1998 World Rally Championship

1998 World Rally Championship
Previous:	1997	Next:	1999

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.

Calendar

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	Network Q Rally of Great Britain

Teams and drivers

Team	Constructor	Car	Tyre	No	Drivers	Rounds
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart	Mitsubishi	Lancer Evo IV Lancer Evo V	M	1	Tommi Mäkinen	All
				2	Richard Burns	All
				15	Ed Ordynski	9, 12
				16	Uwe Nittel	1–2, 4–5, 8, 10
555 Subaru World Rally Team	Subaru	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
				15	Juha Kangas	9
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	4–5, 9–10, 13
				12	Neal Bates	12
				15	Thomas Rådström	4–5, 8–10
				16	Yoshio Fujumoto	9, 12
				18	Isolde Holderied	6, 8
				27	Henrik Lundgaard	13
				37	Pedro Matos Chaves	4
Ford Motor Company	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 Ibiza Kit Car Evo 2	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
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

Results and standings

Drivers' championship

Pos Driver MON SWE KEN POR ESP FRA ARG GRC 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 GRC NZL FIN ITA AUS GBR  Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Blank Withdrew entry before the event (WD)

Co-drivers' championship

Pos Co-driver MON SWE KEN POR ESP FRA ARG GRC 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 GRC NZL FIN ITA AUS GBR  Pts

Manufacturers' championship

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

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Blank Withdrew entry before the event (WD)

FIA Teams' Cup

Pos	Team	Event													Total points
		MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRC	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

Events

1998 World Rally Championship event map

800px
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
66ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	19 January-21 January	Carlos Sainz (4h:28m:00.5s) Juha Kankkunen (4h:28m:41.3s) Colin McRae (4h:29m:01.5s)	Toyota Corolla WRC Ford Escort WRC Subaru Impreza WRC 98
47th International Swedish Rally	6 February-8 February	Tommi Mäkinen (3h:32m:51.6s) Carlos Sainz (3h:33m:43.2s) Juha Kankkunen (3h:33m:50.4s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV Toyota Corolla WRC Ford Escort WRC
46th Safari Rally Kenya	28 February-2 March	Richard Burns (8h:57m:34s) Juha Kankkunen (9h:07m:01s) Ari Vatanen (9h:07m:26s)	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evolution IV Ford Escort WRC Ford Escort WRC
32º TAP Rallye de Portugal	22 March-25 March	Colin McRae (4h:20m:58.1s) Carlos Sainz (4h:21m:00.2s) Freddy Loix (4h:21m:43.9s)	Subaru Impreza WRC 98 Toyota Corolla WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
34º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)	20 April-22 April	Didier Auriol (4h:18m:36.9s) Freddy Loix (4h:19m:30.3s) Tommi Mäkinen (4h:19m:46.3s)	Toyota Corolla WRC Toyota Corolla WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
42ème Tour de Corse - Rallye de France	4 May-6 May	Colin McRae (4h:02m:46.9s) François Delecour (4h:03m:14.1s) Piero Liatti (4h:03m:16.9s)	Subaru Impreza WRC 98 Peugeot 306 Maxi Subaru Impreza WRC 98
18º Rally Argentina	20 May-23 May	Tommi Mäkinen (4h:22m:07.4s) Carlos Sainz (4h:22m:34.2s) Juha Kankkunen (4h:22m:34.9s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V Toyota Corolla WRC Ford Escort WRC
45th Acropolis Rally of Greece	7 June-9 June	Colin McRae (4h:26m:31.6s) Didier Auriol (4h:26m:51.6s) Juha Kankkunen (4h:27m:15.9s)	Subaru Impreza WRC 98 Toyota Corolla WRC Ford Escort WRC
28th Rally New Zealand	24 July-27 July	Carlos Sainz (3h:54m:57.1s) Didier Auriol (3h:55m:01.2s) Tommi Mäkinen (3h:56m:40.8s)	Toyota Corolla WRC Toyota Corolla WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
48th Neste Rally Finland	21 August-23 August	Tommi Mäkinen (3h:16m:56.1s) Carlos Sainz (3h:17m:31.7s) Juha Kankkunen (3h:17m:41.3s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V Toyota Corolla WRC Ford Escort WRC
40º Rallye Sanremo - Rallye d'Italia	12 October-14 October	Tommi Mäkinen (4h:34m:34.5s) Piero Liatti (4h:34m:50.3s) Colin McRae (4h:36m:04.7s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V Subaru Impreza WRC 98 Subaru Impreza WRC 98
11th API Rally Australia	5 November-8 November	Tommi Mäkinen (3h:52m:48.7s) Carlos Sainz (3h:53m:05.2s) Didier Auriol (3h:53m:13.7s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V Toyota Corolla WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
54th Network Q Rally of Great Britain	22 November-24 November	Richard Burns (3h:50m:30.6s) Juha Kankkunen (3h:54m:17.1s) Bruno Thiry (3h:55m:58.1s)	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evolution V Ford Escort WRC Ford Escort WRC

See also

• FIA World Rally Championship 1998 at rallybase.nl