2006 World Rally Championship Explained

The 2006 World Rally Championship was the 34th season in the FIA World Rally Championship. The season began on January 20 with the 74th Monte Carlo Rally where Finland's Marcus Grönholm, in a Ford Focus RS WRC, took the win ahead of France's Sébastien Loeb. After the Swedish Rally ended with the same top-two, Loeb and Kronos Citroën went on to win five rallies in a row. Despite an injury in a mountain-biking accident before the Rally of Turkey, forcing Loeb to miss last four rallies, he secured his third drivers' title, whereas Ford won their first manufacturers' title since 1979.

Rule changes

In an attempt to cut costs, new regulations required mechanical front and rear differentials, while the central differential remained active. Active suspension and water injections were also prohibited. Cars entered by a manufacturer had to be equipped with the same engine for two rallies; further limitations were imposed on the changing of some parts, including suspension, steering, turbochargers and gearboxes.

For 2006 manufacturer is understood to mean a manufacturer, a team designated by a manufacturer, or a privateer team taking part with a single make of car.

Two categories were created to compete for the Manufacturer's championship:

Manufacturer 1 (M1)

Manufacturer 2 (M2)

Calendar

The 2006 championship was contested over sixteen rounds in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.

RoundRallySurfaceDatesSupport classes
1 Monte Carlo RallynowrapTarmac / Snow20–22 JanuaryProduction WRC
2 Swedish RallySnow3–5 FebruaryJunior WRC
3 Rally MexicoGravel3–5 MarchProduction WRC
4 Rally CatalunyaTarmac24–26 MarchJunior WRC
5 Tour de CorseTarmac7–9 AprilJunior WRC
6 Rally ArgentinaGravel28–30 AprilnowrapJunior WRC & Production WRC
7nowrap Rally d'Italia SardegnaGravel19–21 MayJunior WRC
8 Acropolis RallyGravel2–4 JuneProduction WRC
9 Rallye DeutschlandTarmac11–13 AugustJunior WRC
10 Rally FinlandGravel17–20 AugustJunior WRC
11 Rally JapanGravel1–3 SeptemberProduction WRC
12 Cyprus RallyGravelnowrap22–24 SeptemberProduction WRC
13 Rally of TurkeyGravel13–15 OctoberJunior WRC
14 Rally AustraliaGravel26–29 OctoberProduction WRC
15 Rally New ZealandGravel17–19 NovemberProduction WRC
16 Wales Rally GBGravel1–3 DecemberJunior WRC

