2008 World Rally Championship season

2008 World Rally Championship season
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The 2008 World Rally Championship season was the 36th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 15 rallies and began on January 24, with the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally. Frenchman Sébastien Loeb successfully retained the Drivers' World Championship, his and co-driver Daniel Elena's record-breaking fifth consecutive title, all of them attained driving Citroëns. In addition, Citroën secured their fourth Manufacturers' title, and their first since 2005, from 2006 and 2007 victors, Ford.

Contents

Rule changes

The running order for the first day is governed by championship position, with the championship leader running first on the road. For every other day of a rally, the order is decided by the previous end of day classification (with the leader on classification running first). The term 'leg' has been replaced by 'day' in order to sound more understandable. Extra 10 minute service prior to the finish podium has been added, intended to allow the service park to remain an attraction until the end of the event.[1]

With the switch to Pirelli tyres, tyre mousse (along with all anti-deflation devices) has been banned, and fewer compounds are available. Also the teams aren't allowed to modify tyres by themselves (eg. by making additional cuts) anymore.[2][3] At the first event of the season, the available tires were the soft slick DS tire (Pirelli PZero[4]), the WX snow tire without studs, and the WX snow tire with studs (both variants of Pirelli Sottozero[4]).[5] The same snow tyres were used in Sweden as well. Later on loose surface tyres were introduced: Pirelli Scorpion, available in two variants – hard compound for abrasive surfaces, such as roads in Mexico or Greece, and soft one, for more muddy stages as seen on Welsh event.[4] Tire walls have been strengthened in order to endure long, rough gravel stages often full of sharp rocks. The tread on Scorpions is asymmetric and directional, as it has proven more efficient during the tests.[4]

Calendar

The 2008 season includes 15 rallies, which is one less than the 2007 season. Rally Norway, Rally Portugal and Rally Ireland were dropped from the calendar for 2008. Rally of Turkey returned to the schedule, and Jordan Rally is part of the calendar for the first time. Rally Australia was planned to make a return after being absent in 2007, but the organizers submitted a request to the FIA to delay the event's return to the schedule until 2009.[6]

The events also part of the Production World Rally Championship are Sweden, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, Finland, New Zealand, Japan and Britain.[7] The seven rallies also on the Junior World Rally Championship schedule are Mexico, Jordan, Italy, Finland, Germany, Spain and France.[8]

Round Dates Race
1 24–27 January / Monte Carlo Rally
2 8–10 February Swedish Rally
3 28 February-2 March Rally Mexico
4 27–30 March Rally Argentina
5 24–27 April Jordan Rally
6 16–18 May Rally d'Italia Sardegna
7 29 May-1 June Acropolis Rally
8 13–15 June Rally of Turkey
9 31 July-3 August Rally Finland
10 15–17 August Rallye Deutschland
11 28–31 August Rally New Zealand
12 2–5 October Rally Catalunya
13 10–12 October Tour de Corse
14 31 October-2 November Rally Japan
15 5–7 December Wales Rally GB

Teams and drivers

The teams and drivers for the 2008 season are as follows:

Team Constructor Car Tyre No Drivers Rounds
Citroën Total World Rally Team Citroën C4 WRC P 1 Sébastien Loeb All
2 Daniel Sordo All
BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 07/08 P 3 Mikko Hirvonen All
4 Jari-Matti Latvala 1–11, 14–15
François Duval 12–13
19 Khalid Al Qassimi 1–2, 5–7, 9–10, 12–13, 15
Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC2007/8 P 5 Petter Solberg All
6 Chris Atkinson All
14 Brice Tirabassi 12–13
Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 07 P 7 Gigi Galli 1–10
François Duval 11, 14–15
Matthew Wilson 12–13
8 François Duval 1, 7
Henning Solberg 2, 4–5, 7–9
Matthew Wilson 3, 6, 11, 14–15
Jari-Matti Latvala 12–13
14 Henning Solberg 1, 10, 13, 15
16 Matthew Wilson 1, 4–5, 7–10
20 Barry Clark 13, 15
46 Valentino Rossi 15
Focus RS WRC 04/05 23 Steve Perez 15
24 Dave Weston, Jr 15
Munchi's Ford World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 07 P 9 Federico Villagra 3–9, 11–12, 14
10 Henning Solberg 3, 6, 11–12, 14
Luís Pérez Companc 4, 9
Barry Clark 5, 8
Armodios Vovos 7
Suzuki World Rally Team Suzuki SX4 WRC P 11 Toni Gardemeister All
12 Per-Gunnar Andersson All
Major entries by teams not registered as manufacturers
PH-Sport Citroën C4 WRC P 15 Urmo Aava 2, 5–13, 15
16 Conrad Rautenbach 3–15
17 Sébastien Ogier 15
Xsara WRC 21 Conrad Rautenbach 1–2
Team Rallye Cuoq Peugeot 307 WRC P 18 Jean-Marie Cuoq 1
Adapta Subaru Impreza WRC 2007 P 18 Mads Ostberg 2, 6–7, 9, 12–13, 15
Matti Rantanen Ford Focus RS WRC 06 P 20 Matti Rantanen 9
Ramsport 23 Andreas Mikkelsen 2, 6, 8–10, 12–13
Ipatec Racing 61 René Kuipers 10
64 Dennis Kuipers 10
Van Merksteijn Motorsport Focus RS WRC 06/07 22 Peter Van Merksteijn, Jr. 10, 12
24 Peter Van Merksteijn, Sr. 2, 6, 10, 12

