The 1999 China Rally (officially 555 China Rally) took place from 17 September to 19 September 1999.[1] It was the 11th of 14 races of the 316th World Rally Championship (WRC).[2]

1999 China Rally
555 China Rally 1999
Host country China
Rally baseHuairou
Dates runSeptember 17 1999 – September 19 1999
Length385.72 km (239.68 miles)
Stage surfaceGravel
Statistics
Crews67 at start, 25 at finish
Overall results
Overall winnerFrance Auriol Didier
France Giraudet Denis
Japan Toyota Castrol Team
Toyota Corolla WRC

Overview

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The 1999 China Rally was the 3rd edition of the rally, the surface was gravel, the road section distance was 1,037.66 km and the total distance was 1,357.24 km. There were 71 entries, 67 starters and 25 finishers, which was 37.3% of the starters.[2]

The rally is the only WRC Rally to be held in China, with the other China Rallies held in other years being APRC events. Ford’s Colin McRae was the pre-tournament favourite to win the rally, having won the first two events in 1997 and 1998.[3]

The winner was Didier Auriol on the 19th win and 47th podium, driving a Toyota Corolla WRC.[2] He and his French crew were dominamt in the third and final leg, and set fastest times in five of the six stages, claiming the win with almost a minute gap over Subaru's Richard Burns. The third position was also claimed by a Toyota team, consisting of Carlos Sainz and Luis Moya.[4]

In the final day of the rally, the Hyundai World Rally Team marked their most achievements of the rally, scoring its third one/two victory of the year in the FIA 2-litre World Cup for Manufacturers.[5] Then, it marked the first time the team has scored a top ten overall position and finally Hyundai won the 2-litre manufacturers class of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship and the drivers' championship.[4] There were 22 stages, with the shortest being 7.00 km (SS4 Tou Dao Xue 1), the longest being 33.07 km (SS6 Zhung Hu Gou Men 2), slowest being 63.21 km/h (SS4 Tou Dao Xue 1) and the fastest being 124.13 km/h (SS13 Si Dao Dian 2).[2] There were 26 penalties in total.[6]

Background

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Itinerary

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All dates and times are CST (UTC+8) and the total distance was 385.12km.

Date Time No. Stage name Distance
Leg 1 — 150.52 km (39%)
17 September 8:19 SS1 Qi Dao He 1 9.03 km
8:44 SS2 Zhung Hu Gou Men 1 (cancelled) 33.07 km
10:42 SS3 Da Xi Shan 1 26.16 km
11:31 SS4 Tou Dao Xue 1 7.0 km
12:44 SS5 Qi Dao He 2 9.03 km
13:09 SS6 Zhung Hu Gou Men 2 (cancelled) 33.07 km
15:07 SS7 Da Xi Shan 2 26.16 km
15:56 SS8 Tou Dao Xue 2 7.0 km
Leg 2 — 148.14 km (38%)
18 September 8:48 SS9 Si Dao Dian 1 15.94 km
9:13 SS10 Di Shui Hu 1 12.47 km
11:29 SS11 Dao De Gou 1 19.78 km
12:05 SS12 Hei Niu Shan 1 25.88 km
13:45 SS13 Si Dao Dian 2 15.94 km
14:10 SS14 Di Shui Hu 2 12.47 km
16:26 SS15 Dao De Gou 2 19.78 km
17:02 SS16 Hei Nui Shan 2 25.88 km
Leg 3 — 86.46 km (22%)
19 September 9:00 SS17 Cha Dao Kou 1 7.41 km
9:51 SS18 Bei Gou 1 19.15 km
10:19 SS19 Wu Ying Zi 1 16.67 km
12:16 SS20 Cha Dao Kou 2 7.41 km
13:07 SS21 Bei Gou 2 19.15 km
13:35 SS22 Wu Ying Zi 2 16.67 km
Source:[7]

