1999 Rally Catalunya Explained

1999 Rally Catalunya
Native Name:35th Rallye Catalunya - Costa Brava
Round:5
Season No:14
Championship:1999 World Rally Championship season
Previous Round:1999 Rally de Portugal
Next Round:1999 Tour de Corse
Country: Spain
Rallybase:Lloret de Mar
Startdate:April 19, 1999
Enddate:April 21, 1999
Stages:19
Stagekm:396.01
Stagekm Note:[1]
Transportkm:1317.30
Overallkm:1697.65
Surface:Tarmac
Driver1: Philippe Bugalski
Team1: Automobiles Citroën
Car1:Citroën Xsara Kit Car
Time1:4:13:45.6
Crewsreg:109
Teamsstart:109
Teamsfinish:57

The 1999 Rally Catalunya (formally the 35th Rallye Catalunya - Costa Brava) was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held over three days between 19 and 21 April 1999. It marked the 35th running of the Rally Catalunya, and was the fifth round of the 1999 World Rally Championship season.[2] The 1999 event was based in the town of Lloret de Mar in Spain and was contested over nineteen special stages, covering a total competitive distance of 396.01 km (246.07 miles).

Colin McRae was the defending rally winner, as was Ford Motor Co Ltd, having won the previous two rallies. Tommi Makinen lead the championship with twenty three points; three more than McRae.

The event was won by Philippe Bugalski, driving a Citroën Xsara Kit Car that was not entered for the full World Championship.[3] This would foreshadow an overhaul of the regulations for next season to the detriment of the two-wheel drive kit cars.

Background

Entry list

The following crews were set to enter the rally. The event was open to crews competing in the World Rally Championship, as well as privateer entries that were not registered to score points in the manufacturer's championship. Twelve were entered under Group A regulations to compete in the World Rally Championship's Manufacturers' Championship.[4]

! No.! Driver! Co-Driver! Entrant! Car! Tyre
1 Tommi Makinen Risto Mannisenmaki Marlboro Mitsubishi RalliartMitsubishi Lancer Evo VI
2 Freddy Loix Sven Smeets Marlboro Mitsubishi RalliartMitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI
3 Carlos Sainz Luis Moya Toyota Castrol TeamToyota Corolla WRC
4 Didier Auriol Denis Giraudet Toyota Castrol TeamToyota Corolla WRC
5 Richard Burns Robert Reid Subaru World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 99
6 Bruno Thiry Stephane Prevot Subaru World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 99
7 Colin McRae Nicky Grist Ford Motor Co LtdFord Focus WRC 99
8 Simon Jean-Joseph Fred Gallagher Ford Motor Co LtdFord Focus WRC 99
9 Harri Rovanpera Risto Pietilainen SEAT SportSEAT Cordoba WRC
10 Piero Liatti Carlo Cassina SEAT SportSEAT Cordoba WRC
11 Armin Schwarz Manfred Hiemer Skoda MotorsportSkoda Octavia WRC
12 Pavel Sibera Petr Gross Skoda MotorsportSkoda Octavia WRC

Itinerary

All dates and times are EAT (UTC+3).

DateNo.Time spanStage nameDistance
19 April9:49Service A, Girona
SS110:19Els Angels 115.66 km
SS210:46Santa Pellaia 111.66 km
11:32Service B, Girona
SS312:41Coll de Bracons 119.89 km
SS413:20La Trona 112.86 km
14:23Service C, Manlleu
SS515:05La Fullaca - Arbucies 132.64 km
SS615:53Cladells 115.27 km
16:48Service D, Girona
SS717:28Els Angels 215.66 km
SS817:55Santa Pellaia 211.66 km
18:41Service E, Girona
20 April9:35Service F, La Selva del Camp
SS910:29Prades13.77 km
SS1011:20La Riba 132.86 km
12:11Service G, La Selva del Camp
SS1112:59Riudecanyes12.68 km
SS1213:20Santa Marina31.38 km
14:17Service H, Mora la Nova
SS1315:04Gratallops - Escaladei45.88 km
16:34Service I, Mora la Nova
SS1417:41La Riba 232.86 km
18:36Service J, La Selva del Camp
21 April9:38Service K, Manlleu
SS1510:31Coll de Santigosa10.62 km
SS1611:07Coll de Bracons 219.89 km
SS1711:46La Trona 212.86 km
12:49Service L, Manlleu
SS1813:31La Fullaca - Arbucies 232.64 km
SS1914:19Cladells 215.27 km
15:11Service M, Lloret de Mar

Report

Overall

Summary

The winner was Philippe Bugalski aboard a Citroën Xsara Kit Car, an unprecedented event in the world championship, since he won in a front-wheel drive car, something that had not happened in years. The Kit Cars, which were supposed to be inferior compared to the all-wheel drive of the World Rally Cars, prevailed in asphalt rallies, first in Catalonia and later in the Corsica Rally that same year. The great weight/power ratio, accompanied by the good condition of the road surface and the good weather conditions in the Spanish test, made the Kit Cars prevail over their rivals.

