1999 World Rally Championship

The 1999 World Rally Championship was the 27th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 14 rallies. Tommi Mäkinen won his fourth drivers' world championship driving for Mitsubishi, ahead of Richard Burns and Didier Auriol. The manufacturers' title was won by Toyota, ahead of Subaru and Mitsubishi.

In an upset predicted two years earlier a two-wheel-drive car won a rally for the first time since Alain Oreille won the 1989 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire in his Renault 5 when Philippe Bugalski took his Citroën Xsara Kit Car to victory in the Rally Catalunya. Bugalski backed it up three weeks later winning the Tour de Corse. With such specialised tarmac cars now beating WRC cars while at the same time not competing in the FIA 2-Litre World Rally Cup designed for them a revamp of two-wheel-drive regulations was created for the 2000 season.

Calendar

The 1999 championship was contested over fourteen rounds in Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania.

Round	Dates	Race
1	17–20 January	Monte Carlo Rally
2	12–14 February	Swedish Rally
3	25–28 February	Safari Rally
4	21–24 March	Rally Portugal
5	19–21 April	Rally Catalunya
6	7–9 May	Tour de Corse
7	22–25 May	Rally Argentina
8	6–9 June	Acropolis Rally
9	15–18 July	Rally New Zealand
10	20–22 August	Rally Finland
11	17–19 September	China Rally
12	11–13 October	Rally Sanremo
13	4–7 November	Rally Australia
14	21–23 November	Rally of Great Britain
Sources:^[1]^[2]

Teams and drivers

Team	Manufacturer	Car	Tyre	No	Drivers	Rounds
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart	Mitsubishi	Lancer Evo VI	M	1	Tommi Mäkinen	All
				2	Freddy Loix	1–3, 5–14
				2	Marcus Grönholm	4
				22	Hamed Al-Wahaibi	2–13
Toyota Castrol Team	Toyota	Corolla WRC	M	3	Carlos Sainz	All
				4	Didier Auriol	All
				12	Ian Duncan	3
				18	Neal Bates	13
				18	Takuma Kamada	9, 11
				19	Pasi Hagström	2, 4, 10
				19	Pedro Chaves	4
				26	Henrik Lundgaard	1, 5–6, 12
				32	Isolde Holderied	1, 6, 12
				42	Matthias Kahle	3, 8–9, 14
				45	Martin Brundle	14
				52	Jonny Milner	14
Subaru World Rally Team	Subaru	Impreza WRC 99	P	5	Richard Burns	All
				6	Juha Kankkunen	1–4, 7–14
				6	Bruno Thiry	5–6
				14	Bruno Thiry	1–4
				14	Juha Kankkunen	5
				17	Possum Bourne	9, 13
Ford Motor Co Ltd	Ford	Focus RS WRC 99	M	7	Colin McRae	All
				8	Simon Jean-Joseph	1, 5–6, 12
					Thomas Rådström	2, 7–11, 13–14
					Petter Solberg	3–4
				20	Petter Solberg	2, 10, 12, 14
SEAT Sport	SEAT	Córdoba WRC	P	9	Harri Rovanperä	All
				10	Piero Liatti	1, 3–8, 11–12
					Marcus Grönholm	2
					Toni Gardemeister	9–10, 13–14
				16	Gwyndaf Evans	14
				20	Toni Gardemeister	12
Škoda Motorsport	Škoda	Octavia WRC	M	11	Armin Schwarz	1, 4–5, 8, 10, 12, 14
				12	Pavel Sibera	1, 5
					Emil Triner	4, 8, 10, 12
					Bruno Thiry	14
Peugeot Esso	Peugeot	206 WRC	M	14	François Delecour	6, 8, 10, 12–14
				15	Gilles Panizzi	6, 12
				15	Marcus Grönholm	8, 10, 13–14
				21	Marcus Grönholm	12
				22	Gilles Panizzi	10, 14
Citroën Sport	Citroën	Xsara F2	M	18	Philippe Bugalski	5–6, 12
Citroën Sport	Citroën	Xsara F2	M	19	Jesús Puras	5–6, 12
Renault Sport	Renault	Mégane Maxi	M	19	Oriol Gómez	5
				22	Walter Suriani	7
				23	Tapio Laukkanen	4, 6, 10, 12–14
				27	Martin Rowe	4, 6, 10, 12–14
				30	José Carlos Macedo	4
				31	Benoît Rousselot	6
				33	Pedro Azeredo	4
				42	Raphael Sperrer	12
				44	Kris Princen	8, 12
Hyundai World Rally Team	Hyundai	Coupe Evo 2	M	24	Alister McRae	2, 4–5, 8–14
Hyundai World Rally Team	Hyundai	Coupe Evo 2	M	26	Kenneth Eriksson	2, 4–5, 8–14

