In which year did the WRC introduce the 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 points system? The answer is 2010. The World Rally Championship adopted this expanded scoring scale at the start of the 2010 season, awarding points to the top ten finishers rather than only the top eight.
The system gave 25 points to the winner, followed by 18 for second and 15 for third. Positions four through ten received 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 point respectively. The structure was modelled on the points system introduced in Formula One for the 2010 season and was intended to reward strong finishes across a wider group of competitors.
Before 2010, WRC points used a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale for the top eight drivers. The change made victories more valuable and reduced the gap between second and third compared with the previous system. It also meant that ten drivers could score points on a rally for the first time since 1997.