Teams and drivers

Manufacturers 1
TeamManufacturerCarTyreNoDriversCo-DriverRounds
Kronos Total Citroën World Rally TeamCitroënXsara WRC1 Sébastien Loeb Daniel Elena1–12
Colin McRae13
Xavier Pons14–16
21–8
Daniel Sordo9–16
BP Ford World Rally TeamFordFocus RS WRC 063 Marcus GrönholmAll
4 Mikko HirvonenAll
Subaru World Rally TeamSubaruImpreza WRC 20065 Petter SolbergAll
6 Stéphane Sarrazin1, 4–5, 9
Chris Atkinson2–3, 6–8, 10–16
Manufacturers 2
OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally TeamPeugeot307 WRC7 Manfred StohlAll
81–3, 6–8, 10, 12–16
FordFocus RS WRC 04
Focus RS WRC 06
9 Matthew WilsonAll
10 Pieter Tsjoen1
Kosti Katajamäki2, 7–8, 10, 13
nowrap Luís Pérez Companc3, 6, 11–12, 14–15
Jari-Matti Latvala4–5, 9, 16
Red Bull Škoda TeamŠkodaFabia WRC11 Gilles Panizzi1, 4
Andreas Aigner2
Harri Rovanperä5, 7–8, 12–13, 16
Mattias Ekström9
12 Andreas Aigner1, 4–5, 7–9, 12–13, 16
Mattias Ekström2
Major entries not registered as manufacturers
Subaru World Rally TeamSubaruImpreza WRC 200614 Toshihiro Arai11
FordFocus RS WRC 0417 Juan Pablo Raies12
19 Andreas Mikkelsen16
23 Luís Pérez Companc2, 7
Gianluigi GalliPeugeot307 WRC25 Gianluigi Galli5–7, 10
Astra Racing14 Toni Gardemeister1, 4–5
CitroënXsara WRC8–9, 12
PH Sport15 Janne Tuohino2, 10
Kronos Racing26 Daniel Sordo1–8
Xavier Pons9–10, 12–13
MMSP LTDMitsubishiLancer WRC 0514 Gianluigi Galli1–2
15 Daniel Carlsson2, 10
18 Jussi Välimäki7–8, 10
22 Juho Hänninen10
First Motorsport ŠkodaŠkodaFabia WRC15 François Duval1, 4–5, 7–9, 13, 16
18 Jan Kopecký1–2, 4–5, 7–10, 13, 16
Rally Team OlsbergsSubaruImpreza WRC 200416 Thomas Radstrom2
Red Devil Atolye KazazImpreza WRC 2004/519 Kristian Sohlberg2, 7, 10
Adapta ASImpreza WRC 2003/420 Mads Østberg2, 10, 16
Subaru Rally Team AustraliaImpreza WRC 200516 Chris Atkinson1, 4–5, 9
Valentino Rossi46 Valentino Rossi15
Tom Hogan MotorsFordFocus RS WRC17 Gareth MacHale1–4, 6–7, 9, 11, 16
BSAPeugeot307 WRC19 Alexandre Bengué4–5
Equipe de France FFSA20 Nicolas Vouilloz5
Pieter TsjoenFordFocus RS WRC22 Pieter Tsjoen9
Olivier BurriPeugeotPeugeot 307 WRC63 Olivier Burri1
Philippe RouxPeugeotPeugeot 206 WRC65 Philippe Roux1, 5
Riccardo ErraniŠkodaŠkoda Octavia WRC66 Riccardo Errani1
Austin MacHaleFordFord Focus RS WRC67 Austin MacHale1
Eamonn BolandFordFord Focus RS WRC68 Eamonn Boland1
Jimmy JogePeugeotPeugeot 206 WRC19 Jimmy Joge2
Thomas SchieFordFord Focus RS WRC20 Thomas Schie2
2410
Anders GrondalSubaruSubaru Impreza WRC62 Anders Grondal2
Cersanit Rally TeamSubaruSubaru Impreza WRC71 Michał Sołowow2
Fabio FrisieroToyotaToyota Corolla WRC80 Fabio Frisiero2
Ricardo TrivinoPeugeotPeugeot 206 WRC16 Ricardo Trivino3

Notes

This is the first season without Carlos Sainz since 1986.

Sebastien Loeb broke his arm before Rally Turkey and missed the remainder of the season.[1]

JWRC entries

NoEntrantDriversCo-driverCarRounds
32 PH Sport Kris Meeke Glenn PattersonCitroën C2 S16004–5, 9–10, 13, 16
42 Julien Pressac Gilles De Turckheim4–5, 7
Jacques Boyere9–10, 13
55 Brice Tirabassi Jacques-Julien Renucci4, 5, 7
Fabrice Gordon9
Fabio Fiandino Sabrina de CastelliCitroën C2 R210, 13
33 Suzuki Sport Europe Urmo Aava Kuldar SikkSuzuki Swift S16002, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16
35 Per-Gunnar Andersson Jonas Andersson2, 6–7, 10, 13, 16
37 Pavel Valoušek Pierangelo Scalvini2, 5, 7
Zdeněk Hrůza9–10, 13
43 Jaan Mölder Katrin Becker16
48 Guy Wilks Phil Pugh2, 6–7, 10, 13, 16
36 Autorel Sport Luca Betti Piercarlo CapolongoRenault Clio S16004–5, 7, 9, 13, 16
39 Barroso Sport Conrad Rautenbach David SeniorRenault Clio S16004–5, 7, 9–10, 13
41 Renault Sport Patrik Sandell Emil AxelssonRenault Clio S16002, 6–7, 10, 13, 16
51 Fatih Kara Cerm Bakancocuklari4–5, 7, 9, 13, 16
52 Bernd Casier Frédéric Miclotte4–5, 7, 9, 13, 16
43 M-Sport Jaan Mölder Katrin BeckerFord Fiesta S16002, 6
JM EngineeringSuzuki Ignis S16007, 10, 13
44 Suzuki Shell Helix Michał Kościuszko Jaroslaw BaranSuzuki Ignis S16002, 4, 7, 9–10, 13
45 Styllex Tuning Motorsport Jozef Béreš Petr StarýSuzuki Ignis S16002, 4–5, 10, 13, 16
46 Power Car Team Andrea Cortinovis Massimiliano BosiRenault Clio RS2, 4, 7, 10, 16
Flavio Zanella13
47 Hawk Racing Club Filippo Bordignon James BardiniOpel Astra OPC2, 10, 13
Justin Bardini4, 7, 16
49 Jipocar Czech National Team Martin Prokop Jan TománekCitroën C2 S16002, 4, 7, 9–10, 13
50 Clio Junior Team Kalle Pinomäki Mikko MarkkulaRenault Clio S160010
Renault Clio RS2, 4–5, 9
Egon Kaur Avo Kristov16
53 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Barry Clark Scott MartinFord Fiesta ST4–5, 7, 9–10, 16
54 OMV Rally Team Aaron Burkart Jörg BastuckCitroën C2 S16004
Tanja Geilhausen5, 7, 9, 13, 16
Additional guest entries
59 Suzuki Sweden Peter Zachrisson Jan SvanströmSuzuki Ignis S16002
60 Johan Karlsson Motorsport Johan Karlsson Mattias GustavssonPeugeot 206 RC2
59 Equipe de France FFSA Yoann Bonato Benjamin BoulloudRenault Clio S16005
59 Motor Stars Matti Rantanen Jan LönegrenHonda Civic Type-R10
59 Dealer Team Suzuki James Wozencroft Robert FaggSuzuki Ignis S160016
60 Tom Walster Rally Sport Tom Walster Paul WilliamsFord Fiesta ST16