Results and standings

Drivers' championship

Pos.	Driver	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Pts
1	Tommi Mäkinen	1	1	DSQ	5	3	6²	4	3	1	Ret²	Ret	1	3	Ret	62
2	Richard Burns	8	5	Ret	4	5	7	2	1	Ret	2	2	Ret	1	1	55
3	Didier Auriol	3	4	2	3	2	5¹	3	Ret	4	Ret¹	1	3	Ret	Ret	52
4	Juha Kankkunen	2	6	Ret	Ret	6		1	Ret	2	1	4	6	Ret	2	44
5	Carlos Sainz	Ret	2	3	2	Ret	3³	5	2	6	3	3	Ret	2	Ret	44
6	Colin McRae	DSQ	Ret	1	1	Ret	4	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	23
7	Philippe Bugalski	Ret				1	1						Ret			20
8	Freddy Loix	Ret	9	Ret		4	8	Ret	4	8	10	Ret	4	4	5	14
9	Harri Rovanperä	7	16	6	Ret	14	13	Ret	Ret	Ret	5	5	16	6	3	10
10	Gilles Panizzi	Ret					Ret				33		2		7	6
11	Jesús Puras	Ret				Ret	2				Ret	Ret	Ret		16	6
12	Thomas Rådström		3					6	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret		7	6	6
13	Toni Gardemeister	14	33		Ret					3	6³		Ret	16	Ret	6
14	Bruno Thiry	5	10	Ret	6	7	Ret								4	6
15	Marcus Grönholm		Ret		Ret				Ret		4		8	5	Ret	5
16	François Delecour	4					Ret		Ret		9		Ret	Ret	Ret	3
17	Ian Duncan			4												3
18	Markko Märtin		8		Ret				5		Ret		Ret		8	2
19	Petter Solberg		11	5	11						12		27		9	2
20	Possum Bourne									5				Ret		2
21	Andrea Aghini												5			2
22	Volkan Işık				7	11		Ret	Ret		15	6	15			1
23	Piero Liatti	6		Ret	Ret	10	9	Ret	Ret			Ret	Ret			1
24	Leonídas Kyrkos								6							1
Pos.	Driver	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Pts
Sources:^[3]^[4]

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

Manufacturers' championship

Pos.	Manufacturer	No.	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Points
1	Toyota Castrol Team	3	Ret	2	3	2	Ret	1³	5	2	5	3	3	Ret	2	Ret	109
1	Toyota Castrol Team	4	3	4	2	3	1	3¹	3	Ret	4	Ret¹	1	3	Ret	Ret	109
2	Subaru World Rally Team	5	6	5	Ret	4	4	5	2	1	Ret	2	2	Ret	1	1	105
2	Subaru World Rally Team	6	2	6	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	1	Ret	2	1	4	5	Ret	2	105
3	Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart	1	1	1	EX	5	2	4²	4	3	1	Ret²	Ret	1	3	Ret	83
3	Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart	2	Ret	7	Ret	Ret	3	6	Ret	4	6	8	Ret	4	4	5	83
4	Ford Motor Co	7	EX	Ret	1	1	Ret	2	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	37
4	Ford Motor Co	8	EX	3	4	6	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	7	6	37
5	SEAT Sport	9	5	8	5	Ret	7	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	5	5	7	6	3	23
5	SEAT Sport	10	4	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	7	Ret	Ret	3	6³	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	23
6	Peugeot Esso	14						Ret		Ret		7		Ret	Ret	Ret	11
6	Peugeot Esso	15						Ret		Ret		4		2	5	Ret	11
7	Škoda Motorsport	11	Ret			Ret	Ret			5		Ret		Ret		Ret	6
7	Škoda Motorsport	12	Ret			Ret	Ret			6		9		8		4	6
Pos.	Manufacturer	No.	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Points
Sources:^[3]^[4]

