List of World Rally Championship drivers ' champions - wikipedia List of World Rally Championship drivers ' champions Sébastien Loeb, who has won the World Drivers ' Championship a record nine times. World Rally Championship Related articles Classes of competition World Rally Car Group R Super 2000 Group N Group R - GT Support categories WRC - 2 WRC - 3 Junior WRC Lists Drivers ( Champions ) Co-drivers Constructors ( Champions ) Rallies Seasons Records Broadcasters People Fatal accidents The World Rally Championship ( WRC ) is a rallying series administrated by Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile ( FIA ), motorsport 's world governing body. The series currently consists of 13 three - day events driven on surfaces that range from gravel and tarmac to snow and ice. Each rally is split into 15 -- 25 special stages, which are run against the clock on closed roads. The WRC was formed from well - known and popular international rallies, most of which had previously been part of the European Rally Championship and / or the International Championship for Manufacturers ; the series was first contested in 1973. The drivers ' championship was first awarded in 1977 and 1978 as an FIA Cup for Drivers title, to Sandro Munari and Markku Alén, respectively. The first official world champion in rallying was Björn Waldegård in 1979. Each season normally consists of 12 to 16 rallies driven on surfaces ranging from gravel and tarmac to snow and ice. Points from these events are calculated towards the drivers ' and manufacturers ' world championships. The driver 's championship and manufacturer 's championship are separate championships, but are based on the same point system. In the current points system, points are awarded at the end of each rally to the top ten WRC ( overall ), junior and production car drivers that qualify as follows : 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. Despite how many drivers are in one team, constructors can only nominate two drivers to score points for the team as well as scoring for themselves. Sébastien Loeb holds the record for the most drivers ' championships, winning nine during his career. He also holds the record for the most championships won in a row ; he won nine consecutive titles from 2004 to 2012. is second Sébastien Ogier with five championships won consecutively from 2013 to 2017. France have won the most titles with 15 championships each between 3 drivers. Finland are second with 14 championships between 7 different drivers. Citroën cars have won the most drivers ' championships with nine titles, all of them with Loeb. Colin McRae, winner of the 1995 World Rally Championship Petter Solberg won the World Rally Championship in 2003. Contents 1 Key 2 Winners 2.1 By season 2.2 By driver 2.3 By nationality 2.4 By constructor 3 Notes 4 References 5 External links Key Podiums The number of times the champion finished in the top three in a rally Margin The margin of points by which the champion defeated the runner - up ( s ) Winners By season List of World Rally Championship Drivers ' champions Season Country Driver Car Wins Podiums Points Margin 1977 Italy Munari, Sandro Sandro Munari Lancia Stratos HF 31 1978 Finland Alén, Markku Markku Alén Fiat 131 Abarth 8 52 21 1979 Sweden Waldegård, Björn Björn Waldegård Ford Escort RS1800 7 112 1980 West Germany Röhrl, Walter Walter Röhrl Fiat 131 Abarth 6 118 54 1981 Finland Vatanen, Ari Ari Vatanen Ford Escort RS1800 5 96 7 1982 West Germany Röhrl, Walter Walter Röhrl Opel Ascona 400 8 109 12 Finland Mikkola, Hannu Hannu Mikkola Audi Quattro A1 / A2 7 125 23 1984 Sweden Blomqvist, Stig Stig Blomqvist Audi Quattro A2 / Sport Quattro 5 6 125 21 1985 Finland Salonen, Timo Timo Salonen Peugeot 205 T16 / E2 5 8 127 52 1986 Finland Kankkunen, Juha Juha Kankkunen Peugeot 205 T16 E2 6 118 14 Finland Kankkunen, Juha Juha Kankkunen Lancia Delta HF 4WD 5 100 6 1988 Italy Biasion, Miki Miki Biasion Lancia Delta HF 4WD Lancia Delta HF integrale 5 6 115 29 1989 Italy Biasion, Miki Miki Biasion Lancia Delta HF integrale Lancia Delta HF integrale 16v 5 5 106 41 1990 Spain Sainz, Carlos Carlos Sainz Toyota Celica GT - Four ST165 9 140 45 1991 Finland Kankkunen, Juha Juha Kankkunen Lancia Delta HF integrale 16v 5 7 150 7 1992 Spain Sainz, Carlos Carlos Sainz Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD 8 144 10 1993 Finland Kankkunen, Juha Juha Kankkunen Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD 5 7 135 23 1994 France Auriol, Didier Didier Auriol Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD 6 116 17 1995 United Kingdom McRae, Colin Colin McRae Subaru Impreza 555 5 90 5 Finland Mäkinen, Tommi Tommi Mäkinen Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III 5 6 123 31 1997 Finland Mäkinen, Tommi Tommi Mäkinen Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV 9 63 1998 Finland Mäkinen, Tommi Tommi Mäkinen Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V 5 7 58 1999 Finland Mäkinen, Tommi Tommi Mäkinen Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI 7 62 7 2000 Finland Grönholm, Marcus Marcus Grönholm Peugeot 206 WRC 7 65 5 2001 United Kingdom Burns, Richard Richard Burns Subaru Impreza WRC 2001 6 44 2002 Finland Grönholm, Marcus Marcus Grönholm Peugeot 206 WRC 5 9 77 40 2003 Norway Solberg, Petter Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC 2003 7 72 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 6 12 118 36 2005 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 10 13 127 56 2006 