34th season in the FIA World Rally Championship
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 .
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)
undertakes to take part in all the rallies of the Championship must enter only cars corresponding to the latest homologated version of a World Rally Car in conformity with the 2006 Appendix J must inform the FIA of the name of the first driver entered for the season at the time of registration for the Championship. No change of the first driver is authorised, except in a case of force majeure. The driver of the second car may be changed for each of the rallies in the Championship In order to score points in the Championship, a Manufacturer 1 must take part with two cars of the same make in the 16 rallies of the calendar Manufacturer 2 (M2)
undertakes to take part in 10 or more Championship rallies which it has nominated cannot enter World Rally Cars homologated during the year 2006 and cannot use parts homologated after 2 January 2006 cannot enter a driver who has been classified among the first six in the final classification of the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers in the last five years In order to score points in the Championship, a Manufacturer 2 must take part with two cars of the same make in 10 or more rallies it nominated on registering for the Championship. The Manufacturer can only score points in the events it nominated on registering The 2006 championship was contested over sixteen rounds in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.
Manufacturers 1 Team Manufacturer Car Tyre No Drivers Co-Driver Rounds Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team Citroën Xsara WRC BF 1 Sébastien Loeb Daniel Elena 1–12† Colin McRae 13 Xavier Pons 14–16 2 1–8 Daniel Sordo 9–16 BP Ford World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 06 BF 3 Marcus Grönholm All 4 Mikko Hirvonen All Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC 2006 P 5 Petter Solberg All 6 Stéphane Sarrazin 1, 4–5, 9 Chris Atkinson 2–3, 6–8, 10–16 Manufacturers 2 OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team Peugeot 307 WRC BF 7 Manfred Stohl All 8 Henning Solberg 1–3, 6–8, 10, 12–16 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04 Focus RS WRC 06 BF 9 Matthew Wilson All 10 Pieter Tsjoen 1 Kosti Katajamäki 2, 7–8, 10, 13 Luís Pérez Companc 3, 6, 11–12, 14–15 Jari-Matti Latvala 4–5, 9, 16 Red Bull Škoda Team Škoda Fabia WRC BF 11 Gilles Panizzi 1, 4 Andreas Aigner 2 Harri Rovanperä 5, 7–8, 12–13, 16 Mattias Ekström 9 12 Andreas Aigner 1, 4–5, 7–9, 12–13, 16 Mattias Ekström 2 Major entries not registered as manufacturers Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC 2006 P 14 Toshihiro Arai 11 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 04 BF 17 Juan Pablo Raies 12 19 Andreas Mikkelsen 16 23 Luís Pérez Companc 2, 7 Gianluigi Galli Peugeot 307 WRC P 25 Gianluigi Galli 5–7, 10 Astra Racing BF 14 Toni Gardemeister 1, 4–5 Citroën Xsara WRC 8–9, 12 PH Sport BF 15 Janne Tuohino 2, 10 Kronos Racing 26 Daniel Sordo 1–8 Xavier Pons 9–10, 12–13 MMSP LTD Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 'P 'BF 14 Gianluigi Galli 1–2 15 Daniel Carlsson 2, 10 18 Jussi Välimäki 7–8, 10 22 Juho Hänninen 10 First Motorsport Škoda Škoda Fabia WRC BF 15 François Duval 1, 4–5, 7–9, 13, 16 Czech RT Škoda Kopecký 18 Jan Kopecký 1–2, 4–5, 7–10, 13, 16 Rally Team Olsbergs Subaru Impreza WRC 2004 'P 'BF 16 Thomas Radstrom 2 Red Devil Atolye Kazaz Impreza WRC 2004/5 19 Kristian Sohlberg 2, 7, 10 Adapta AS Impreza WRC 2003/4 20 Mads Østberg 