For the first time, WRC3 was split into Open and Junior championships with driver and co-driver titles awarded within each. The WRC3 Open Championship began in January 2022 with the Rallye Monte-Carlo and concluded in November 2022 with Rally Japan. The WRC3 Junior Championship started in February with Rally Sweden and the five-round championship concluded in September with Acropolis Rally. This was the FIA's new presentation of the previously existing Junior WRC Championship, which reverted back to an FIA title in 2023.
In the open championships, Lauri Joona won the drivers' title.[2] In the junior championships, Robert Virves won the drivers' title.[3]
The headquarters of the Monte Carlo Rally moved from Gap, Hautes-Alpes to Monaco alone. The rally was previously headquartered solely in Monaco in 2006.[20]Rally Sweden returned to the championship after a one-year absence. Because of a lack of snow, the organisers moved the rally headquarters for the first time in WRC history.[21] It relocated from Torsby, Värmland northwards to Umeå in Västerbotten County.[22] The rally was initially scheduled to cover 303.74 km (188.7 mi) in nineteen special stages, but it was reduced to seventeen in a total of 264.81 km (164.5 mi) due to reindeer movements.[23][5]Rally Italia Sardegna relocated its rally base back to Alghero following a one-off headquarter in Olbia for the 2021 event.[24]
Rally New Zealand returned to the championship for the first time since 2012.[25] The rally had also secured a spot in the calendar in 2020, but the event was not held in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[26]Rally Japan took the final spot in the calendar. It was scheduled as the final round in 2020 and 2021, before being called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[27][28]Rally Mexico had contracts to hold the WRC event in 2022 and 2023, but the rally was not included on the calendar.[29] A national event was held in the bid of a 2023 return.[30]Rally Chile found itself in a similar situation to Mexico as their contract with WRC Promoter GmbH lasted till 2022. Chile had previously hosted the event in 2019.[31]Rally GB was bidding for a 2022 return as the event was planned to hold in Northern Ireland, but the proposal was ultimately failed.[32]
The following titles will be contested within WRC3 in 2022:[1]
Open Championship for Drivers
Open Championship for Co-Drivers
Championship for Teams
Junior Championship for Drivers
Junior Championship for Co-Drivers
In a change from the 2021 season, a teams championship will be contested but drivers will not be obliged to run in one. Points from the highest scoring 4 rounds of 5 entered will be considered for the championship.
The WRC3 Junior championship will be organised by M-Sport Ltd as an arrive-and-drive style competition as previously presented in Junior WRC Championship. Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars will be provided on 5 prescribed rounds for drivers born on or after 1 January 1993. Unlike the rules used in WRC2 Junior, drivers of Junior age who do not register and compete in this fashion will not be eligible for the WRC3 Junior championships.[1]
Points were awarded to the top ten classified finishers. An additional point was given for every stage win. The best four results out of five counted towards the final drivers’ and co-drivers’ standings. However, all points gained from stage wins were retained. Double points were awarded at the season's finale to those with at least 3 previous 2022 JWRC round starts.[1]
^Evans, David (29 November 2019). "WRC's 2020 Rally Chile cancelled due to political and social unrest". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 31 December 2019. Rally Chile's Felipe Horta said: 'The decision was to wait a year to take the world championship. We have talked with the FIA and the WRC [Promoter] in Germany, where they have fortunately understood very favourably what is happening and are allowing us to cancel the 2020 date and resume the contract we have established for three years.'