Wikipedia

1998 World Rally Championship

The 1998 World Rally Championship was the 26th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 13 rallies. Tommi Mäkinen won his third consecutive drivers' world championship driving for Mitsubishi, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae. The manufacturers' title was won by Mitsubishi (who still operated under Group A regulations), ahead of Toyota and Subaru. This year also marked the Ford Escort's last full-season works outing before being replaced by the Ford Focus WRC in 1999. The season ended in dramatic fashion when Carlos Sainz's Corolla WRC stopped approximately 300 metres from the finishing line in the final stage at Margam due to mechanical failure, thus surrendering his fourth place on the rally and handing the title to Mäkinen.[1][2]

Calendar edit

The 1998 championship was contested over thirteen rounds in Europe, Africa, South America and Oceania.

Round Dates Race
1 19–21 January   Monte Carlo Rally
2 6–8 February   Swedish Rally
3 28 February-2 March   Safari Rally
4 22–25 March   Rally Portugal
5 20–22 April   Rally Catalunya
6 4–6 May   Tour de Corse
7 20–23 May   Rally Argentina
8 7–9 June   Acropolis Rally
9 24–27 July   Rally New Zealand
10 21–23 August   Rally Finland
11 12–14 October   Rally Sanremo
12 5–8 November   Rally Australia
13 22–24 November   Rally of Great Britain
Sources:[3][4]

Teams and drivers edit

Team Manufacturer Car Tyre No Drivers Rounds
  Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III
Lancer Evolution IV
Lancer Evolution V 		M 1   Tommi Mäkinen All
2   Richard Burns All
15   Ed Ordynski 12
16   Uwe Nittel 1–2, 4–5, 8, 10
  555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza 555
Impreza WRC 98 		P 3   Colin McRae All
4   Piero Liatti 1, 3–9, 11–12
  Kenneth Eriksson 2
  Jarmo Kytölehto 10
  Alister McRae 13
10   Piero Liatti 2
12   Ari Vatanen 13
13   Possum Bourne 12
15   Juha Kangas 13
  Toyota Castrol Team Toyota Corolla WRC
Celica GT-Four ST205 		M 5   Carlos Sainz All
6   Didier Auriol 1, 3–4, 6–13
  Thomas Rådström 2
  Freddy Loix 5
9   Didier Auriol 2, 5
11   Freddy Loix 4, 8, 12
  Marcus Grönholm 2, 4–5, 9–10, 13
12   Neal Bates 12
14   Thomas Rådström 9
15   Thomas Rådström 4–5, 8, 10
16   Yoshio Fujimoto 9, 12
18   Isolde Holderied 6, 8
27   Henrik Lundgaard 13
34   Volkan Isik 4-6, 8, 10-13
37   Pedro Chaves 4
  Ford Motor Co Ltd Ford Escort WRC M 7   Juha Kankkunen All
8   Bruno Thiry 1–2, 5–13
  Ari Vatanen 3–4
11   Ari Vatanen 10
  SEAT Sport SEAT Córdoba WRC P 9   Harri Rovanperä 10–13
10   Oriol Gómez 10
  Marc Duez 11–12
  Gwyndaf Evans 13
  Peugeot Sport Peugeot 306 Maxi M 11   François Delecour 1, 5–6, 11
14   Gilles Panizzi 1, 5–6, 11
25   Manuel Muniente 5
28   Adruzilo Lopes 1, 4–5
  Citroën Sport Citroën Xsara F2 M 12   Philippe Bugalski 5–6, 11
16   Jesús Puras 5, 11
  Fabien Doenlen 6
19   Patrick Magaud 6, 11
  Renault Sport Renault Mégane Maxi M 19   Martin Rowe 6, 11, 13
21   Luís Climent 5
25   Tapio Laukkanen 6, 10–11, 13
28   Nejat Avci 9, 12
32   José Carlos Macedo 4
35   Jonas Kruse 2, 4, 10
  Pedro Azeredo 4
  Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai Coupe Evo
Coupe Evo 2 		M 20   Kenneth Eriksson 4–5, 7–13
21   Alister McRae 5–6
29   Wayne Bell 4, 8–13
48   Dean Herridge 12
  Volkswagen Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V Kit Car P 17   Alister McRae 2, 7, 10-12
30   Harry Joki 2
24   Kris Rosenberger 3-4, 7, 9, 12
31   Raimund Baumschlager 3-4, 13
40   Janne Tuohino 10
41   Jan Habig 13
47   Esa Saarenpää 10
48   Jani Pirttinen 10
  Nissan Motorsports Europe Nissan Almera Kit Car M 23   Mark Higgins 4, 8, 10-11, 13
48   José Araújo 4
61   Ercan Kazaz 13
  Škoda Motorsport Škoda Octavia Kit Car M 22   Pavel Sibera 5-6, 8, 10-11, 13
37   Fabio Danti 11
  Opel
  Vauxhall 		Opel
Vauxhall 		Astra G Kit Car M 18   Jarmo Kytölehto (Opel) 13
40   Neil Wearden (Vauxhall) 13