Although Citroën did not officially compete in 1999, it had been developing the Citroën Xsara Kit Car for two years and after several tests in the nationals of Spain and France, it lined up two Xsaras for Bugalski and Jesús Puras in the Rally Catalunya. The Frenchman won the test, achieving the first victory of his career in the world championship. His victory aboard the Citroën Xsara Kit Car, a front-wheel drive car, raised some complaints among the official teams. Second was Didier Auriol with a Toyota Corolla WRC, which had already won the previous year, nothing could do against Bugalski's Xsara, although he finished half a minute behind his compatriot and third was Tommi Mäkinen, further away, with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, who was penalized one minute but kept third place ahead of Freddy Loix.[5] The race could have been a one-two for Citroën, since on the first day it was dominated by Jesús Puras with the other Xsara Kit Car, who scored four scratches and led the race until in the first section of the second day he suffered an electrical fault in his car and had to leave. Bugalski relieved Puras at the head of the race and kept it until the end.

Among the most prominent retirements were Carlos Sainz, Auriol's teammate, who retired in the last section due to a fault with the alternator belt and Colin McRae who retired after the second day. It was also the debut in the world championship for the Frenchman Sébastien Loeb who ran with a Citroën Saxo but did not end up suffering an accident in section eight.

One of the most controversial moments outside the race was the confrontation on the sets of Canal+, which was broadcasting the race, between Jesús Puras and Juanjo Lacalle, Sainz's manager. Puras defended himself against the accusations of Luis Moya, Sainz's co-driver, of having trained illegally, and had a small verbal dispute with Lacalle.[6]