Events

The Rally Finland is notable this year for having dropped its famous Ouninpohja stage. This has been done for safety reasons, however this is likely to be a huge disappointment for race fans.[9]

Colour Rally Surface
Gold Gravel
Silver Tarmac
Blue Snow/Ice
Bronze Mixed Surface
Round Rally name Podium finishers Statistics
Rank Driver Car Time Stages Length Starters Finishers
1 / 76ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo
(January 24–27) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:39:17.0 19 365.09 km 47 34
2 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 3:41:51.4
3 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRC2007 3:42:15.6
2 57th Uddeholm Swedish Rally
(February 8–10) — Results and report		 1 Jari-Matti Latvala Ford Focus RS WRC 07 2:46:41.2 20 340.24 km 61 49
2 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 2:47:39.5
3 Gigi Galli Ford Focus RS WRC 07 2:49:04.4
3 22º Corona Rally México
(February 28– March 02) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:33:29.9 20 353.75 km 40 28
2 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRC2007 3:34:36.0
3 Jari-Matti Latvala Ford Focus RS WRC 07 3:35:09.6
4 28º Rally Argentina
(March 27–30) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 4:05:48.6 21 347.91 km 56 31
2 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRC2007 4:08:21.8
3 Daniel Sordo Citroën C4 WRC 4:09:53.3
5 Jordan Rally
(April 24–27) — Results and report		 1 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 4:02:47.9 22 359.26 km 54 33
2 Daniel Sordo Citroën C4 WRC 4:04:03.6
3 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRC2007 4:07:47.4
6 5º Rally d'Italia Sardegna
(May 16–18) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:57:17.2 17 344.73 km 57 38
2 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 3:57:27.8
3 Jari-Matti Latvala Ford Focus RS WRC 07 3:57:32.5
7 55th BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally of Greece
(May 28– June 01) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:54:54.7 20 331.52 km 60 42
2 Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC2008 3:56:04.2
3 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 3:56:50.8
8 9th Rally of Turkey
(June 13–15) — Results and report		 1 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 4:42:07.1 19 360.12 km 60 37
2 Jari-Matti Latvala Ford Focus RS WRC 07 4:42:15.0
3 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 4:42:32.8
9 58th Neste Oil Rally Finland
(July 31– August 03) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 2:54:05.5 24 340.42 km 99 68
2 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 07 2:54:14.5
3 Chris Atkinson Subaru Impreza WRC2008 2:57:22.5
10 27. ADAC Rallye Deutschland
(August 15–17) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:26:19.7 19 352.89 km 81 57
2 Daniel Sordo Citroën C4 WRC 3:27:07.4
3 François Duval Ford Focus RS WRC 07 3:27:39.7
11 38th Repco Rally New Zealand
(August 28–31) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:59:18.9 18 353.04 km 57 35
2 Dani Sordo Citroën C4 WRC 3:59:36.4
3 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 08 4:00:00.4
12 44º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada
(October 02–05) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:21:17.4 18 353.62 km 69 48
2 Daniel Sordo Citroën C4 WRC 3:21:42.3
3 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 08 3:22:19.9
13 52ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France
(October 10–12) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:42:58.0 16 359.02 km 71 54
2 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 08 3:46:22.7
3 François Duval Ford Focus RS WRC 08 3:46:29.6
14 5th Rally Japan
(October 31– November 02) — Results and report		 1 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Focus RS WRC 08 3:25:03.0 29 343.69 km 86 57
2 Jari-Matti Latvala Ford Focus RS WRC 08 3:25:34.1
3 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 3:27:33.6
15 64th Wales Rally of Great Britain
(December 05-07) — Results and report		 1 Sébastien Loeb Citroën C4 WRC 2:43:09.6 19 282.35 km 78 47
2 Jari-Matti Latvala Ford Focus RS WRC 08 3:25:34.1
3 Daniel Sordo Citroën C4 WRC 2:44:30.2