PWRC entries

NoEntrantDriversCo-driverCarRounds
31 Subaru Team Arai Toshihiro Arai Tony SircombeSubaru Impreza WRX STI3, 6, 8, 12, 14–15
32 Tango Rally Team Marcos Ligato Rubén GarciaMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15
34 Sebastián Beltran Ricardo Rojas3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15
35 Gabriel Pozzo Daniel Stillo3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15
33 Advan-Piaa Rally Team Fumio Nutahara Daniel BarrittMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX1, 3, 11–12, 14–15
37 Mitsubishi Paris West Team Mirco Baldacci Giovanni AgneseMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15
37 Motoring Club Jari-Matti Latvala Miikka AnttilaSubaru Impreza WRX STI1, 3, 8, 11, 14–15
38 Syms Rally Team Leszek Kuzaj Maciek SzczepaniakSubaru Impreza WRX STI3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15
45 Aki Teiskonen Miika Teiskonen6, 8, 11–12, 14–15
39 QMMF Nasser Al-Attiyah Chris PattersonSubaru Impreza WRX STI1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 15
40 Errani Team Group Stefano Marrini Tiziana SandroniMitsubishi Lancer Evo VII1, 6, 11
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX8, 14
Simone Campedelli Danilo FappaniMitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII12
41 Subaru Team Quasys Takuma Kamada Hakaru IchinoSubaru Impreza WRX STI6, 8
Denis Giraudet11, 15
Khalid Al Qassimi Nicky Beech12
Dean Herridge Bill Hayes14
42 Subaru Rally Team Russia Sergey Uspenskiy Dmitry EremeevSubaru Impreza WRX STI3, 6, 8, 14
Alexander Dorosinskiy15
Loris Baldacci Dario D'Esposito11
43 OMV CEE World Rally Team Andrej Jereb Miran KacinMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX8
Jasen Popov Dilian Popov14
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII1
Štěpán Vojtěch Michal Ernst3
Aaron Burkart Tanja Geilhausen12
Natalie Barratt Dale Moscatt15
44 Mellors Eliot Motorsport David Higgins Ross ButlerMitsubishi Lancer Evo VII1
Ieuan Thomas8
46 PSM Motorsport Nigel Heath Steve LancasterSubaru Impreza WRX STI6, 8, 11–12, 14
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX15
Additional guest entries
59 Subaru Rally Team USA Travis Pastrana Christian EdstromSubaru Impreza WRX STI3
60 Francisco Name Francisco Name Armando ZapataMitsubishi Lancer Evo VII3
59 ALALamias Team Panayiotis Hatzitsopanis Nikolaos PetropoulosMitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII8
60 Eko Racing Team Dimitris Nassoulas Mihalis PatrikoussisMitsubishi Lancer Evo VII8
59 Andreas Tsouloftas Andreas Tsouloftas Savvas LaosMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX12
60 Spyros Pavlides Spyros Pavlides Theodoros VassiliadesSubaru Impreza WRX STI12
59 Richard Mason Motorsport Richard Mason Sara MasonSubaru Impreza WRX STI15
60 Winger Subaru/Subaru NZ Chris West Garry CowanSubaru Impreza WRX STI15