Classification

PositionDriverCo-driverEntrantCarTimePoints
116 Philippe Bugalski Jean-Paul Chiaroni Automobiles CitroenCitroen Xsara4:13:45.60.010
24 Didier Auriol Denis Giraudet Toyota Castrol TeamToyota Corolla WRC4:14:17.4+31.86
31 Tommi Makinen Risto Mannisenmaki Marlboro Mitsubishi RalliartMitsubishi Lancer Evo VI4:16:06.7+2:21.14
42 Freddy Loix Sven Smeets Marlboro Mitsubishi RalliartMitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI4:16:21.0+2:35.43
55 Richard Burns Robert Reid Subaru World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 994:17:45.5+4:01.92
614 Juha Kankkunen Juha Repo Subaru World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 994:18:32.9+4:47.31
76 Bruno Thiry Stephane Prevot Subaru World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 9944:18:46.9+5:01.30
819 Oriol Gomez Oriol Julia Pascual Renault Sport EspanaRenault Megane Maxi4:19:34.3+5:48.70
925 Asensio Luis Clement Alex Romani Valencia Terra y MarSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 9810:08:24+1:26:450
1010 Piero Liatti Carlo Cassina SEAT SportSEAT Cordoba WRC4:20:53.0+7:07.40
1126 Volkan Isik Erkan Bodur Toyota Mobil Team TurkeyToyota Corolla WRC4:25:39.5+11:53.90
1222 Luis Monzon Jose Carlos Deniz Luis MonzonPeugeot 306 Maxi4:26:52.5+13:06.90
1328 Abdullah Bakhashab Michael Park Toyota Team Saudi ArabiaToyota Corolla WRC4:26:58.8+13:13.20
149 Harri Rovanpera Risto Pietilainen SEAT SportSEAT Cordoba WRC4:28:49.8+15:04.20
1542 David Guixeras Jordi Mercader Escuderia Costa BravaCitroen Saxo4:31:05.6+17:20.00
1639 Javier Azcona Ezequiel Nazabal Javier AzconaPeugeot 106 Maxi4:32:48.2+19:02.60
1734 Hamed Al-Wahaibi Tony Sircombe Team Mitsubishi OmanMitsubishi Lancer Evo V4:36:18.3+22:32.70
1855 Giovanni Mandrinato Claudio Condotta Giovanni MandrinatoMitsubishi Lancer Evo V4:36:41.2+22:55.60
1927 Osilde Holderied Catherine Francois Toyota Castrol DeutschlandToyota Corolla WRC4:38:45.7+25:00.10
2030 Gustavo Trelles Martin Christie Ralliart ItaliaMitsubishi Lancer Evo V4:39:21.8+25:36.20
2124 Toshihiro Arai Roger Freeman Subaru Allstars Endless SportSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 984:39:39.7+25:54.10
2256 Michal Gargulak Jiri Malcik Slovnaft Rally TeamMitsubishi Carisma GT Evo V4:42:53.3+29:07.70
2345 Miguel Cristovao Joao Luz Ford Motor Co LtdFord Puma4:43:31.8+29:46.20
2443 Fabien Vericel Vincent Ducher Equipe de France FFSACitroen Saxo4:44:13.1+30:27.50
2540 Dabad Joan Vinyes Xavier Lorza Escuderia VoltregaCitroen Saxo4:45:01.3+31:15.70
2633 Michael Guest David Green Winfield World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza WRX4:46:22.0+32:36.40
2757 Reece Jones Leo Bult Reece Jones RallysportMitsubishi Lancer Evo V4:47:24.4+33:38.80
2854 Corrado Fontana Daniele Pelliccioni Corrado FontanaMitsubishi Lancer Evo V4:48:06.4+34:20.80
29100 Cernadas Amador Vidal Francisco Lema Vidal Escuderia La CorunaPeugeot 106 Rallye4:51:38.6+37:53.00
3050 Ferran Font Joan Sureda Ferran FontMitsubishi Lancer Evo V4:51:58.4+38:12.80
3199 Leonardo Saban Victoria Ocariz Maria JLM TeamPeugeot 106 Rallye4:52:20.5+38:34.90
32102 Marc Blazquez Antoni Sanchez RACC MotorsportPeugeot 106 Rallye4:52:51.5+39:05.90
3382 Manuel Cabo Rodriguez Francisco Rodriguez Manuel CaboSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V4:53:23.7+39:38.10
3497 Roberto Solis Javier Alvarez Machado Francisco Roberto SolisPeugeot 106 Rallye4:54:06.5+40:20.90
3535 Juha Kangas Mika Ovaskainen Juha KangasSubaru Impreza WRX4:54:33.2+40:47.60
3698 Flavio Alonso Rodriguez Victor Perez Flavio AlonsoPeugeot 106 Rallye4:57:41.6+43:56.00
3775 Joan Compte Jordi Estaper Escuderia Costa DauradaMitsubishi Lancer Evo V4:58:09.9+44:24.30
3861 Esteban Vallin Eduardo Escolano Carlos Sainz Junior TeamSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V4:58:50.3+45:04.70
3959 Salvador Canellas Carlos del Barrio Salvador CanellasSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V4:59:25.6+45:40.00
40104 Dani Sola Jorge Carvalho RACC MotorsportPeugeot 106 Rallye5:00:30.7+46:45.10
4151 Ignacio Sanfilippo Jose Vicente Medina Ignacio SanfilippoMitsubishi Carisma GT Evo IV5:00:46.5+47:00.90
42111 Alex Juaneda Daniel Guirro Gamace MC CompeticionPeugeot 106 Rallye5:01:07.0+47:21.40
43108 Jonathan de Miguel Oscar Cabezas Jonathan de MiguelPeugeot 106 Rallye5:01:59.7+48:14.10
44103 Francisco Roig Paco Ignazio Paz Francisco Roig PacoPeugeot 106 Rallye5:02:17.6+48:32.00
45106 Lopez Rafael Penalva Miguel Angel Castro Lopez Rafael PenalvaPeugeot 106 Rallye5:03:02.2+49:16.60
46109 Eloy Entrecanales Jose Manuel Cobo JLM TeamPeugeot 106 Rallye5:05:23.9+51:38.30
47107 Emilio Segura Jose Antonio Munoz Emilio SeguraPeugeot 106 Rallye5:06:10.4+52:24.80
4871 Michael Kahlfuss Ronald Bauer Michael KahlfussToyota Celica GT-Four5:07:53.9+54:08.30
4996 Max Gerpe Sergi Oms Escuderia Motor TerrassaSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V5:08:26.3+54:40.70
5091 Mercadal Joan Vidal Gabriel Roig Mercadal Joan VidalSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V5:09:41.4+55:55.80
5170 Paulo Freire Armando Veiga Paulo FreireToyota Celica GT-Four5:15:22.1+1:01:36.50
5295 Josep Nicolas Rafael Puig Biela Club ManresaSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V5:19:14.6+1:05:29.00
5367 Graeme Presswell Martin Saunders Graeme PresswellVauxhall Astra5:27:47.5+1:14:01.90
