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Rally

How does a WRC rally weekend work?

A WRC rally runs three or four days and 15-plus timed special stages, up to 350km against the clock, ending with Super Sunday and the live Power Stage.

A WRC round is not a single race but a multi-day event against the clock. Each rally runs across three or four days and fifteen-plus timed special stages, adding up to as much as 350km of competitive running. Between the stages, crews drive their cars on ordinary open roads — called road sections — to reach the next start, and repairs happen in a central service park under strict time limits. For the basics of stages, pace notes and co-drivers, see how rally racing works.

Most rallies open with a shakedown — a short practice stage where teams test their set-up before the timing that counts begins.

The final day is Super Sunday, which carries its own bonus points, and every rally closes with the Power Stage: the last stage of the weekend, run live, with bonus points for the five fastest crews. How all of that adds up is covered in how WRC scoring works.

Curated and fact-checked by Paris Paraskevas. Last updated 10 July 2026.