6, 10–12 Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 Marco Bulacia Challenger Diego Vallejo Challenger 8–11 Gus Greensmith Jonas Andersson 11 Emil Lindholm Reeta Hämäläinen 2, 4 Sami Pajari Challenger Enni Mälkönen Challenger 2, 4, 6, 8 Toksport WRT 2 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 Marco Bulacia Challenger Axel Coronado Challenger 1 Diego Vallejo Challenger 2, 5 Nikolay Gryazin [ b] Challenger Konstantin Aleksandrov [ c] Challenger 1, 4, 6, 9–12 Gus Greensmith Jonas Andersson 4 Sami Pajari Challenger Enni Mälkönen Challenger 9–12 Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo Nikolay Gryazin [ b] Challenger Konstantin Aleksandrov [ c] Challenger 3 Emil Lindholm Reeta Hämäläinen 3 Toksport WRT 3 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 Gus Greensmith Jonas Andersson 5, 8–10, 12 Andreas Mikkelsen Torstein Eriksen 5–6, 8–10, 12–13 Nikolay Gryazin [ b] Challenger Konstantin Aleksandrov [ c] Challenger 13 Sources: [ 43] [ 44] [ 45] [ 46] [ 47] [ 48] [ 49] [ 50] [ 51]
Private entries Car Driver Co-driver Rounds Driver name Category Co-driver name Category Citroën C3 Rally2 Daniel Alonso Adrián Pérez 1–2 Eamonn Boland Michael Joseph Morrissey 1 Challenger Challenger 4, 12–13 Alejandro Cachón Challenger Alejandro López Challenger 1, 4–6, 10, 12 Paulo Caldeira Challenger Ana Gonçalves Challenger 5 José Pedro Fontes Challenger Inês Ponte Challenger 5 Alberto Heller Challenger Luis Ernesto Allende Challenger 5 Pedro Heller Challenger Pablo Olmos Challenger 11 Satoshi Imai Challenger Jason Farmer Challenger 13 Benjamin Israel Challenger Matias Ramos Challenger 11 Sean Johnston Challenger Alex Kihurani Challenger 1 Chrisostomos Karellis Challenger Elias Panagiotounis Challenger 10 Stéphane Lefebvre Andy Malfoy 1 Germán Lyon Challenger Sebastian Vera Challenger 11 Nuno Pinto Challenger João Jardim Pereira Challenger 5 Emilio Rosselot Challenger Tomas Cañete Challenger 11 Gerardo V. Rosselot Challenger Marcelo Brizio Challenger 11 Bernardo Sousa Challenger Inês Veiga Challenger 5 Ford Fiesta R5 Karan Patel Challenger Tauseef Khan Challenger 7 Henk Vossen Challenger Annemieke Hulzebos Challenger 1 George Vassilakis Challenger Nikos Intzoglou Challenger 10 Ford Fiesta Rally2 Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah Challenger Giovanni Bernacchini Challenger 5–6 Martin Prokop Challenger Michal Ernst Challenger 3, 6, 10 Zdeněk Jůrka Challenger 7 Lucas Simões Challenger Nuno Almeida Challenger 5 Francesco Tali Challenger Chiara Corso Challenger 6 Robert Virves Challenger Hugo Magalhães Challenger 6 Craig Drew Challenger 8–10 Henk Vossen Challenger Radboud van Hoek Challenger 12 Hyundai i20 N Rally2 Lambros Athanassoulas Challenger Nikolaos Zakheos Challenger 10 Olivier Burri Anderson Levratti 1 Gregor Jeets Challenger Timo Taniel Challenger 5–6 Georg Linnamäe Challenger James Morgan Challenger 2, 4–5, 8–10, 12 Pepe López Challenger Borja Rozada Challenger 1 Kris Meeke James Fulton 5 Pedro Meireles Challenger Pedro Alves Challenger 5 Frédéric Rosati Philippe Marchetto 1 Jan Skála Challenger Jiří Skořepa Challenger 12 Riku Tahko Challenger Markus Soininen Challenger 9 Ricardo Teodósio Challenger José Teixeira Challenger 5 Miguel Zaldivar Sr. José Luis Díaz 2, 5–6 Škoda Fabia R5 Giuseppe Dettori Challenger Carlo Pisano Challenger 6 Michal Horák Challenger Ivan Horák Challenger 12 Jari Huttunen Antti Linnaketo 2 Tommi Jylhä Challenger Kimmo Nevanpää