54110 Escola Jaume Darne V. Jaume Darne Escuderia Motor TerrassaPeugeot 106 Rallye5:32:06.2+1:18:20.60
5587 Miguel Diego Jose Ivan Caballero A.C. Principado de AsturiasSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V5:35:37.6+1:21:52.00
5680 Iain Henderson Graham Hopewell Iain HendersonCitroen Saxo VTS5:54:45.2+1:40:59.60
Retired SS193 Carlos Sainz Luis Moya Toyota Castrol TeamToyota Corolla WRCAlternator0
Retired SS1818 Henrik Lundgaard Freddy Pedersen Henrik LundgaardToyota Corolla WRCAccident0
Retired SS1774 Antonio Garrido Jose Alfredo Alvarez Antonio GarridoSubaru Impreza WRXRetired0
Retired S1623 Alister McRae David Senior Hyundai MotorsportHyundai Coupe Kit Car Evo2Transmission0
Retired SS157 Colin McRae Nicky Grist Ford Motor Co LtdFord Focus WRC 99Withdrawn0
Retired SS1565 Francois Koopal Hans Bullens Francois KoopalRenault Clio MaxiRetired0
Retired SS1590 Alberto San Segundo Eva Navas Alberto San SegundoSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS1592 Alex Palet Xavier Calatayud Alex PaletSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS1411 Armin Schwarz Manfred Hiemer Skoda MotorsportSkoda Octavia WRCElectrical0
Retired SS1449 Kris Rosenberger Per Carlsson Kris RosenbergerMitsubishi Lancer Evo IVAccident0
Retired SS1462 Txus Jaio David Moreno Carlos Sainz Junior TeamSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS1468 Marta Candian Mara Biotti Hawk Racing Club SrlRenault Clio WilliamsRetired0
Retired SS138 Simon Jean-Joseph Fred Gallagher Ford Motor Co LtdFord Focus WRC 99Engine0
Retired SS1321 Kenneth Eriksson Staffan Parmander Hyundai MotorsportHyundai Coupe Kit Car Evo2Fuel Pump0
Retired SS1341 Jan Casais Jose Enrique Serrano Jan CasaisCitroen SaxoRetired0
Retired SS1346 Andrea Maselli Nicola Arena Andrea MaselliRenault Clio MaxiLost Wheel0
Retired SS1369 Antonio Seriola Joan Angel Alpiste Escuderia Baix EmpordaPeugeot 106 RallyeRetired0
Retired SS1376 Toni Vidal Jordi Padris Toni VidalPeugeot 306 S16Retired0
Retired SS1311 Luc Escharavil Herve Michevas Luc EscharavilRenault Clio WilliamsRetired0
Retired SS1379 Marc Allingue Josep Fornell Marc AllinguePeugeot 106 RallyeRetired0
Retired SS1383 Alfonso Loza Giovanni Breda Alfonso LozaSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS1212 Pavel Sibera Petr Gross Skoda MotorsportSkoda Octavia WRCFire0
Retired SS1220 Manuel Muniente Diego Vallejo Peugeot Sport EspanaPeugeot 306 MaxiEngine0
Retired SS1253 Gianluigi Galli Guido D'Amore Gianluigi GalliMitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VAccident0
Retired SS1258 Kristian Poulsen Leif Heick Kristian PoulsenFord Escort WRCRetired0
Retired SS1288 Juan Pablo Castro Iglesias Manuel Alberto Gomez Bancalero Juan Pablo Castro IglesiasSET Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS11105 Sergio Lopez-Fombona Manuel David Tajada A.C. Principado de AsturiasPeugeot 106 RallyeAccident0
Retired SS1064 Paul Niemczyk Thomas Schunemann Paul NiemczykFord Escort RS CosworthRetired0
Retired SS917 Jesus Puras Marc Marti Citroen HispanaCitroen XsaraElectrical0
Retired SS994 Hector Soler Libori Raul Soler Libori Hector Soler LiboriSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VRetired0
Retired SS837 Mark Champeau Gilles Thimonier Mark ChampeauSubaru Impreza S5 WRC 98Accident0
Retired SS844 Sébastien Loeb Daniel Elena Equipe de France FFSACitroen SaxoAccident0
Retired SS866 Rodolfo Esposito Lucie Conod Rodolfo EspositoCitroen ZX 16SRetired0
Retired SS736 Pernilla Solberg Ulrika Mattsson Team WalfridssonMitsubishi Lancer Evo VSteering0
Retired SS748 Gabriel Mendez Daniel Muzio Gabriel MendezMitsubishi Lancer Evo VRetired0
Retired SS652 Miguel Martinez-Conde Felipe Alonso Fernandez JLM TeamMitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VMechanical0
Retired SS681 Toni Kuusela Ossi Lehtonen Toni KuuselaCitroen ZX 16SRetired0
Retired SS6101 Ojeda Enrique Garcia Pilar Barcelo JLM TeamPeugeot 106 RallyeRetired0
Retired SS531 Manfred Stohl Kay Gerlach Manfred StohlMitsubishi Lancer Evo VEngine0
Retired SS593 Joan Font Arcadi Font Joan FontSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS478 Karl-Friedrich Beck Michael Kolbach Karl-Friedrich BeckRenault Clio WilliamsRetired0
Retired SS484 Espinosa Francisco Puertas Marcos Rumi Espinosa Francisco PuertasSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS332 Jouko Puhakka Jakke Honkanen Tyre Research InstituteMitsubishi Lancer Evo VMechanical0
Retired SS363 Oscar Fuertes Lucas Cruz Carlos Sainz Junior TeamSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V Evo2Retired0
Retired SS372 Bob Colsoul Tom Colsoul Bob ColsoulMitsubishi Lancer Evo VRetired0
Retired SS373 Carlos Marques Luis Cavaleiro Carlos MarquesMitsubishi Lancer Evo IIIRetired0
Retired SS386 Lopez Javier Penalva Javier Gonzalez Lopez Javier PenalvaSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0
Retired SS247 Priscille De Belloy-Delecour Christiane Nicolet Ford Motor Co LtdFord PumaRetired0
Retired SS260 Michael Huete Colon Xavier Amigo Carlos Sainz Junior TeamSEAT Ibiza GTi 16V Evo2Retired0
Retired SS285 Daniel Loza Silvia Serrano Daniel LozaSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VRetired0
Retired SS289 Jose Manuel Porto Antonio Garcia Jose Manuel PortoSEAT Ibiza GTi 16VMechanical0