Standings

Drivers' championship

Pos Driver MON
 SWE
 MEX
 ARG
 JOR
 ITA
 GRC
 TUR
 FIN
 GER
 NZL
 ESP
 FRA
 JPN
 GBR
  Pts 
1 Sébastien Loeb 1 Ret 1 1 10 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 122
2 Mikko Hirvonen 2 2 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 4 3 3 2 1 8 103
3 Daniel Sordo 11 6 17 3 2 5 5 4 4 2 2 2 Ret DSQ 3 65
4 Jari-Matti Latvala 12 1 3 15 7 3 7 2 39 9 Ret 6 4 2 2 58
5 Chris Atkinson 3 21 2 2 3 6 Ret 13 3 6 Ret 7 6 4 Ret 50
6 Petter Solberg 5 4 12 Ret Ret 10 2 6 6 5 4 5 5 8 4 46
7 François Duval 4 3 Ret 4 3 Ret 6 25
8 Henning Solberg 9 13 5 Ret 4 7 8 5 5 7 9 11 15 Ret Ret 22
9 Gigi Galli 6 3 Ret 7 8 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret Inj Inj Inj Inj Inj 17
10 Matthew Wilson 10 Ret 6 Ret 5 12 6 7 9 12 17 9 8 7 9 15
11 Urmo Aava 18 Ret 8 4 Ret 16 8 5 35 7 DNS 13
12 Per-Gunnar Andersson 8 Ret Ret 24 Ret 9 11 Ret Ret 15 6 32 17 5 5 12
13 Toni Gardemeister Ret 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 8 10 7 13 13 6 7 10
14 Federico Villagra 7 6 6 14 13 9 Ret 8 12 9 9
15 Conrad Rautenbach Ret 16 16 4 26 13 10 8 10 10 Ret Ret 14 Ret 15 6
16 Andreas Mikkelsen 5 Ret 19 12 11 8 11 5
17 Matti Rantanen 7 2
18 Jean-Marie Cuoq 7 2
19 Juho Hänninen 8 21 13 14 29 24 10 Ret 1
20 Andreas Aigner 31 8 14 11 Ret Ret 13 1
21 Sébastien Ogier 8 11 22 36 19 Ret 20 26 1
Pos Driver MON
 SWE
 MEX
 ARG
 JOR
 ITA
 GRC
 TUR
 FIN
 GER
 NZL
 ESP
 FRA
 JPN
 GBR
 Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Purple Did not finish (Ret)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Injured or ill (Inj)
Excluded (EX)
Suspended (SUS)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrew entry before the event (WD)

Manufacturers' championship

Rank Team Event Total
points
MON
 SWE
 MEX
 ARG
 JOR
 ITA
 GRC
 TUR
 FIN
 GER
 NZL
 ESP
 FRA
 JPN
 GBR
1 Citroën Total World Rally Team 11 4 10 16 9 14 15 11 15 18 18 18 10 6 16 191
2 BP Ford World Rally Team 8 18 11 7 13 14 10 18 9 7 6 11 14 18 9 173
3 Subaru World Rally Team 10 6 9 8 6 3 8 3 9 7 5 6 7 6 5 98
4 Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team 8 8 3 3 7 5 3 4 4 6 0 4 7 2 3 67
5 Suzuki World Rally Team 2 3 0 1 0 1 3 0 2 1 7 0 1 7 6 34
6 Munchi's Ford World Rally Team 0 0 6 4 4 2 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 22

Junior championship

Pos Driver MEX
 JOR
 ITA
 FIN
 GER
 ESP
 FRA
  Pts 
1 Sébastien Ogier 1 1 5 1 Ret 2 42
2 Aaron Burkart 4 3 4 2 3 5 34
3 Martin Prokop 7 10 1 Ret 1 1 32
4 Shaun Gallagher 6 2 4 5 4 4 30
5 Michał Kościuszko 3 Ret 1 3 9 Ret 22
6 Alessandro Bettega Ret 2 Ret 3 2 Ret
7 Patrik Sandell 5 Ret 7 2 5 6
8 Jaan Mölder 2 Ret 9 Ret 6 11 11
9 Stefano Albertini 5 6 13 10 7 9 9
10 Gilles Schammel 3 12 7 Ret Ret 10 8
11 Florian Niegel 4 Ret 9 8 10 7
12 Simone Bertolotti 6 Ret 10 5 8 Ret
13 Kevin Abbring Ret Ret 6 6 11 8 7
14 Pierre Campana 3 6
15 Pierre Marché 4 5
16 Andrea Cortinovis 7 11 DNS 7 DNS DNS 4
17 Hans Weijs, Jr. Ret 8 8 Ret Ret 12 2
18 Francesco Fanari 8 9 13 12 9 Ret 1
19 Miloš Komljenović Ret 8 Ret 11
Pos Driver MEX
 JOR
 ITA
 FIN
 GER
 ESP
 FRA
 Pts