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

Notes:
^{1 2 3} – Indicate position on TV Covered Stage

FIA Teams' Cup

Pos.	Driver	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Pts
1	Luís Clíment	Ret	2	2	2	1	1		1		Ret		Ret		1	58
2	Volkan Işık				1	2		Ret	Ret		1	1	1			46
3	Frédéric Dor			1	3			1	3	2	2			Ret		40
4	Hamed Al-Wahaibi				Ret	4	2	Ret	4	1	Ret	Ret	3	Ret		28
5	Abdullah Bakhashab				Ret	3	Ret		2			Ret	2		Ret	16
NC	Krzysztof Hołowczyc		1		Ret										2	16
NC	Michael Guest				Ret	5			Ret	Ret		2		Ret		8
Pos.	Driver	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Pts

Production World Rally Championship

Pos.	Driver	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Pts
1	Gustavo Trelles	2	6		2	3	1	1	Ret	1	Ret	2	Ret	Ret		69
2	Hamed Al-Wahaibi		9	1	Ret	1	3	Ret	1	2	Ret	Ret	6	Ret		53
3	Toshihiro Arai									4		1		1		29
4	Manfred Stohl	Ret	4	4	Ret	Ret	2	Ret	Ret		3		2		Ret	27
5	Jouko Puhakka		1		Ret	Ret	Ret				1					26
6	Ramón Ferreyros				4				2			Ret			1	24
7	Gianluigi Galli		7		Ret	Ret	Ret				6		1			24
8	Marc Duez	1														13
9	Miguel Campos				1											13
10	Jani Paasonen		3								2					13
11	Katsuhiko Taguchi									3		3		4		13
12	Stig-Olov Walfridson		2													8
13	Luis Climent	Ret	8	2												8
14	Giovanni Manfrinato					2										8
15	Jorge Recalde							2								8
16	Ed Ordynski													2		8
17	Richard Tuthill														2	8
18	Christophe Spiliotis	3														5
19	Hideaki Miyoshi			3												5
20	Juha Kangas		Ret		3	8			Ret		Ret					5
21	Claudio Menzi							3								5
22	Gaby Goudezeune								3							5
23	Mario Stagni												3			5
24	Uwe Nittel													3		5
21	Gavin Cox														3	5
Pos.	Driver	MON	SWE	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRE	NZL	FIN	CHN	ITA	AUS	GBR	Pts

FIA 2 Litre World Cup for Manufacturers

() Denotes dropped score.

Pos	Entrant	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	Pts
1	Renault	16	(3)	0	(7)	10	16	10	10	(4)	16	0	16	8	(6)	102
2	Hyundai	0	0	10	16	0	0	0	13	16	4	16	0	13	7	95
NC(*)	Volkswagen	0	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	4	0	0	25

(*) – Volkswagen were not classified for not homologating their Golf Kit Car at the start of the season.