Challenger 9 Kaspar Kasari Challenger Rainis Raidma Challenger 8 Eduardo Kovacs Challenger Ruben Garcia Challenger 11 Heikki Kovalainen Challenger Sae Kitagawa Challenger 13 Filippo Marchino Challenger Pietro Elia Ometto Challenger 1, 12 Jorge Martínez Fontena Challenger Alberto Alvarez Nicholson Challenger 3 Maurizio Morato Challenger Andrea Dal Maso Challenger 6 Joakim Roman Challenger Ida Lidebjer-Granberg Challenger 2 Anssi Rytkönen Challenger Juho-Ville Koskela Challenger 9 Diogo Salvi Challenger António Costa Challenger 5 Carl Tundo Challenger Tim Jessop Challenger 7 Aakif Virani Challenger Azhar Bhatti Challenger 7 Štěpán Vojtěch Challenger Michal Ernst Challenger 12 Marios Xanthakos Challenger Nikos Karathanassis Challenger 10 Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo Pedro Almeida Challenger Mário Castro Challenger 5 Armindo Araújo Challenger Luís Ramalho Challenger 5 Fabrizio Arengi Challenger Massimiliano Bosi Challenger 1–2 Pablo Biolghini Challenger Stefano Pudda Challenger 6 Lorenzo Bontempelli Giovanni Pina 1 Adam Březík Challenger Ondřej Krajča Challenger 12 Bruno Bulacia Challenger Axel Coronado Challenger 2, 5–6, 8, 11 Eduardo Castro Challenger Fernando Mussano Challenger 3, 5–6 Daniel Chwist Challenger Kamil Heller Challenger 3, 6, 13 Luciano Cobbe Roberto Mometti 2, 5, 8–9 Miguel Correia Challenger Jorge Eduardo Carvalho Challenger 5 Carlo Covi Challenger Andrea Budoia Challenger 6 Miguel Díaz-Aboitiz Challenger Rodolfo del Barrio Challenger 2 Rodrigo Sanjuan de Eusebio Challenger 5, 7, 9 Diego Sanjaun de Eusebio Challenger 10 Emilio Fernández Challenger Borja Rozada Challenger 5, 8 Borja Odriozola Challenger 9 Osamu Fukunaga Challenger Misako Saida Challenger 13 Matteo Gamba Challenger Nicolò Gonella Challenger 6, 12 Gaurav Gill Challenger Florian Barral Challenger 10 Norbert Herczig Challenger Ramón Ferencz Challenger 4–6 Chris Ingram Challenger Craig Drew Challenger 1 Jörgen Jonasson Nicklas Jonasson 2 Lauri Joona Challenger Tuukka Shemeikka Challenger 2, 5–6 Kajetan Kajetanowicz Challenger Maciej Szczepaniak Challenger 3, 7 Egon Kaur Challenger Jakko Viilo Challenger 2 Johannes Keferböck Ilka Minor 1, 6 Giorgos Kehagias Challenger Christos Kouzionis Challenger 10 Priit Koik Challenger Kristo Tamm Challenger 8 Roope Korhonen Challenger Anssi Viinikka Challenger 12 Armin Kremer Challenger Timo Gottschalk Challenger 7 Jorge Martínez Fontena Challenger Alberto Alvarez Nicholson Challenger 8 Christian Merli Challenger Marco Zortea Challenger 1 Mauro Miele Challenger Luca Beltrame Challenger 2 Simone Niboli Challenger Battista Brunetti Challenger 1 Enrico Oldrati Challenger Elia De Guio Challenger 5 Silvano Patera Stefano Tiraboschi 1 Yorgo Philippedes Challenger Stuart Loudon Challenger 10 Martin Roßgatterer Challenger Jürgen Heigl Challenger 12 Samman Singh Vohra Challenger Alfir Khan Challenger 7 Nicola Tali Challenger Massimiliano Frau Challenger 6 Francisco Teixeira Challenger João Serôdio Challenger 5 Vassileios Velanis Challenger Ioannis Velanis Challenger 10 Alexander Villanueva José Murado González 2, 5–6 Challenger Challenger 13 Henk Vossen Challenger Radboud van Hoek Challenger 4 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 Rakan Al-Rashed Challenger Dale Moscatt Challenger 2, 5 Bruno Bulacia Challenger Axel Coronado Challenger 9 Erik Cais Challenger Petr Těšínský Challenger 1, 4–6 Daniel Trunkát Challenger 12 Nicolas Ciamin Challenger Yannick