 Rallye Catalunya - Rallye De Espaņa 2002 preview.
Story by Andrew Frampton.
The fourth round of this year's World Rally Championship sees the series move from the Mediterranean island of Corsica, where the Peugeot team claimed a superb 1-2-3 result, to the Catalunya area of Spain. This is the second of an asphalt double-header, and it sees the Citroen team make a welcome return to the series, as they head the battle to topple the Peugeot domination.
Peugeot will be hoping for a repeat performance of their Corsican result, which saw Gilles Panizzi, Marcus Gronholm and Richard Burns fill the podium. Gronholm currently leads the championship with eighteen points, eight ahead of his nearest challengers Panizzi and Subaru's Tommi Makinen. Second position was Gronholm's best ever finish on an asphalt event, but he is unlikely to improve that statistic in Spain, with Panizzi and Citroen drivers generally stronger on tarmac stages. Panizzi will start the event as one of the favourites, while Richard Burns will be hoping to pick up some more points for his championship challenge.
Hoping to stop another Peugeot rout are Citroen, who did not choose Corsica as one of their seven nominated events this year. Sebastien Loeb and Thomas Radstrom return for the team, who is also running Philippe Bugalski who took fourth in Corsica in a private Xsara. Loeb took victory on the road in Monte Carlo, but was later demoted to second due to an illegal tyre change. Radstrom and Bugalski failed to make the start in Monte Carlo, while both Radstrom and Loeb had very disappointing performances in Sweden.
Subaru could well be the 'best of the rest' behind the French cars, as Tommi Makinen and Petter Solberg's performances this season show they have the speed on asphalt. Makinen's season couldn't have got off to a better start, after being gifted victory in the Monte Carlo Rally, after leader Loeb made an illegal tyre change. However, two non-finishes due to driver error in Sweden and Corsica means that he is now eight points behind championship leader Gronholm. Solberg has put in excellent performances on each of the events this season, but has only three points for his efforts. Sixth position in Monte Carlo was followed by the disappointment of an engine failure when running well in Sweden. The Norwegian then fought off the attentions of Carlos Sainz to take fifth in Corsica.
The Ford team has struggled on asphalt in the past due to the combination of the Focus chassis and its Pirelli tyres. However, the Ford has surprised many this year with its performances in Monte Carlo and Corsica, so points are likely in Catalunya. Colin McRae took fourth in Monte Carlo before inheriting a point for a lucky sixth position in Sweden. However, the Scot's luck ran out in Corsica as he slid of the road on the penultimate stage, breaking a finger. He is expected to compete in Catalunya, be we will have to wait and see how his injury effects his performance. Carlos Sainz enters his home event looking to secure his first victory for nearly two years. The Spaniard has taken two thirds and a sixth position this season, and is one of the most consistent drivers in the WRC. Markko Martin took 8th in Corsica after failing to impress in the opening two rounds, and will be hoping to get another finish under his belt.
Mitsubishi have struggled this season with an under-developed car, although Francois Delecour and Alister McRae have put in some impressive performances. After a dismal start to the season in Monte Carlo, when neither driver failed to make an impact, McRae took a good fifth position in Sweden, while Corsica showed the Lancer had potential on asphalt, as Delecour took seventh, and McRae tenth. It is unlikely that the team will take points in Catalunya, but should make the top ten.
Hyundai debuted their new model Accent WRC3 in Corsica, and although Freddy Loix and Armin Schwarz only finished in 9th and 13th positions respectively, both were impressed with the new car, and set some impressive top ten times when the optimum set-up was achieved. In the previous two rounds, neither car had made the finish, although they had shown potential. Loix is still suffering with the effects of a broken foot after clouting a bridge in Monte Carlo. The Belgian drove with his foot strapped in Sweden, and was running in the top six before retiring from the event. Schwarz also failed to finish in Monte Carlo and Sweden, and Catalunya should show how much progress the team has made with their new car.
The Skoda team has struggled for much of this season to get the set-up on the Octavia to their driver's liking. Toni Gardemeister took tenth in Monte Carlo, while Kenneth Eriksson was running in the top six in Sweden, before he retired on the final stage. Stig Blomqvist drives the third car in Catalunya, but the team is not expected to be on the pace.
Drivers Standings:
1. Marcus Gronholm 18pts
2. Tommi Makinen 10pts
2. Gilles Panizzi 10pts
4. Carlos Sainz 9pts
5. Richard Burns 7pts
6. Sebastien Loeb 6pts
6. Harri Rovanpera 6pts
8. Colin McRae 4pts
9. Philippe Bugalski 3pts
10. Alister McRae 2pts
Manufacturer's Championship Standings:
1. Peugeot 36pts
2. Ford 20pts
3. Subaru 16pts
4. Mitsubishi 5pts
5. Hyundai 1pt
2002 WRC season calendar
17/01 - 20/01 - 70E Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo
- Monte Carlo stage map by JR
- Monte Carlo preview by AF
- Monte Carlo review by AF
- Monte Carlo stage-by-stage times by JR
31/01 - 03/02 - Uddeholm Swedish Rally
- Sweden stage map by JR
- Sweden preview by AF
- Sweden review by AF
- Sweden stage-by-stage times by JR
- Audio downloads from Sweden by Ralliart
07/03 - 10/03 - Tour De Corse - Rallye De France
- Corsica stage map by JR
- Corsica preview by AF
- Corsica review by AF
- Corsica stage-by-stage times by JR
- Audio downloads from Corsica by Ralliart
21/03 - 24/03 - Rallye Catalunya - Rallye De Espaņa
- Catalunya stage map by JR
- Catalunya preview by AF
- Catalunya review by AF
- Catalunya stage-by-stage times by JR
- Audio downloads from Catalunya by Ralliart
18/04 - 21/04 - Cyprus Rally
- Cyprus stage map by JR
- Cyprus preview by AF
- Cyprus review by AF
- Cyprus stage-by-stage times by JR
16/05 - 19/05 - Rally Argentina
- Argentina stage map by JR
- Argentina preview by AF
- Argentina review by AF
- Argentina stage-by-stage times by JR
13/06 - 16/06 - Acropolis Rally
- Acropolis stage map by JR
- Acropolis preview by AF
- Acropolis review by AF
- Acropolis stage-by-stage times by JR
11/07 - 14/07 - Safari Rally Kenya
- Safari stage map by JR
- Safari preview by AF
- Safari review by AF
- Safari stage-by-stage times by JR
08/08 - 11/08 - Neste Rally Finland
- Finland stage map by JR
- Finland review by SS
- Finland stage-by-stage times by JR
22/08 - 25/08 - Int.Adac Rallye Deutschland
- Deutschland stage map by JR
- Deutschland review by AF
- Deutschland stage-by-stage times by JR
19/09 - 22/09 - Rallye Sanremo - Rallye D'Italia
- Sanremo stage map by JR
- Sanremo review by SS
- Sanremo stage-by-stage times by JR
03/10 - 06/10 - Propecia Rally Of New Zealand
- New Zealand stage map by JR
- New Zealand review by SS
- New Zealand stage-by-stage times by JR
31/10 - 03/11 - Telstra Rally Australia
14/11 - 17/11 - Network Q Rally Of Great Britain
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