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The 2017 FIA World Rally Championship was the 45th season of the World Rally Championship, a rallying championship recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) as the highest class of international rallying. Teams and crews contested in thirteen events—starting in Monte Carlo on 19 January and ending in Australia on 19 November—for the World Rally Championships for Drivers, Co-drivers and Manufacturers. Drivers were free to compete in cars complying with World Rally Car and Group R regulations; however, only Manufacturers competing with 2017-specification World Rally Cars were eligible to score points in the Manufacturers' championship. The series were supported by the WRC-2 and WRC-3 championships and the newly created WRC Trophy at every round, and by the Junior WRC at selected rounds.
The 2017 season saw substantial revisions to the technical regulations aimed at improving the performance of the cars and offering teams a greater degree of technical and design freedom. Toyota returned to the sport as a full manufacturer team, entering the Toyota Yaris WRC, as did Citroën, who returned to full-time competition after contesting a partial campaign in 2016. Conversely, Volkswagen formally withdrew from the sport at the end of the 2016 championship.[1][2]
Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia started the season as the defending World Drivers' and Co-drivers' Champions after securing their fourth World Championship titles at the 2016 Rally Catalunya.[3] Volkswagen Motorsport, the team Ogier and Ingrassia won their 2016 titles with, were the reigning World Manufacturers' Champions, having secured their fourth title at the 2016 Wales Rally GB. However, the team did not return to defend their title after parent company Volkswagen's withdrawal from the sport.
At the conclusion of the championship, Ogier and Ingrassia successfully defended their championship titles, becoming the second most-successful crew in the sport's history behind Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena and only the third crew to win multiple titles with more than one manufacturer. Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul finished second, thirty-two points behind Ogier and Ingrassia, while Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja placed third. In the World Championship for Manufacturers, M-Sport World Rally Team won their first World Championship title since 2007.[N 1] Hyundai Motorsport finished second overall ninety-three points behind M-Sport, with Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT in third.
- ^ Evans, David (30 October 2016). "Rally GB: Volkswagen's Sebastien Ogier claims fourth win in Wales". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ^ Evans, David (2 November 2016). "Volkswagen confirms it will leave the WRC at the end of 2016". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
- ^ Evans, David (16 October 2016). "Ogier takes fourth WRC title with Spain win". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
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