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WRC
The best crashes, dashes and splashes from all 13 events in the 2017 WRC
The World Rally Championship rolled out some big, bold changes to the thrilling tarmac, ice, sand and gravel roller coaster in 2017 and delivered one of the closest championship title races in years.
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Volkswagen dramatically bowed out after four years of dominance, and new design rules promised lighter and more powerful cars with a heck of a lot more aerodynamic kit bolted on for good measure.
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WRC 2017 season recap
Check out the best bits from the WRC 2017 season.
With VW gone, reigning champ Sébastien Ogier signed up with the Ford M-Sport squad and with superstars like Thierry Neuville in the Hyundai, a strong Citroën squad looking to triumph and a last-minute entry from Toyota, would the new generation of WRC machines signal the end of Ogier’s dominance?
1. Rallye Monte-Carlo – Ogier's M-Sport gamble pays off
Jari-Matti Latvala got his Toyota on the podium in its first rally
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia started where they left off in 2016… by winning. Despite an early charge from Neuville, the reigning champs did what they do best to win the most famous rally of them all. Again.
Most eye-catching moment?
Neuville’s charge ended with suspension damage, paving the way for fan favourite Jari-Matti Latvala to stick his Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris on the podium in its first rally, and in doing so notched up the first top-three finish for Toyota since 1999.
Top three drivers after Rallye Monte-Carlo
- Sébastien Ogier 25pts
- Jari-Matti Latvala 18pts
- Ott Tänak 15pts
2. Rally Sweden – far from a regulation victory for Latvala
Neuville threw away a 40-plus-second lead
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
At Rally Sweden in February, it looked as if the new regulations were having a seismic effect on the WRC hierarchy. Latvala went one better than in Monte-Carlo and took victory in his Yaris after Neuville threw away a 40-plus-second lead.
Most eye-catching moment?
So many to choose from – so how about checking out the amazing drone footage of the drivers dashing through the snow in their 380bhp beasts in the below clip?
2 min
The best aerial footage from Rally Sweden 2017
Check out the WRC cars blasting through the Swedish snow.
Top three drivers after Rally Sweden
- Jari-Matti Latvala 48pts
- Sébastien Ogier 44pts
- Ott Tänak 33pts
3. Rally Mexico – Meeke swaps service park for public car park
Kris Meeke did his best to win the rally in Mexico
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
Things took a highly dramatic turn in Mexico where Kris Meeke did his very best to avoid winning the rally by inexplicably launching his Citroën off the road on the final stage and into a spectator car park. In some of the most dramatic scenes in WRC history, Meeke somehow managed to get back on the road and beat Ogier to the victory. Just.
Most eye-catching moment?
It has to be Meeke’s unexpected detour. The Citröen driver channelled his inner James Bond, leaving co-driver Paul Nagle shaken and stirred, to make it three different WRC winners in as many rallies.
1 min
Kris Meeke's carpark detour in Mexico
Watch Citröen's Kris Meeke take a detour through a Mexican carpark.
Top three drivers after Rally Mexico
- Sébastien Ogier 66pts
- Jari-Matti Latvala 58pts
- Ott Tänak 48pts
4. Rallye de France – Neuville hits the tarmac hard
Thierry Neuville took his first victory
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
Finally, after a messy start to the campaign, Neuville took his first victory and became the fourth different winner of the season on the iconic and unforgiving tarmac roads of Corsica. This meant the Belgian was now firmly in the championship hunt as the teams headed to Argentina.
Most eye-catching moment?
Probably when Juho Hänninen binned his Toyota Yaris and clouted what definitely proved to be a bridge too far for the Finn.
Top three drivers after Rallye de France
- Sébastien Ogier 88pts
- Jari-Matti Latvala 75pts
- Thierry Neuville 54pts
5. Rally Argentina – Neuville bridges the gap to Evans
Evans' mistake allowed Neuville to win his second race of the year
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
M-Sport’s Welsh wizard Elfyn Evans looked pretty much certain to take his maiden victory in the wilds of Argentina. Alas, it wasn’t to be. With a slender lead already, Evans struck a bridge, and that mistake allowed Neuville to pounce and take his second WRC win on the bounce by just seven-tenths of a second. Bonkers stuff.
Most eye-catching moment?
After four days of frantic rallying action the difference between winning and losing was less than one second, a truly remarkable illustration of how competitive the new regulations had made the championship.
Top three drivers after Rally Argentina
- Sébastien Ogier 102pts
- Jari-Matti Latvala 86pts
- Thierry Neuville 84pts
6. Rally de Portugal – Gilbert doesn't feel the cheer
You don't always land properly at the Fafe jump
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
Reigning champ Ogier got back to winning ways in the Algarve, making his first visit to the top step of the podium since the opening round. Neuville followed the Frenchman home as the championship scrap took shape.
Most eye-catching moment?
If Rally Finland has ‘the yellow house jump’, in Portugal it's all about the Fafe jump, a huge draw for spectators and a place where WRC cars will definitely take off but won’t always land properly… like in the below clip.
