WRC2 was established in 2013 following a comprehensive restructuring of the WRC's support categories. The FIA annulled its contract with the previous promoter North One Sports after it entered administration in 2012, and the incoming promoter introduced a new rally pyramid that merged the performance tier of the old Super 2000 World Rally Championship (SWRC) and the production car tier of the Production World Rally Championship (PWRC) into a single category. Unlike its predecessors, WRC2 was not designated a world championship in its own right, which freed organisers from FIA rules that would have imposed strict calendar and entry commitments on participants.
In the 2013 inaugural season, entrants could nominate individual rounds on a round-by-round basis with no minimum commitment, a significant departure from the structure of the earlier support categories. The flexibility proved popular: only 13 drivers scored championship points in the 2012 SWRC, compared to 36 in the first season of WRC2.
From 2013 to 2018, WRC2 accepted a wide variety of car classes including Super 2000, R4, R5, Regional Rally Cars, and Group N four-wheel-drive machines, effectively consolidating the performance and production bands of the old system. A WRC2 Production Car Cup ran in parallel during this period for Group N entrants.
Ahead of the 2019 season, the FIA tightened eligibility so that only R5 specification cars could compete, removing Super 2000 and Group N from the category. WRC2 was simultaneously split into two distinct championships: WRC2 Pro, reserved for manufacturer-backed teams entering a minimum of eight rallies, and a separate WRC2 for privateers. The bifurcation lasted only one year. WRC2 Pro attracted just three manufacturers, two of which (M-Sport Ford and Citroen) competed at no cost as part of their main WRC programme, while the sole paying manufacturer, Skoda, withdrew from WRC entry at the end of the season. The structure was criticised as confusing and was abandoned after 2019.
From 2020 to 2021, a single WRC2 returned for manufacturer and FIA-approved independent teams, while privateer Rally2 drivers were channelled into a revived WRC3. From 2022, WRC2 again expanded to welcome all Rally2 car entrants, with WRC3 becoming the exclusive domain of the new Rally3 class. Junior and Challenger sub-categories were added within WRC2 for less experienced competitors.
Under current regulations, drivers and co-drivers may enter a maximum of seven rallies, with their six best results counting toward the championship. Teams must field two cars to score points, may enter up to seven events, and have their best five results from European rounds count, plus a bonus from one non-European round. Power Stage bonus points are awarded to the three fastest WRC2 finishers. Entrants must nominate rounds in advance on their entry form.
Cars eligible under Rally2 homologation include the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Ford Fiesta Rally2, and Citroen C3 Rally2, among others. In 2026, Lancia re-entered WRC competition in WRC2 with the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, marking the Italian manufacturer's return to rally stages for the first time in over 30 years.
WRC2 established itself as the primary pathway into the highest tier of international rallying. Its flexible entry model made it accessible for privateers and national-level talent while still attracting factory-backed programmes seeking to develop drivers or showcase their Rally2 products. The championship's structure has been revised multiple times, each iteration reflecting the FIA's attempts to balance professional manufacturer involvement with privateer accessibility.