2, 10, 16 Subaru Rally Team Australia Impreza WRC 2005 16 Chris Atkinson 1, 4–5, 9 Valentino Rossi 46 Valentino Rossi 15 Tom Hogan Motors Ford Focus RS WRC BF 17 Gareth MacHale 1–4, 6–7, 9, 11, 16 BSA Peugeot 307 WRC BF 19 Alexandre Bengué 4–5 Equipe de France FFSA 20 Nicolas Vouilloz 5 Pieter Tsjoen Ford Focus RS WRC 22 Pieter Tsjoen 9 Olivier Burri Peugeot Peugeot 307 WRC M 63 Olivier Burri 1 Philippe Roux Peugeot Peugeot 206 WRC BF 65 Philippe Roux 1, 5 Riccardo Errani Škoda Škoda Octavia WRC P 66 Riccardo Errani 1 Austin MacHale Ford Ford Focus RS WRC BF 67 Austin MacHale 1 Eamonn Boland Ford Ford Focus RS WRC M 68 Eamonn Boland 1 Jimmy Joge Peugeot Peugeot 206 WRC 19 Jimmy Joge 2 Thomas Schie Ford Ford Focus RS WRC 20 Thomas Schie 2 24 10 Anders Grondal Subaru Subaru Impreza WRC 62 Anders Grondal 2 Cersanit Rally Team Subaru Subaru Impreza WRC 71 Michał Sołowow 2 Fabio Frisiero Toyota Toyota Corolla WRC 80 Fabio Frisiero 2 Ricardo Trivino Peugeot Peugeot 206 WRC 16 Ricardo Trivino 3
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]
No Entrant Drivers Co-driver Car Rounds 32 PH Sport Kris Meeke Glenn Patterson Citroën C2 S1600 4–5, 9–10, 13, 16 42 Julien Pressac Gilles De Turckheim 4–5, 7 Jacques Boyere 9–10, 13 55 Brice Tirabassi Jacques-Julien Renucci 4, 5, 7 Fabrice Gordon 9 Fabio Fiandino Sabrina de Castelli Citroën C2 R2 10, 13 33 Suzuki Sport Europe Urmo Aava Kuldar Sikk Suzuki Swift S1600 2, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16 35 Per-Gunnar Andersson Jonas Andersson 2, 6–7, 10, 13, 16 37 Pavel Valoušek Pierangelo Scalvini 2, 5, 7 Zdeněk Hrůza 9–10, 13 43 Jaan Mölder Katrin Becker 16 48 Guy Wilks Phil Pugh 2, 6–7, 10, 13, 16 36 Autorel Sport Luca Betti Piercarlo Capolongo Renault Clio S1600 4–5, 7, 9, 13, 16 39 Barroso Sport Conrad Rautenbach David Senior Renault Clio S1600 4–5, 7, 9–10, 13 41 Renault Sport Patrik Sandell Emil Axelsson Renault Clio S1600 2, 6–7, 10, 13, 16 51 Fatih Kara Cerm Bakancocuklari 4–5, 7, 9, 13, 16 52 Bernd Casier Frédéric Miclotte 4–5, 7, 9, 13, 16 43 M-Sport Jaan Mölder Katrin Becker Ford Fiesta S1600 2, 6 JM Engineering Suzuki Ignis S1600 7, 10, 13 44 Suzuki Shell Helix Michał Kościuszko Jaroslaw Baran Suzuki Ignis S1600 2, 4, 7, 9–10, 13 45 Styllex Tuning Motorsport Jozef Béreš Petr Starý Suzuki Ignis S1600 2, 4–5, 10, 13, 16 46 Power Car Team Andrea Cortinovis Massimiliano Bosi Renault Clio RS 2, 4, 7, 10, 16 Flavio Zanella 13 47 Hawk Racing Club Filippo Bordignon James Bardini Opel Astra OPC 2, 10, 13 Justin Bardini 4, 7, 16 49 Jipocar Czech National Team Martin Prokop Jan Tománek Citroën C2 S1600 2, 4, 7, 9–10, 13 50 Clio Junior Team Kalle Pinomäki Mikko Markkula Renault Clio S1600 10 Renault Clio RS 2, 4–5, 9 Egon Kaur Avo Kristov 16 53 Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team Barry Clark Scott Martin Ford Fiesta ST 4–5, 7, 9–10, 16 54 OMV Rally Team Aaron Burkart Jörg Bastuck Citroën C2 S1600 4 Tanja Geilhausen 5, 7, 9, 13, 16 Additional guest entries 59 Suzuki Sweden Peter Zachrisson Jan Svanström Suzuki Ignis S1600 2 60 Johan Karlsson Motorsport Johan Karlsson Mattias Gustavsson Peugeot 206 RC 2 59 Equipe de France FFSA Yoann Bonato Benjamin Boulloud Renault Clio S1600 5 59 Motor Stars Matti Rantanen Jan Lönegren Honda Civic Type-R 10 59 Dealer Team Suzuki James Wozencroft Robert Fagg Suzuki Ignis S1600 16 60 Tom Walster Rally Sport Tom Walster Paul Williams Ford Fiesta ST 16