Special Stages

All dates and times are CEST (UTC+2).

DayStageTimeNameLength (km)WinnerTimeRally leader
1
19 Apr
SS110:19Els Angels 115.66 Tommi Makinen9:50.7 Tommi Makinen
SS210:46Santa Pellaia 111.66 Jesus Puras7:42.6 Jesus Puras
SS312:41Coll de Bracons 119.89 Jesus Puras13:02.1
SS413:20La Trona 112.86 Tommi Makinen8:31.5
SS515:05La Fullaca - Arbucies 132.64 Jesus Puras20:28.4
SS615:53Cladells 115.27 Didier Auriol10:00.8
SS717:28Els Angels 215.66 Didier Auriol10:03.5
SS817:55Santa Pellaia 211.66 Jesus Puras7:43.7
2
20 Apr
SS910:29Prades13.77 Philippe Bugalski8:17.1 Philippe Bugalski
SS1011:20La Riba 132.86 Colin McRae20:33.4
SS1112:59Riudecanyes12.68 Didier Auriol8:52.8
SS1213:20Santa Marina31.38 Philippe Bugalski19:18.2
SS1315:04Gratallops - Escaladei45.88 Philippe Bugalski29:08.9
SS1417:41La Riba 232.86 Colin McRae20:37.8
3
21 Apr
SS1510:31Coll de Santigosa10.62 Tommi Makinen6:49.2
SS1611:07Coll de Bracons 219.89 Tommi Makinen13:08.8
SS1711:46La Trona 212.86 Philippe Bugalski8:31.3
SS1813:31La Fullaca - Arbucies 232.64 Philippe Bugalski20:24.9
SS1914:19Cladells 215.27 Didier Auriol10:08.3

Championship Standings

Drivers' Championship Manufacturers' Championship
MoveDriverPointsMoveManufacturerPoints
1 Tommi Makinen26 Toyota Castrol Team43
2 1 Didier Auriol23 1 Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart32
3 1 Colin McRae20 1 Ford Motor Co Ltd28
4 Carlos Sainz16 Subaru World Rally Team18
5 10 Philippe Bugalski10 SEAT Sport8

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.ewrc-results.com/timetable/126-rallye-catalunya-costa-brava-rallye-de-espana-1999/
  2. https://www.ewrc-results.com/season/1999/1-wrc/
  3. https://www.ewrc-results.com/final/126-rallye-catalunya-costa-brava-rallye-de-espana-1999/
  4. https://www.ewrc-results.com/entries/126-rallye-catalunya-costa-brava-rallye-de-espana-1999/
  5. Web site: Rallye Catalunya: Final Results. 29 January 2022. Motorsport.com.
  6. Web site: Puras abandona y arremete contra el piloto madrileño. 29 January 2022. Elpais.com.