Results and standings edit

Drivers' championship edit

Pos. Driver MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		 Pts 
1   Tommi Mäkinen Ret 1 Ret Ret 3 Ret 1 Ret 3 1 1 1 Ret 58
2   Carlos Sainz 1 2 Ret 2 7 8 2 4 1 2 4 2 Ret 56
3   Colin McRae 3 Ret Ret 1 Ret 1 5 1 5 Ret 3 4 Ret 45
4   Juha Kankkunen 2 3 2 7 Ret 9 3 3 4 3 Ret 5 2 39
5   Didier Auriol 14 6 4 Ret 1 6 Ret 2 2 4 Ret 3 Ret 34
6   Richard Burns 5 15 1 4 4 Ret 4 Ret 9 5 7 Ret 1 33
7   Piero Liatti 4 9 Ret 6 Ret 3 6 6 6 2 Ret 17
8   Freddy Loix 3 2 5 6 13
9   Bruno Thiry 6 8 Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 10 6 7 3 8
10   François Delecour 10 8 2 Ret 6
11   Ari Vatanen 3 5 Ret Ret 6
12   Gilles Panizzi 9 6 4 35 5 Ret 6
13   Kenneth Eriksson 4 Ret 21 Ret Ret 20 Ret Ret 22 Ret 3
14   Grégoire De Mévius 8 12 4 3
15   Harri Rovanperä 11 Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 15 13 11 Ret 11 6 3
16   Marcus Grönholm 5 Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret 2
17   Philippe Bugalski 5 Ret Ret 2
18   Sebastian Lindholm Ret 9 5 2
19   Raimund Baumschlager 6 Ret Ret 1
20   Thomas Rådström Ret Ret 12 Ret 7 6 1
Pos. Driver MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		 Pts 
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Did not finish (Ret)
Black Excluded (EX)
Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Cancelled (C)
Blank Withdrew entry from
the event (WD)

Co-drivers' championship edit

Pos. Co-driver MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		 Pts 
1   Risto Mannisenmäki Ret 1 Ret Ret 3 Ret 1 Ret 3 1 1 1 Ret 58
2   Luis Moya 1 2 Ret 2 7 8 2 4 1 2 4 2 Ret 56
3   Nicky Grist 3 Ret Ret 1 Ret 1 5 1 5 Ret 3 4 Ret 45
4   Juha Repo 2 3 2 7 Ret 9 3 3 4 3 Ret 5 2 39
5   Denis Giraudet 14 6 4 Ret 1 6 Ret 2 2 4 Ret 3 Ret 34
6   Robert Reid 5 15 1 4 4 Ret 4 Ret 9 5 7 Ret 1 33
7   Fabrizia Pons 4 9 Ret 6 Ret 3 6 6 6 2 Ret Ret 17
8   Sven Smeets 3 2 5 6 13
9   Stéphane Prévot 6 8 Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 10 6 7 3 8
10   Daniel Grataloup 10 8 2 Ret 6
11   Fred Gallagher 3 5 Ret 6
12   Hervé Panizzi 9 6 4 35 5 Ret 6
13   Staffan Parmander 4 Ret 21 Ret Ret 20 Ret Ret 22 Ret 3
14   Jean-Marc Fortin 8 12 4 3
15   Risto Pietiläinen 11 Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 15 13 11 Ret 11 6 3
16   Timo Rautiainen 5 Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret 2
17   Jean-Paul Chiaroni 5 Ret Ret 2
18   Jukka Aho Ret 9 5 2
19   Klaus Wicha 8 6 Ret Ret 1
20   Gunnar Barth Ret Ret 12 Ret 7 6 1
Pos. Co-driver MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		 Pts 