No Entrant Drivers Co-driver Car Rounds 31 Subaru Team Arai Toshihiro Arai Tony Sircombe Subaru Impreza WRX STI 3, 6, 8, 12, 14–15 32 Tango Rally Team Marcos Ligato Rubén Garcia Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15 34 Sebastián Beltran Ricardo Rojas 3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15 35 Gabriel Pozzo Daniel Stillo 3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15 33 Advan-Piaa Rally Team Fumio Nutahara Daniel Barritt Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1, 3, 11–12, 14–15 37 Mitsubishi Paris West Team Mirco Baldacci Giovanni Agnese Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15 37 Motoring Club Jari-Matti Latvala Miikka Anttila Subaru Impreza WRX STI 1, 3, 8, 11, 14–15 38 Syms Rally Team Leszek Kuzaj Maciek Szczepaniak Subaru Impreza WRX STI 3, 6, 8, 11, 14–15 45 Aki Teiskonen Miika Teiskonen 6, 8, 11–12, 14–15 39 QMMF Nasser Al-Attiyah Chris Patterson Subaru Impreza WRX STI 1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 15 40 Errani Team Group Stefano Marrini Tiziana Sandroni Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII 1, 6, 11 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 8, 14 Simone Campedelli Danilo Fappani Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 12 41 Subaru Team Quasys Takuma Kamada Hakaru Ichino Subaru Impreza WRX STI 6, 8 Denis Giraudet 11, 15 Khalid Al Qassimi Nicky Beech 12 Dean Herridge Bill Hayes 14 42 Subaru Rally Team Russia Sergey Uspenskiy Dmitry Eremeev Subaru Impreza WRX STI 3, 6, 8, 14 Alexander Dorosinskiy 15 Loris Baldacci Dario D'Esposito 11 43 OMV CEE World Rally Team Andrej Jereb Miran Kacin Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 8 Jasen Popov Dilian Popov 14 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 1 Štěpán Vojtěch Michal Ernst 3 Aaron Burkart Tanja Geilhausen 12 Natalie Barratt Dale Moscatt 15 44 Mellors Eliot Motorsport David Higgins Ross Butler Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII 1 Ieuan Thomas 8 46 PSM Motorsport Nigel Heath Steve Lancaster Subaru Impreza WRX STI 6, 8, 11–12, 14 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 15 Additional guest entries 59 Subaru Rally Team USA Travis Pastrana Christian Edstrom Subaru Impreza WRX STI 3 60 Francisco Name Francisco Name Armando Zapata Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII 3 59 ALALamias Team Panayiotis Hatzitsopanis Nikolaos Petropoulos Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 8 60 Eko Racing Team Dimitris Nassoulas Mihalis Patrikoussis Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII 8 59 Andreas Tsouloftas Andreas Tsouloftas Savvas Laos Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 12 60 Spyros Pavlides Spyros Pavlides Theodoros Vassiliades Subaru Impreza WRX STI 12 59 Richard Mason Motorsport Richard Mason Sara Mason Subaru Impreza WRX STI 15 60 Winger Subaru/Subaru NZ Chris West Garry Cowan Subaru Impreza WRX STI 15
Results and standings [ edit ] Drivers' championship[ edit ] Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Cancelled (C) Blank Withdrew entry from the event (WD)
Manufacturers' championship[ edit ] Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Cancelled (C) Blank Withdrew entry from the event (WD)
Ford secured the manufacturers' championship in New Zealand.[3] JWRC Drivers' championship[ edit ] Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Cancelled (C) Blank Withdrew entry from the event (WD)
PWRC Drivers' championship[ edit ] Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Black Excluded (EX) Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Cancelled (C) Blank Withdrew entry from the event (WD)
Colour Rally Surface Gold Gravel Silver Tarmac Blue Snow/Ice Bronze Mixed Surface