While preparing the RO-Rally, and even before that, the FIM Europe Tout Terrain Rally Cup caught my eye. Some rallies, such as the Hellas Rally, are part of this cup and also publish special FIM rankings in their results. The RO Rally Marathon is one of them. I would like to use this as an opportunity to explain something about the FIM’s rally “leagues”.
FIM World Rally-Raid Championship – W2RC
The FIM World Rally-Raid Championship is the highest international category. Together with the FIA car classification, it forms the World Rally-Raid Championship, W2RC for short, which has been held since 2022.
The most important motorcycle title is awarded in the RallyGP class. This is where the professional factory riders and top teams start, including KTM, Honda and Hero.
In addition, there are further classifications within the events, such as:
- RallyGP for professional factory teams and top riders
- Rally2 for privateers and young riders
- Rally3 for more production-based enduro motorcycles
- Junior classifications in Rally2 and Rally3
- Women’s classification
- Veterans’ classification
- Quads
The terms “World Championship” and “World Cup” can appear side by side: the actual FIM world championship title mainly concerns RallyGP, while the other categories are run as FIM Cup or Trophy classifications.
2026 season
The 2026 calendar comprises five rounds on four continents:
- Rally Dakar, Saudi Arabia
- Rally-Raid Portugal
- Desafío Ruta 40, Argentina
- Rallye du Maroc
- Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
In 2026 the Dakar is the only so-called marathon round and therefore carries a higher points weighting. Abu
Dhabi is the season finale for the first time.
Points system
At standard FIM rallies, the top 15 riders receive points according to this scheme:
25–20–16–13–11–10–9–8–7–6–5–4–3–2–1
A marathon round such as the Dakar carries a coefficient of 1.5. Unlike in the FIA car classification, motorcycles generally receive no additional world championship points for individual stages. The FIM wants to give more weight to consistency and reliably reaching the finish than to individual stage wins.
Current standings
After the first three rounds, the leader is:
Daniel Sanders – KTM: 67 points- Tosha Schareina – Honda: 64 points
- Luciano Benavides – KTM: 61 points
- Ricky Brabec – Honda: 54 points
- – Honda: 41 points
With two rounds remaining, Sanders, Schareina and Benavides are therefore only six points apart. The decision is thus likely to come only at the Rallye du Maroc or at the finale in Abu Dhabi.
Assessment
The W2RC is not purely a Dakar championship. The Dakar is the longest and best-known round, but a world champion has to perform over the whole season on very different terrain: fast and muddy tracks in Portugal, South American high-speed and dune terrain, demanding navigation in Morocco and deep sand in Abu Dhabi.
In summary: the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship combines endurance, navigation, technique and risk management. RallyGP is the professional premier class, while Rally2, Rally3, quads and the junior, women’s and veterans’ classifications form the broader sporting pyramid.