Results and standings

Drivers' championship

DriverMON
SWE
MEX
ESP
FRA
ARG
ITA
GRC
GER
FIN
JPN
CYP
TUR
AUS
NZL
GBR
 Pts 
1 Sébastien Loeb221111121211112
2 Marcus Grönholm1183210Ret131221511111
3 Mikko Hirvonen7121494Ret239333212Ret65
4 Manfred Stohl418312747Ret5954833254
5 Daniel Sordo8164235362RetDSQRet7235749
6 Petter SolbergRetDSQ2711297RetRet781326340
7 Xavier Pons97RetRet6174814RetDNS7444532
8 Henning SolbergRet857Ret5463Ret121125
9 Toni Gardemeister3DNSDNS44520
10 Chris Atkinson61171113610118134969Ret620
11 Gianluigi GalliRet493Ret515
12 Alexandre Bengué459
13 Jari-Matti Latvala412516Ret223417696849
14 Kosti Katajamäki6Ret261457
15 Jan Kopecký1113510171678Ret107
16 Daniel Carlsson3Ret6
17 Jussi Välimäki5976
18 Stéphane Sarrazin588Ret6
19 François DuvalRet6Ret813Ret985
20 Thomas Rådström54
21 Gareth MacHale166Ret111110RetRet3
22 Kristian SohlbergRet6Ret3
23 Andreas Aigner13Ret131513146Ret10Ret3
24 Janne Tuohino1063
25 Toshihiro Arai93021622Ret303
26 Mirco Baldacci11212046718Ret2
27align=left nowrap Luís Pérez Companc231291211142272
28 Matthew Wilson15141615168341012104010122713121
29 Fumio Nutahara17Ret81126211
30 Dean Herridge1481
DriverMON
SWE
MEX
ESP
FRA
ARG
ITA
GRC
GER
FIN
JPN
CYP
TUR
AUS
NZL
GBR
 Pts 

Manufacturers' championship

ManufacturerMON
SWE
MEX
ESP
FRA
ARG
ITA
GRE
GER
FIN
JPN
CYP
TUR
AUS
NZL
GBR
Points
1 BP Ford World Rally Team3118228Ret131221511195
45121493Ret235333212Ret
2 Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team1221111121211Ret445166
264RetRet49362RetRetRet6857
3 Subaru World Rally Team5RetRet236255RetRet5611263106
646545468Ret74756Ret6
4 OMV Peugeot Norway739334Ret54733288
8Ret545Ret4453Ret89
5 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team9108989697767810991044
109379Ret7Ret1188694774
6 Red Bull Škoda Team117Ret67896Ret9824
128Ret787104Ret8Ret
ManufacturerMON
SWE
MEX
ESP
FRA
ARG
ITA
GRE
GER
FIN
JPN
CYP
TUR
AUS
NZL
GBR
Points

JWRC Drivers' championship

DriverSWE
ESP
FRA
ARG
ITA
GER
FIN
TUR
GBR
 Pts 
1 Patrik Sandell221711532
2 Urmo Aava323Ret1831
3align=left nowrap Per-Gunnar Andersson1342RetRet29
4 Guy Wilks918141126
5 Conrad Rautenbach632911225
6 Jozef Béreš jun.645531022
7 Kris Meeke3Ret1Ret5Ret20
8 Julien PressacRet4755719
9 Jaan Mölder jr.104126Ret118
10 Martin Prokop1111158618
11 Bernd Casier210Ret28Ret17
12 Aaron BurkartRet75612315
13 Luca BettiRetRet68212
14 Brice Tirabassi819Ret11
15 Pavel Valoušek jun.4Ret143121311
16 Fatih Kara76Ret79Ret7
17 Matti Rantanen36
18 Barry ClarkRet91510945
19 Michał Kościuszko851011Ret105
20 Kalle Pinomäki51011Ret134
21 James Wozencroft63
22 Peter Zachrisson72
22 Andrea Cortinovis141213101572
22 Yoann Bonato81
DriverSWE
ESP
FRA
ARG
ITA
GER
FIN
TUR
GBR
Pts