Manufacturers' championship edit

Pos. Manufacturer No. MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		Points
1   Team Mitsubishi Ralliart 1 Ret 1 Ret Ret 3 Ret 1 Ret 3 1 1 1 Ret 91
2 5 15 1 4 4 Ret 4 Ret 9 5 7 Ret 1
2   Toyota Castrol Team 5 1 2 Ret 2 7 8 2 4 1 2 4 2 Ret 85
6 14 Ret 4 Ret 2 6 Ret 2 2 4 Ret 3 Ret
3   555 Subaru World Rally Team 3 3 Ret Ret 1 Ret 1 5 1 5 Ret 3 4 Ret 65
4 4 4 Ret 6 Ret 3 6 6 6 8 2 Ret Ret
4   Ford Motor Co 7 2 3 2 7 Ret 9 3 3 4 3 Ret 5 2 53
8 6 8 3 5 Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 10 6 7 3
5   SEAT Sport 9 11 Ret 11 6 1
10 Ret 16 Ret
Pos. Manufacturer No. MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		Points
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Did not finish (Ret)
Black Excluded (EX)
Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Cancelled (C)
Blank Withdrew entry from
the event (WD)

FIA Teams' Cup edit

Pos. Team Event Points
MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
 
1   H.F. Grifone 0 10 0 10 10 0 0 10 10 7 16 0 0 73
2   Uruguay en Carrera 0 0 0 2 5 4 6 2 8 4 4 4 0 39
3   Gazprom Rally Team 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 10 10 27
4   Mobil 1 Stomil Olsztyn 0 0 0 6 4 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 6 26
5   Toyota Castrol Team Sweden 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 10 0 6 0 22
6   Toyota Team Saudi Arabia 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 3 0 3 4 20
7   Toyota Mobil Team Turkey 0 0 0 3 0 6 0 6 0 0 0 2 0 17
8   Frederic Dor 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 1 0 0 0 2 12
9   Hamed Al-Wahaibi 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 3 0 0 0 3 10

Group N Cup edit

Pos. Driver MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		 Pts 
1   Gustavo Trelles Ret Ret 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 3 2 94
2   Manfred Stohl 1 2 2 2 1 Ret Ret 3 Ret 4 1 71
3   Luís Climent 2 Ret 1 4 Ret 3 2 37
4   Michael Guest 1 1 26
5   Hamed Al-Wahaibi 6 2 2 5 Ret 3 24
6   Stig-Olov Walfridsson 1 13
  Gianluigi Galli 1 13
8   Kenneth Bäcklund 2 8
  Mario Stagni 2 8
  David Higgins 2 8
  Pernilla Solberg 8 3 4 8
12   Juha Kangas 3 Ret 5 7
13   Gabriel Méndez 3 7 Ret 5
  Pierre-César Baroni 3 5
  Paul Bailey 3 5
  Miguel Campos 3 5
  Jean-Marie Santoni 3 5
  Marcos Ligato 3 5
  Jorge Recalde Ret 3 5
  Roberto Sanchez 5 4 Ret 5
Pos. Driver MON
  		SWE
  		KEN
  		POR
  		ESP
  		FRA
  		ARG
  		GRE
  		NZL
  		FIN
  		ITA
  		AUS
  		GBR
  		 Pts 
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Did not finish (Ret)
Black Excluded (EX)
Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Cancelled (C)
Blank Withdrew entry from
the event (WD)

