World Rally News

The bitter-sweet year for Timaru rally driver Chris West looks like ending with sugar-coating.

The Frankfurt Motor Show was the slightly unlikely setting for what was being billed as the third important event in the recent sporting history of Automobiles Peugeot - the launch of its new 307 WRC rally 'weapon'.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced that Frenchman Gilles Panizzi has signed a contract with its motor sports subsidiary MMSP GmbH to spearhead its assault in the 2004 FIA World Rally Championship.

Citroen Sport has signed Renault's Simon Jean-Joseph for 2004, seemingly making him their 'third driver', following changes to the FIA World Rally Championship rules back in June.

2001 FIA World Rally Champion Richard Burns, who gained his title driving an Impreza WRC, has today signed a two-year contract that will see him return to Subaru from the start of next season.

Tommi Makinen today announced his decision to make 2003 the closing season of his extraordinary career in rallying. The 39-year-old Finn will continue to compete with Subaru on the final five events of the 2003 Championship, which culminates with Rally GB on 7-9 November.

The Official Entry List for this year's Telstra Rally Australia has been published today with entries coming from over 17 nations.

Englishman Guy Wilks and his Welsh co-driver Phil Pugh could not hide their delight when they finished third overall in the fourth round of the FIA Junior World Championship, the Rally Finland.

The first leg of the Rally Finland took place today in the region of Jyv?skyl?. After last night's super special stage, the competitors started early this morning for a programme which included nine timed tests.

Suzuki Ignis driver Daniel Carlsson was cruelly robbed of the Rally Finland JWRC lead by a rogue puncture in stage 8 today. Before then, the Swede had been on brilliant form to lead since last night's spectator superspecial, a prelude to the main action that got underway today.

SS10 - Killeri Super Special 2 (2.06km): Gronholm fastest through SS10; Martin second; Solberg third; Burns and Rovanpera joint fourth; McRae sixth; Tirabassi leads the JWRC category; Martin leads the overall rally at the end of leg one by 2.6 secs.

The high pressure settled over central Europe appears to be edging its way towards Scandinavia, just in time to provide largely dry and fine weather for the already tricky Rally Finland. Jyvaskyla, Finland

The 53rd Neste Rally Finland takes place this weekend, the ninth round in the 2003 FIA World Rally Championship. Finland will also play host to the fourth round in the 2003 FIA Junior WRC.

In more than half a century, just four non-Finnish drivers have ever won the 1000 Lakes Rally, now known of course as Neste Rally Finland.

Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm will be one of the favourties this weekend in Finland, as he spearheads the 206 WRC challenge. Gronholm has won the event for the past three years and only a brave man would bet against him making that four this coming weekend.

Thomas Ingenlath has been the chief designer for Skoda Auto since March 2000. Here he explains the design process behind the transformation of the Fabia RS road car into the Fabia WRC World Rally car... Q: How long did it take you to design the ?koda Fabia WRC?

Ford BP Rallye Sport's sensational new Focus RS World Rally Car dominated the Rallye Deutschland on its asphalt debut as it claimed a double points finish on this eighth round of the FIA World Rally Championship today.

Daniel Sola took outright honours in Germany in the Production Car World Rally Championship today. The Spaniard led the category from start to finish, winning 10 of the 22 special stages to claim maximum points. Mitsubishi drivers also claimed six of the leading nine positions.

The fight for the lead of this eighth round of the FIA World Rally Championship went right down to this evening's superspecial stage in St Wendel, after a scintillating day's action on ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

Martin Rowe holds an encouraging second place in the Production Car World Rally Championship at the end of the first day of the Rally of Germany.

Mitsubishi Motors has entered Jani Paasonen/Arto Kapanen and Kristian Sohlberg/Jakke Honkanen in Rallye Deutschland as part of its preparations for a return to the World Rally Championship in 2004.

Three teams supported by M-Sport's customer programme will contest the Rallye Deutschland, round eight of the FIA 2003 World Rally Championship this weekend - German Antony Warmbold, Briton Alistair Ginley and making his first WRC outing for 2003, Czech Tibor Cserhalmi.

Against increasingly stiff opposition, Peugeot tops both the Manufacturers' and Drivers World Championships halfway into the 2003 season. Peugeot Sport boss Corrado Provera analyses the present situation before the second half of the competition kicks off in Germany...

Ford BP Rallye Sport's Focus RS WRC03 tarmac rally debut at the Rallye Deutschland this weekend marks an historic milestone for M-Sport Ltd as Markko Martin will be behind the wheel of the 50th Ford Focus World Rally Car built by the UK based company.