Entry list

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Number Driver Co-driver
1  Mäkinen Tommi  Mannisenmäki Risto
2  Loix Freddy  Smeets Sven
3  Sainz Carlos  Moya Luis
4  Auriol Didier  Giraudet Denis
5  Burns Richard  Reid Robert
6  Kankkunen Juha  Repo Juha
7  McRae Colin  Grist Nicky
8  Rådström Thomas  Gallagher Fred
9  Rovanperä Harri  Pietiläinen Risto
10  Liatti Piero  Cassina Carlo
11  Isik Volkan  Bodur Erkan
12  Bakhashab Abdullah  Park Michael
13  Puras Jesús  Martí Marc
14 - -
15  Trelles Gustavo  Christie Martin
16  Al-Wahaibi Hamed  Sircombe Tony
17  Kataoka Yoshihiro  Hayashi Satoshi
18  Kamada Takuma  Oh Allen
19  Guest Michael  Green David
20 - -
21  Arai Toshihiro  Freeman Roger
22  Taguchi Katsuhiko  Teoh Ron
23  Konishi Shigeyuki  Macneall Glenn
24  Eriksson Kenneth  Parmander Staffan
25  Tajima Nobuhiro  Sukosi Visut
26  McRae Alister  Senior David
27  Ferreyros Ramón  Saenz Gonzalo
28  Mazlan Saladin  Singh Jagdev
29  Kahlfuss Michael  Bauer Ronald
30  Nutahara Fumio  Odagiri Noriyuki
31  Lu Ning Jun  Ding Jian Ping
32  Chan Chi Wah  Tang Po Lin
33  Wong Johnny (Yau Kwan)  Lou Paulo
34  Font Ferran  Sureda Joan
35  Sing Fui On  Lau Shui Sang
36  Ko Tim Tak  Lee Man Ho
37  Chan Yu Ping  Siu Yim Fai
38  Tsang Kwok Choi  Lau Kan
39  Chan Kam Cheong  Leung Wai Ping
40  Anzawa Takeshi  Chuk Kowk Wai
41  Huang Qingguo  Zhang Wenmin
42  Yao Jindong  Fan Lei
43 - -
44  Lu Chengyi  Lai Huan-shan
45  Zhou Yong  Xu Xin
46  Kao Ching Lwan  Chen Chien-O
47  Feng Chun  Lu Hui
48  Ren Zhiguo  Li Jia
49  Bates Rick  Brittan Jenny
50  Wen Fan  Zhong Guan
51  Higgins David  Patterson Chris
52  Wang Rui  He Qianjin
53  Jin Xin  Tan Xiaoqiang
54  Hu Xian  Li Xiaojing
55 - -
56  Yan Zhongmin  Xie Cheng
57  Hamréus Tommy  Wallin Andreas
58  Xue Lei  Niu Yefang
59  Xing Ming  Xing Liang
60  Cai Ming  Zhu Chenguang
61  Shaw Sabrina  Xu Shouli
62  Tang Guangren  Wang Li
63  Zeng Tao  Zhuang Jia
64  Lin Jiang  Mei Jiangbang
65  Wu Zhuang  Zhang Jian
66  Wang Dapeng  Chen Yongqun
67  Bai Jian  Fu Hailun
68  Zhang Hongjiang  Sun Hui
69  Yang Hong  Zheng Rong
70  Kwok Ngal Cho  Tse Ying Wai
71  Lin Jiaxue  Liu Shuanquan
Source:[8]

Results

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Final Results

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Position Number Driver Co-driver Car
1 4 Didier Auriol Denis Giraudet Toyota Corolla WRC
2 5 Richards Burns Robert Reid Subaru Impreza WRC 99
3 3 Carlos Sainz Sr. Luis Moya Toyota Corolla WRC
4 6 Juha Kankkunen Juha Repo Subaru Impreza WRC 99
5 9 Harri Rovapera Risto Pietilainen SEAT WRC
6 11 Volkan Isik Erkan Bodur Toyota Corolla WRC
7 21 Arai Toshihiro Freeman Roger Subaru Impreza WRX
8 15 Trelles Gustavo Christie Martin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V
9 22 Taguchi Katsuhiko Teoh Ron Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI
10 26 McRae Alister Senior David Hyundai Coupé Kit Car Evo2
11 24 Eriksson Kenneth Parmander Steffan Hyundai Coupé Kit Car Evo2
12 19 Guest Michael Green David Subaru Impreza WRX
13 32 Chan Chi Wah Tang Po Lin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V
14 28 Mazlan Saladin Singh Jagdev Proton Wira 4WD
15 29 McRae Alister Senior David Hyundai Coupé Kit Car Evo2
16 33 Wong Johnny (Yau Kwan) Lou Paulo Subaru Impreza WRX
17 42 Yao Jindong Fan Lei Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III
18 41 Huang Qingguo Zhang Wenmin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III
19 50 Wen Fan Zhong Guan Peugeot 106 Rallye
20 37 Chan Yu Ping Siu Yim Fai Subaru Impreza 555
21 58 Xue Lei Niu Yefang Peugeot 106 Rallye
22 56 Yan Zhongmin Xie Cheng Peugeot 106 Rallye
23 66 Wang Dapeng Chen Yongqun Peugeot 106 Rallye
24 62 Tang Guangren Wang Li Peugeot 106 Rallye
25 61 Shaw Sabrina Xu Shouli Peugeot 106 Rallye
Source:[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Photos Rally China". Auto Sport. September 19, 1999.
  2. ^ a b c d "Rallies - China 1999". www.juwra.com.
  3. ^ Hassan, Umar (September 6, 2016). "Revisiting 1999 Rally China: Auriol victorious in only WRC event held in China". The Checkered Flag.
  4. ^ a b "Car Enthusiast - 1999 Rally of China - by CAINT.COM". www.carenthusiast.com.
  5. ^ a b "1999 Itinerary". juwra.com. Independent WRC archive. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Penalty 555 China Rally 1999". eWRC-results.com.
  7. ^ "Maps | China Rally 1999 [WRC] | Rally-Maps.com".
  8. ^ "Entry list 555 China Rally 1999". eWRC-results.com.