Events edit

1998 World Rally Championship event map
 
Black = Tarmac Brown = Gravel Blue = Snow/Ice Red = Mixed Surface
1998 World Rally Championship schedule and results
Rally Name Dates run Podium Drivers (Finishing Time) Podium Cars
  Monte Carlo Rally 19 January–21 January
  1.   Carlos Sainz (4h:28m:00.5s)
  2.   Juha Kankkunen (4h:28m:41.3s)
  3.   Colin McRae (4h:29m:01.5s)
  1. Toyota Corolla WRC
  2. Ford Escort WRC
  3. Subaru Impreza WRC 98
  Swedish Rally 6 February–8 February
  1.   Tommi Mäkinen (3h:32m:51.6s)
  2.   Carlos Sainz (3h:33m:43.2s)
  3.   Juha Kankkunen (3h:33m:50.4s)
  1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Ford Escort WRC
  Safari Rally 28 February–2 March
  1.   Richard Burns (8h:57m:34s)
  2.   Juha Kankkunen (9h:07m:01s)
  3.   Ari Vatanen (9h:07m:26s)
  1. Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evolution IV
  2. Ford Escort WRC
  3. Ford Escort WRC
  Rally Portugal 22 March–25 March
  1.   Colin McRae (4h:20m:58.1s)
  2.   Carlos Sainz (4h:21m:00.2s)
  3.   Freddy Loix (4h:21m:43.9s)
  1. Subaru Impreza WRC 98
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Toyota Corolla WRC
  Rally Catalunya 20 April–22 April
  1.   Didier Auriol (4h:18m:36.9s)
  2.   Freddy Loix (4h:19m:30.3s)
  3.   Tommi Mäkinen (4h:19m:46.3s)
  1. Toyota Corolla WRC
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
  Tour de Corse 4 May–6 May
  1.   Colin McRae (4h:02m:46.9s)
  2.   François Delecour (4h:03m:14.1s)
  3.   Piero Liatti (4h:03m:16.9s)
  1. Subaru Impreza WRC 98
  2. Peugeot 306 Maxi
  3. Subaru Impreza WRC 98
  Rally Argentina 20 May–23 May
  1.   Tommi Mäkinen (4h:22m:07.4s)
  2.   Carlos Sainz (4h:22m:34.2s)
  3.   Juha Kankkunen (4h:22m:34.9s)
  1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Ford Escort WRC
  Acropolis Rally 7 June–9 June
  1.   Colin McRae (4h:26m:31.6s)
  2.   Didier Auriol (4h:26m:51.6s)
  3.   Juha Kankkunen (4h:27m:15.9s)
  1. Subaru Impreza WRC 98
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Ford Escort WRC
  Rally New Zealand 24 July–27 July
  1.   Carlos Sainz (3h:54m:57.1s)
  2.   Didier Auriol (3h:55m:01.2s)
  3.   Tommi Mäkinen (3h:56m:40.8s)
  1. Toyota Corolla WRC
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
  Rally Finland 21 August–23 August
  1.   Tommi Mäkinen (3h:16m:56.1s)
  2.   Carlos Sainz (3h:17m:31.7s)
  3.   Juha Kankkunen (3h:17m:41.3s)
  1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Ford Escort WRC
  Rally Sanremo 12 October–14 October
  1.   Tommi Mäkinen (4h:34m:34.5s)
  2.   Piero Liatti (4h:34m:50.3s)
  3.   Colin McRae (4h:36m:04.7s)
  1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
  2. Subaru Impreza WRC 98
  3. Subaru Impreza WRC 98
  Rally Australia 5 November–8 November
  1.   Tommi Mäkinen (3h:52m:48.7s)
  2.   Carlos Sainz (3h:53m:05.2s)
  3.   Didier Auriol (3h:53m:13.7s)
  1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
  2. Toyota Corolla WRC
  3. Toyota Corolla WRC
  Rally of Great Britain 22 November–24 November
  1.   Richard Burns (3h:50m:30.6s)
  2.   Juha Kankkunen (3h:54m:17.1s)
  3.   Bruno Thiry (3h:55m:58.1s)
  1. Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evolution V
  2. Ford Escort WRC
  3. Ford Escort WRC

References edit

  1. ^ Hope-Frost, Henry (24 November 2017). "On this day in... 1998". Goodwood Road & Racing. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  2. ^ Ingram, Anthony (24 November 2021). "Freeze Frame: Burns shines as sparks fly in '98 Rally GB". Hagerty. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  3. ^ "FIA World Rally Championship Calendar 1998". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  4. ^ "1998 WRC calendar". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 9 April 2024.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1998 in World Rally Championship.


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