PWRC Drivers' championship

DriverMON
MEX
ARG
GRC
JPN
CYP
AUS
NZL
 Pts 
1 Nasser Al-Attiyah32115740
2 Fumio Nutahara1Ret117635
3 Mirco Baldacci33472531
4 Jari-Matti Latvala59691127
5 Aki TeiskonenRet3424Ret24
6 Toshihiro Arai1856Ret918
7 Leszek Kuzaj42Ret5Ret17
8 Stefano Marrini4786614
9 Richard Mason28
10 Sergey Uspenskiy59958
11 Khalid Al-Qassimi36
12 Dean Herridge36
13align=left nowrap Alexander Dorosinskiy36
14 Nigel Heath411Ret86
15 Takuma KamadaRet12846
16 Simone Campedelli45
17 Štěpán Vojtěch72
18 Francisco Name jr.81
- Gabriel PozzoRetRet22DSQDSQ
- Marcos Ligato6673RetDSQ
- Sebastián BeltranRet51010DSQDSQ
DriverMON
MEX
ARG
GRC
JPN
CYP
AUS
NZL
Pts

Events

ColourRally Surface
GoldGravel
SilverTarmac
BlueSnow/Ice
BronzeMixed Surface
RoundRally namePodium finishersStatistics
RankDriverCarTimeStagesLength StartersFinishers
1/ Monte Carlo Rally
(20–22 January) — Results and report
1nowrap Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 064:11:43.918366.39 km5143
2 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC4:12:45.7
3 Toni GardemeisterPeugeot 307 WRC4:13:07.0
2 Swedish Rally
(3–5 February) — Results and report
1 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:09:01.919349.02 km6351
2 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:09:32.8
3 Daniel CarlssonnowrapMitsubishi Lancer WRC 053:11:58.7
3 Rally Mexico
(3–5 March) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:47:08.817359.54 km3933
2 Petter SolbergSubaru Impreza WRC 063:47:57.7
3 Manfred StohlPeugeot 307 WRC3:51:47.9
4 Rally Catalunya
(24–26 March) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:22:01.716346.43 km6656
2 Dani SordoCitroën Xsara WRC3:22:49.9
3 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:23:47.5
5 Tour de Corse
(7–9 April) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:43:05.412354.18 km7560
2 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:43:34.4
3 Daniel SordoCitroën Xsara WRC3:44:54.1
6 Rally Argentina
(28–30 April) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC4:06:51.322351.44 km6857
2 Petter SolbergSubaru Impreza WRC 064:07:35.9
3 Gianluigi GalliPeugeot 307 WRC4:10:15.6
7 Rally d'Italia Sardegna
(19–21 May) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:54:18.918344.94 km7960
2 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 063:57:00.3
3 Daniel SordoCitroën Xsara WRC3:57:46.6
8 Acropolis Rally
(2–4 June) — Results and report
1 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:56:26.818 355.62 km8469
2 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:58:53.2
3 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 064:00:10.2
9 Rallye Deutschland
(11–13 August) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:28:34.119351.55 km7356
2 Dani SordoCitroën Xsara WRC3:29:07.9
3 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:30:53.3
10 Rally Finland
(18–20 August) — Results and report
1 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 062:52:50.321351.61 km10168
2 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC2:53:57.0
3 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 062:54:24.8
11 Rally Japan
(1–3 September) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC3:22:20.427345.72 km8778
2 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:22:26.0
3 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 063:25:06.9
12 Cyprus Rally
(22–24 September) — Results and report
1 Sébastien LoebCitroën Xsara WRC4:40:50.422 322.51 km3927
2 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 064:41:01.6
3 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 064:46:06.19
13 Rally of Turkey
(13–15 October) — Results and report
1 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:28:16.319337.79 km6751
2 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 063:30:39.7
3 Henning SolbergPeugeot 307 WRC3:31:22.3
14 Rally Australia
(27–29 October) — Results and report
1 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 063:15:11.826348.51 km5645
2 Petter SolbergSubaru Impreza WRC 063:15:48.9
3 Manfred StohlPeugeot 307 WRC3:19:10.4
15 Rally New Zealand
(17–19 November) — Results and report
1 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 064:02:30.717354.21 km4437
2 Mikko HirvonenFord Focus RS WRC 064:03:26.7
3 Manfred StohlPeugeot 307 WRC4:05:10.0
16 Wales Rally GB
(1–3 December) — Results and report
1 Marcus GrönholmFord Focus RS WRC 063:20:24.817355.92 km11182
2 Manfred StohlPeugeot 307 WRC3:22:0.3
3 Petter SolbergSubaru Impreza WRC 063:22:20.0

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/loeb_reveals_slow_recovery_from_2006_arm_break/
  2. News: Hirvonen wins Rally but Loeb takes title. ABC News. Reuters. 29 October 2006. 9 April 2024.
  3. News: Gronholm leads Ford to victory. RTÉ Sport. 19 November 2006. 9 April 2024.