Rally Australia moved back to its September date, running from September 4-9, based in Perth.

World Rally Championship Round 10

This year’s WRC was closely fought with six drivers in the running for the title when they arrived in Australia: Burns 49, Sainz 44, Solberg and Grönholm 38, Loeb and Märtin 37. Despite only having 49 entries, it was an impressive field of internationals from six works teams that tackled this sixteenth edition of Rally Australia. Peugeot brought former winners and champions, Marcus Grönholm and Richard Burns, supported by Harri Rovanperä. Ford had Focuses for Märtin, Duval and Hirvonen. Subaru had Solberg and Mäkinen. Citroën brought McRae, Sainz and Loeb in Xsars. Hyundai had Loix and Schwarz while Škoda had Auriol and Gardemeister.

It was Grönholm who lead for much of the first full day but he became stuck on a hairpin which he cut to close to the apex. Loeb took over the lead and was just 4 seconds ahead of Solberg back in Perth, with Burns third 40 seconds back and the rest more than a minute adrift.

Loeb and Solberg shared stage wins on Day Two with Loeb extending his lead to just 5 seconds. Burns drifted back but some stage wins by Märtin lifted him to fourth. Solberg and Loeb again shared stage wins in Bunnings but in the penultimate stage Solberg pulled 9 seconds on Loeb to take an 8 second lead. Märtin retired and McRae took the final stage win to climb into fourth. Burns’ third place would be his final podium.

Solberg won by 26 seconds from Loeb. Loeb went on to win in San Remo where Solberg retired but Solberg bounced back to win in Corscia and GB to take the championship from Loeb by a single point.

The best placed Australian was local Dean Herridge in a Group N Subaru, sixteenth outright.