Step forward WRC2 driver Quentin Gilbert. Give that man some T-Cut for the Skoda that he planted nose-first into the dirt. Maybe it'll buff out.
Top three drivers after Rally Portugal
- Sébastien Ogier 128pts
- Thierry Neuville 106 pts
- Jari-Matti Latvala 88 pts
7. Rally d’Italia – Tänak's rise (and dip) in form
Ott Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja celebrate their victory
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
The WRC’s second visit to a Mediterranean island – Sardinia this time – saw Tänak claim a popular maiden victory at Rally d’Italia in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta. This not only meant a fifth different WRC winner in 2017 but also that the Estonian was now part of the title battle.
Most eye-catching moment?
M-Sport duo Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja taking a dip in the sea to celebrate their victory. A pretty cool thing to do, and possibly a tongue-in-cheek nod to their dramatic escape from a submerged rally car in Mexico two years previously.
Top three drivers after Rally d'Italia
- Sébastien Ogier 141pts
- Thierry Neuville 123pts
- Ott Tänak 108pts
8. Rally Poland – Young gun goes for it
Young Finnish driver Teemu Suninen finished sixth overall
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
Neuville led home a Hyundai one-two in Poland with team-mate Hayden Paddon going some way towards salvaging his poor season with a decent second place.
Most eye-catching moment?
Young Finnish driver Teemu Suninen upset the order by setting the fastest stage time on his WRC debut, eventually finishing sixth overall.
Top three drivers after Rally Poland
- Sébastien Ogier 160pts
- Thierry Neuville 149 pts
- Jari-Matti Latvala 112 pts
9. Rally Finland – Ingrassia has a lucky escape
A stunning first win for Esapekka Lappi in his Toyota Yaris
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
A stunning first win for Esapekka Lappi in his Toyota Yaris on home turf wowed the locals, who also learned that Ogier is, after all, human. The Frenchman’s only retirement of the season came on day one of the rally and allowed Neuville to go level on points heading to Germany.
Most eye-catching moment?
Ogier crashing. The M-Sport driver was distracted by a handling issue and failed to hear a crucial pace note resulting in his Fiesta smashing into the trees. The car was fixed, but co-driver Ingrassia wasn’t and was lucky to exit the wreck with concussion and nothing worse.
Top three drivers after Rally Finland
- Sébastien Ogier 160pts
- Thierry Neuville 160pts
- Ott Tänak 119pts
10. Rally Deutschland – Part-time lover comes second
Ott Tänak took a second win of the year
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
The M-Sport duo of Tänak and Järveoja took a second win of the year on the Panzerplatte and closed the championship gap on Neuville, who scored zero points in Germany.
Most eye-catching moment?
A stellar drive from part-timer Andreas Mikkelsen, who managed to keep former team-mate Ogier behind him to finish second.
Top three after Rally Deutschland
- Sébastien Ogier 177pts
- Thierry Neuville 160pts
- Ott Tänak 144pts
11. Rally Spain – Neuville's rocky event
Kris Meeke took his first tarmac rally win in Catalunya
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
Meeke took his first tarmac rally win in Catalunya and his second of the season. Unlike his victory in Argentina, the Citroën driver didn’t need to take a detour through one of the spectator car parks.
Most eye-catching moment?
This was where the wheels didn’t actually fall off Neuville’s championship challenge but they nearly did. After hitting a rock on the final day of the rally, the Belgian all but gave up on overhauling Ogier in the championship and admitted his title hopes were “finished”.
Top three after Rally Spain
- Sébastien Ogier 198pts
- Ott Tänak 161pts
- Thierry Neuville 160pts
12. Wales Rally GB – a real tear-jerker
Elfyn Evans finally took his maiden WRC victory on home soil
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
Evans finally took his maiden WRC victory, on home soil, in what proved to be a hugely popular and historic result topped off by team-mate Ogier finishing third and sealing his fifth driver’s championship.
Most eye-catching moment
2 min
Ride with Elfyn Evans on his first ever WRC win
Elfyn Evans secures his first-ever victory in the FIA World Rally Championship by taking the top spot at 2017 Wales Rally GB.
Gwyndaf Evans joined the winner for his post-event interview and looked every bit the proudest father in the world. It was enough to melt even the most cynical heart. Sniff.
Top three after Wales Rally GB
- Sébastien Ogier 215pts (champion)
- Thierry Neuville 183pts
- Ott Tänak 169pts
13. Rally Australia – a test for young drivers
Neuville won Rally Australia
© @World/Red Bull Content Pool
What happened?
With the runner-up spot in the WRC still on the table, Neuville brushed off the disappointment of losing out on the overall crown and ended the season with a win down under.
Most eye-catching moment
A month before the WRC’s final round, 17-year-old Kalle Rovanperä celebrated passing his driving test. In Australia he claimed his first WRC2 win in only his second-ever event, finishing 12th overall. Auspicious stuff indeed.
Final World Rally Championship top three drivers:
- Sébastien Ogier 232pts (champion)
- Thierry Neuville 208pts
- Ott Tänak 191pts
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