Roche Challenger 12 Daniel Chwist Challenger Kamil Heller Challenger 7 François Delecour Sabrina De Castelli 1 Miguel Díaz-Aboitiz Challenger Rodrigo Sanjuan de Eusebio Challenger 12–13 Osamu Fukunaga Challenger Misako Saida Challenger 12 Gus Greensmith Jonas Andersson 3 Mikko Heikkilä Challenger Samu Vaaleri Challenger 9 Jari Huttunen Antti Haapala 9 Lauri Joona Challenger Tuukka Shemeikka Challenger 9–10, 12 Kajetan Kajetanowicz Challenger Maciej Szczepaniak Challenger 6, 10–13 Egon Kaur Challenger Jakko Viilo Challenger 8 Johannes Keferböck Challenger Ilka Minor Challenger 4, 12 Armin Kremer Challenger Ella Kremer Challenger 4, 8, 12 Timo Gottschalk Challenger 5–6 Mikołaj Marczyk Challenger Szymon Gospodarczyk Challenger 5–6, 8–10 Daniel Dymurski Challenger 12 Jorge Martínez Fontena Challenger Alberto Alvarez Nicholson Challenger 11 Mauro Miele Challenger Luca Beltrame Challenger 1, 4, 6, 8–9 Panagiotis Roustemis Challenger Nikolaos Petropoulos Challenger 10 Martin Scuncio Challenger Javiera Roman Challenger 11 Oliver Solberg Elliott Edmondson 2–3, 5–6, 8, 10–11 Michał Sołowow Maciej Baran 2 Alexander Villanueva Challenger José Murado González Challenger 8–10 Albert von Thurn und Taxis Challenger Jara Hain Challenger 12 Simon Wagner Challenger Gerald Winter Challenger 12 Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 Ole Christian Veiby Torstein Eriksen 2 Nicolas Ciamin Challenger Yannick Roche Challenger 4, 6, 9 Roope Korhonen Challenger Anssi Viinikka Challenger 9 Alexandros Tsouloftas Challenger Stelios Elia Challenger 10 Sources: [ 43] [ 44] [ 45] [ 46] [ 47] [ 48] [ 49] [ 50] [ 51]
The 2022 junior championships of the class, WRC-2 Junior, were renamed as WRC-2 Challenger to focus on the experience of the competitors instead of age, while the Masters series was opened to Rally2 , Rally3 , Rally4 , Rally5 and R-GT competitors under the WRC framework, ceasing to be based on WRC2.[ 52]
Results and standings [ edit ] Points are awarded to the top ten classified finishers in each event. Power Stage points are also awarded in the drivers' and co-drivers' championships, with three points awarded to the first place finisher on the stage, two to second place, and one to third. A team has to enter two cars to score points in an event. Drivers and teams must nominate a scoring rally when they enter the event and the best six scores from seven nominated rallies will count towards the final classification. Registered drivers are able to enter additional rallies with Priority 2 status without scoring points.[ 1]
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Points 25 18 15 12 10 8 6 4 2 1
FIA WRC2 Championship for Drivers [ edit ] Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Cancelled (C) Blank Withdrew entry from
Notes: 1 2 3 – Power Stage position
FIA WRC2 Championship for Co-Drivers [ edit ] Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Cancelled (C) Blank Withdrew entry from
Notes: 1 2 3 – Power Stage position
FIA WRC2 Championship for Teams [ edit ] Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Cancelled (C) Blank Withdrew entry from
FIA WRC2 Challenger Championship for Drivers [ edit ] 
.svg)
Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo 
Rally Sweden 
Rally Guanajuato México 
Croatia Rally 
Rally de Portugal 
Rally Italia Sardegna 
Safari Rally Kenya 
Rally Estonia 
Rally Finland 
Acropolis Rally Greece 
Rally Chile 
Central European Rally 
Rally Japan 