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 8 12 112 2007 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 8 13 116 2008 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 11 13 122 19 2009 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 7 9 93 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 8 13 276 105 2011 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën DS3 WRC 5 9 222 8 2012 France Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb Citroën DS3 WRC 9 10 270 57 2013 France Ogier, Sébastien Sébastien Ogier Volkswagen Polo R WRC 9 11 290 114 2014 France Ogier, Sébastien Sébastien Ogier Volkswagen Polo R WRC 8 10 267 49 2015 France Ogier, Sébastien Sébastien Ogier Volkswagen Polo R WRC 8 10 263 80 2016 France Ogier, Sébastien Sébastien Ogier Volkswagen Polo R WRC 6 11 268 108 2017 France Ogier, Sébastien Sébastien Ogier Ford Fiesta WRC 9 232 24 * = in Progress By driver Nine - time champion Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena Tommi Mäkinen won four World Rally Championships. List of World Rally Championship Drivers ' Champions by driver Driver Total Seasons Loeb, Sébastien Sébastien Loeb 9 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Ogier, Sébastien Sébastien Ogier 5 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Kankkunen, Juha Juha Kankkunen 1986, 1987, 1991, 1993 Mäkinen, Tommi Tommi Mäkinen 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 Röhrl, Walter Walter Röhrl 1980, 1982 Biasion, Miki Miki Biasion 1988, 1989 Sainz, Carlos Carlos Sainz 1990, 1992 Grönholm, Marcus Marcus Grönholm 2000, 2002 Munari, Sandro Sandro Munari 1977 Alén, Markku Markku Alén 1978 Waldegård, Björn Björn Waldegård 1979 Vatanen, Ari Ari Vatanen 1981 Mikkola, Hannu Hannu Mikkola Blomqvist, Stig Stig Blomqvist 1984 Salonen, Timo Timo Salonen 1985 Auriol, Didier Didier Auriol 1994 McRae, Colin Colin McRae 1995 Burns, Richard Richard Burns 2001 Solberg, Petter Petter Solberg 2003 By nationality Marcus Grönholm, the seventh Finnish world champion List of World Rally Championship Drivers ' Champions by nationality Country Drivers Total France 15 Finland 7 14 Italy United Kingdom Sweden West Germany Spain Norway By constructor Markku Alén driving a Lancia Delta HF 4WD in 1987. Rally versions of the Delta brought Lancia four drivers ' titles. List of World Rally Championship Drivers ' champions by constructor Constructor Total Citroën 9 Lancia 5 Toyota Mitsubishi Peugeot Volkswagen Subaru Fiat Ford Audi Opel Notes A. ^ Until 1997, only a certain number ( seven, eight or nine ) of a driver 's best results counted towards the championship. The points column lists the points counted in the championship. B. In 1977 and 1978, the drivers ' championships was the FIA Cup for Drivers. C. ^ Alén drove a Lancia Stratos HF at the Rallye Sanremo and at the Lombard RAC Rally. D. ^ Waldegård drove a Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0 at the endurance rallies ; the Safari Rally and the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire. References General `` FIA World Championship for Drivers ''. World Rally Championship. Retrieved 3 November 2011. Specific Jump up ^ `` About FIA ''. FIA. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2008. Jump up ^ `` What is WRC ? ''. World Rally Championship. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2008. Jump up ^ `` The WRC 's greatest drivers ''. World Rally Championship. 23 July 2008. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008. Jump up ^ `` FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers '' ( PDF ). FIA. 7 December 2007. Retrieved 12 November 2008. Jump up ^ `` Loeb clinches eighth title ''. Sky Sports. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` Hirvonen 's exit hands eighth straight world title to Loeb ''. CNN. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` 1997 -- Subaru ''. Subaru. Retrieved 10 December 2008. Jump up ^ Hope - Frost, Henry ; John Davenport ( 2004 ). The Complete Book of the World Rally Championship. MotorBooks / MBI Publishing Company. p. 13. ISBN 0 - 7603 - 1954 - 5. Jump up ^ Hope - Frost 2004, pp. 13 -- 14 Jump up ^ `` Björn Waldegård ''. Rally Base. Retrieved 10 December 2008. External links World Rally Championship official site FIA official site World Rally Champions 1977 S. Munari ( FIA Cup ) 1978 M. Alén ( FIA Cup ) 1979 B. Waldegård 1980 W. Röhrl 1981 A. Vatanen 1982 W. Röhrl 1983 H. Mikkola 1984 S. Blomqvist 1985 T. Salonen 1986 J. Kankkunen 1987 J. Kankkunen 1988 M. Biasion 1989 M. Biasion 1990 C. Sainz 1991 J. Kankkunen 1992 C. Sainz 1993 J. Kankkunen 1994 D. Auriol 1995 C. McRae 1996 T. Mäkinen 1997 T. Mäkinen 1998 T. Mäkinen 1999 T. Mäkinen 2000 M. Grönholm 2001 R. Burns 2002 M. Grönholm 2003 P. Solberg 2004 S. Loeb 2005 S. Loeb 2006 S. Loeb 2007 S. Loeb 2008 S. Loeb 2009 S. Loeb 2010 S. Loeb 2011 S. Loeb 2012 S. Loeb 2013 S. Ogier 2014 S. Ogier 2015 S. Ogier 2016 S. Ogier 2017 S. Ogier Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_World_Rally_Championship_Drivers%27_champions&oldid=812726108 '' Categories : World Rally Champions Lists of auto racing people Lists of motorsport champions Hidden categories : Articles with hCards Featured lists Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Deutsch Bahasa Indonesia Magyar Nederlands Norsk Polski Português Română Edit links This page was last edited on 29 November 2017, at 14 : 29. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who has won the most world rally championships
Answer: Sébastien Loeb