Production championship

Points table:[10]

Pos Driver SWE
 ARG
 GRC
 TUR
 FIN
 NZL
 JPN
 GBR
  Pts 
1 Andreas Aigner 11 1 1 1 Ret 2 38
2 Juho Hänninen 1 7 1 5 1 Ret 36
3 Jari Ketomaa 2 3 Ret 3 6 4 28
4 Patrik Sandell 3 Ret Ret 2 2 22
5 Martin Prokop 4 7 14 DSQ 1 Ret 17
6 Martin Rauam 5 DSQ 4 3 Ret 15
7 Fumio Nutahara 4 4 5 Ret 8 Ret
8 Armindo Araújo 7 3 5 12 9 7 14
9 Bernardo Sousa 8 8 2 11 7 9 12
10 Patrik Flodin 16 DSQ 1 10
11 Mirco Baldacci Ret Ret 3 Ret 6 Ret 9
12 Toshihiro Arai 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret 3
13 Evgeny Novikov Ret 15 Ret Ret 2 Ret 8
14 Sebastián Beltrán 2
15 Jussi Välimäki 2
16 Guy Wilks 3 6
17 Evgeny Aksakov 13 12 5 Ret 7 Ret
18 Evgeny Vertunov Ret 6 6 Ret Ret Ret
19 Eyvind Brynildsen 15 Ret Ret 10 4 5
20 Oscar Svedlund Ret 4
21 Hayden Paddon 4
22 Uwe Nittel 5 Ret Ret Ret 4
23 Takuma Kamada 5
24 Jaromír Tarabus 5
25 Amjad Farrah 6 9 Ret 3
26 Spyros Pavlides 11 Ret 10 6
27 Jussi Tiippana 11 6
28 Simone Campedelli 9 9 Ret 7 8 10
29 Katsuhiko Taguchi 7 2
30 Giorgio Bacco 13 8 Ret 1
31 David Higgins 8
32 Loris Baldacci 8 Ret
33 Stewart Taylor 8
Pos Driver SWE
 ARG
 GRC
 TUR
 FIN
 NZL
 JPN
 GBR
 Pts

References

  1. ^ "FIA reveals regulation changes.". Crash.net. 2007-10-24. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/156400-0/fia_reveals_regulation_changes.html. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  2. ^ "New tyre rules good for WRC, says Mikko.". Crash.net. 2008-01-15. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158685-0/new_tyre_rules_good_for_wrc,_says_mikko.html. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  3. ^ "Loeb: Tyre changes create a lot of unknowns.". Crash.net. 2008-01-04. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158421-0/loeb_tyre_changes_create_a_lot_of_unknowns.html. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  4. ^ a b c d "Third new Pirelli WRC tyre makes debut on Rally Mexico". WRC.com. 2008-02-15. http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=360&desc=Third%20new%20Pirelli%20WRC%20tyre%20makes%20debut%20on%20Rally%20Mexico. Retrieved 2008-02-16. 
  5. ^ "Preview: Rallye Monte Carlo – Pt. 1.". Crash.net. 2008-01-23. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158896-1/preview_rallye_monte_carlo_-_pt_1.html. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  6. ^ "Australia return delayed, Mexico gets call.". Crash.net. 2007-10-24. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/156398-1/australia_return_delayed_mexico_gets_call.html. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  7. ^ "PWRC: 28 to battle it out in '08". Crash.net. 2008-02-13. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158744-0/pwrc_28_to_battle_it_out_in_08.html. Retrieved 2008-02-13. 
  8. ^ "JWRC: 16 competitors to contest Junior series". Crash.net. 2008-02-13. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wrc/news/158739-0/jwrc_16_competitors_to_contest_junior_series.html. Retrieved 2008-02-13. 
  9. ^ "What's on Dave – 2008 WRC Calendar". What's on Dave. http://uktv.co.uk/dave/stepbystep/aid/598029. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  10. ^ "2008 Production WRC Classification". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/championships/wrc/2008/Pages/pwrc_classification.aspx. Retrieved 2009-02-01. 

External links

2008 World Rally Championship season
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