Events

Rally Name	Start-End Date	Podium Drivers (Finishing Time)	Podium Cars
Monte Carlo Rally (asphalt & snow)	17 January–20 January	Tommi Mäkinen (5h:16m:50.6s) Juha Kankkunen (5h:18m:35.3s) Didier Auriol (5h:20m:43.4s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Subaru Impreza WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
Swedish Rally (snow)	12 February–14 February	Tommi Mäkinen (3h:29m:15.6s) Carlos Sainz (3h:29m:33.7s) Thomas Rådström (3h:29m:53.4s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Toyota Corolla WRC Ford Focus WRC
Safari Rally (gravel)	26 February–28 February	Colin McRae (8h:41m:39s) Didier Auriol (8h:56m:05s) Carlos Sainz (8h:59m:46s)	Ford Focus WRC Toyota Corolla WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
Rally Portugal (gravel)	21 March–24 March	Colin McRae (4h:05m:41.7s) Carlos Sainz (4h:05m:54.0s) Didier Auriol (4h:05m:58.2s)	Ford Focus WRC Toyota Corolla WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
Rally Catalunya (asphalt)	19 April–21 April	Philippe Bugalski (4h:13m:45.6s) Didier Auriol (4h:14m:17.4s) Tommi Mäkinen (4h:16m:06.7s)	Citroën Xsara Kit Car Toyota Corolla WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6
Tour de Corse (asphalt)	7 May–9 May	Philippe Bugalski (3h:44m:35.7s) Jesús Puras (3h:45m:10.4s) Carlos Sainz (3h:45m:45.0s)	Citroën Xsara Kit Car Citroën Xsara Kit Car Toyota Corolla WRC
Rally Argentina (gravel)	22 May–25 May	Juha Kankkunen (4h:17m:15.4s) Richard Burns (4h:17m:17.8s) Didier Auriol (4h:17m:55.0s)	Subaru Impreza WRC Subaru Impreza WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
Acropolis Rally (gravel)	6 June–9 June	Richard Burns (4h:21m:21.2s) Carlos Sainz (4h:22m:22.5s) Tommi Mäkinen (4h:24m:01.2s)	Subaru Impreza WRC Toyota Corolla WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6
Rally New Zealand (gravel)	15 July–18 July	Tommi Mäkinen (4h:11m:07.1s) Juha Kankkunen (4h:12m:44.1s) Toni Gardemeister (4h:13m:56.1s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Subaru Impreza WRC SEAT Córdoba WRC
Rally Finland (gravel)	20 August–22 August	Juha Kankkunen (3h:08m:54.5s) Richard Burns (3h:09m:04.2s) Carlos Sainz (3h:09m:12.5s)	Subaru Impreza WRC Subaru Impreza WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
Rally China (gravel)	17 September–19 September	Didier Auriol (3h:38m:36.6s) Richard Burns (3h:39m:32.4s) Carlos Sainz (3h:40m:56.0s)	Toyota Corolla WRC Subaru Impreza WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
Rally Sanremo (asphalt)	11 October–13 October	Tommi Mäkinen (4h:26m:45.0s) Gilles Panizzi (4h:27m:03.0s) Didier Auriol (4h:27m:27.2s)	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Peugeot 206 WRC Toyota Corolla WRC
Rally Australia (gravel)	4 November–7 November	Richard Burns (3h:44m:31.5s) Carlos Sainz (3h:44m:43.1s) Tommi Mäkinen (3h:49m:02.9s)	Subaru Impreza WRC Toyota Corolla WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6
Rally of Great Britain (asphalt & gravel)	23 November–26 November	Richard Burns (3h:53m:44.2s) Juha Kankkunen (3h:55m:31.5s) Harri Rovanperä (3h:58m:39.5s)	Subaru Impreza WRC Subaru Impreza WRC SEAT Córdoba WRC E2

References

^ "FIA World Rally Championship Calendar 1999". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
^ "1999 WRC calendar". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Season 1999 – Championship standings". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
^ ^a ^b "FIA World Rally Championship Standings 1999". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

External links

FIA World Rally Championship 1999 at ewrc-results.com

[1] "FIA World Rally Championship Calendar 1999". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

[2] "1999 WRC calendar". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

[1999Juwra-3] "Season 1999 – Championship standings". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

[1999Standings-4] "FIA World Rally Championship Standings 1999". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

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