2003 Wales Rally GB

2003 Wales Rally GB
59th Wales Rally GB
Round 14 of the 2003 World Rally Championship season
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Host country Great Britain
Rally baseCardiff
Dates runNovember 6, 2003 – November 9, 2003
Stages18 (376.81 km; 234.14 miles)
Stage surfaceGravel
Overall distance1,574.52 km (978.36 miles)
Statistics
Crews75 at start, 39 at finish
Overall results
Overall winnerNorway Petter Solberg
United Kingdom Phil Mills
Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team
Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03

The 2003 Wales Rally GB (formally the 59th Wales Rally GB) was the fourteenth round of the 2003 World Rally Championship. The race was held over four days between 6 November and 9 November 2003, and was based in Cardiff, Great Britain. Subaru's Petter Solberg won the race, his 5th win in the World Rally Championship.[1]

Background

Entry list

No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car Tyre
World Rally Championship manufacturer entries
1 Finland Marcus Grönholm Finland Timo Rautiainen France Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC M
2 Belgium Freddy Loix Belgium Sven Smeets France Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC M
3 Finland Harri Rovanperä Finland Risto Pietiläinen France Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC M
4 Estonia Markko Märtin United Kingdom Michael Park United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 M
5 Belgium François Duval Belgium Stéphane Prévot United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 M
6 Finland Mikko Hirvonen Finland Jarmo Lehtinen United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '02 M
7 Norway Petter Solberg United Kingdom Phil Mills Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 P
8 Finland Tommi Mäkinen Finland Kaj Lindström Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 P
14 France Didier Auriol France Denis Giraudet Czech Republic Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC M
15 Finland Toni Gardemeister Finland Paavo Lukander Czech Republic Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC M
17 United Kingdom Colin McRae United Kingdom Derek Ringer France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC M
18 France Sébastien Loeb Monaco Daniel Elena France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC M
19 Spain Carlos Sainz Spain Marc Martí France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC M
World Rally Championship entries
20 Finland Jari-Matti Latvala Finland Miikka Anttila United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '01 M
21 France Gilles Panizzi France Hervé Panizzi France Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC M
22 Czech Republic Roman Kresta Czech Republic Jan Tománek France Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC M
23 Germany Antony Warmbold United Kingdom Gemma Price Germany AW Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC '02 M
24 Finland Juuso Pykälistö Finland Risto Mannisenmäki France Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC M
25 Spain Daniel Solà Spain Álex Romaní France Citroën Sport Citroën Xsara WRC M
26 Czech Republic Jan Kopecký Czech Republic Filip Schovánek Czech Republic Škoda Matador Team Škoda Octavia WRC M
27 United Kingdom Steve Perez United Kingdom Jonty Bolsover United Kingdom Steve Perez Ford Focus RS WRC '02
33 United Kingdom Alistair Ginley Republic of Ireland Rory Kennedy United Kingdom Alistair Ginley Ford Focus RS WRC '01
34 Austria Manfred Stohl Austria Ilka Minor Austria Stohl Racing Peugeot 206 WRC P
35 Sweden Tobias Johansson Sweden Per Carlsson Sweden Tobias Johansson Toyota Corolla WRC
37 Sweden Andreas Eriksson Sweden Pecka Svensson Sweden Andreas Eriksson Ford Focus RS WRC '02
38 Finland Tapio Laukkanen Finland Harri Kaapro Finland Tapio Laukkanen Subaru Impreza S7 WRC '01
103 Republic of Ireland Eamonn Boland Republic of Ireland Francis Regan Republic of Ireland Eamonn Boland Subaru Impreza S7 WRC '01
104 United Kingdom Julian Reynolds United Kingdom Ieuan Thomas United Kingdom Julian Reynolds Subaru Impreza 555
105 Slovakia Jozef Béreš Jr. Czech Republic Petr Starý Slovakia Jozef Béreš Jr. Toyota Corolla WRC
106 United Kingdom Jimmy McRae United Kingdom Pauline Gullick United Kingdom Jimmy McRae Subaru Impreza 555
107 Finland Pentti Airikkala United Kingdom Nigel Gardner Finland Pentti Airikkala Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI
JWRC entries
51 San Marino Mirco Baldacci Italy Giovanni Bernacchini Italy Purity Auto Fiat Punto S1600 M
52 Sweden Daniel Carlsson Sweden Matthias Andersson Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 M
54 Finland Kosti Katajamäki Finland Jani Laaksonen Germany Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 M
61 France Brice Tirabassi France Jacques-Julien Renucci France Renault Sport Renault Clio S1600 M
62 Sweden Oscar Svedlund Sweden Björn Nilsson Germany Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 M
63 Italy Massimo Ceccato Italy Mitia Dotta Italy Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 M
64 Finland Ville-Pertti Teuronen Finland Mikko Markkula Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 M
65 Lebanon Abdo Feghali Lebanon Joseph Matar Italy Astra Racing Ford Puma S1600 M
67 San Marino Alessandro Broccoli Italy Giovanni Agnese San Marino Sab Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 M
69 Spain Salvador Cañellas Jr. Spain Xavier Amigó Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 M
70 United Kingdom Guy Wilks United Kingdom Phil Pugh United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Puma S1600 M
71 Estonia Urmo Aava Estonia Kuldar Sikk Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 M
74 United Kingdom Kris Meeke United Kingdom Chris Patterson Germany Opel Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 M
76 Italy Luca Cecchettini Italy Marco Muzzarelli Italy Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 M
Source:[2]

Itinerary

All dates and times are GMT (UTC±0).

Date Time No. Stage name Distance
Leg 1 — 164.24 km
6 November 19:30 SS1 Cardiff Super Special 1 2.45 km
7 November 07:51 SS2 Brechfa 23.12 km
08:30 SS3 Trawscoed 27.97 km
11:20 SS4 Rheola 1 32.58 km
12:38 SS5 Resolfen 1 43.09 km
15:48 SS6 Rheola 2 32.58 km
19:32 SS7 Cardiff Super Special 2 2.45 km
Leg 2 — 138.71 km
8 November 07:47 SS8 Crychan 1 13.05 km
08:14 SS9 Halfway 1 18.53 km
10:27 SS10 Crychan 2 13.05 km
10:54 SS11 Halfway 2 18.53 km
13:13 SS12 Margam Forest 17.37 km
13:46 SS13 Margam Park 1 12.64 km
15:32 SS14 Resolfen 2 43.09 km
19:38 SS15 Cardiff Super Special 3 2.45 km
Leg 3 — 73.86 km
9 November 07:48 SS16 Rhondda 1 30.61 km
11:02 SS17 Rhondda 2 30.61 km
13:04 SS18 Margam Park 2 12.64 km

Results

Overall

Pos. No. Driver Co-driver Team Car Time Difference Points
1 7 Norway Petter Solberg United Kingdom Phil Mills Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 3:28:58.1 10
2 18 France Sébastien Loeb Monaco Daniel Elena France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 3:29:41.7 +43.6 8
3 8 Finland Tommi Mäkinen Finland Kaj Lindström Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 3:31:56.9 +2:58.8 6
4 17 United Kingdom Colin McRae United Kingdom Derek Ringer France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 3:34:26.2 +5:28.1 5
5 5 Belgium François Duval Belgium Stéphane Prévot United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 3:36:14.2 +7:16.1 4
6 2 Belgium Freddy Loix Belgium Sven Smeets France Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 3:37:04.6 +8:06.5 3
7 34 Austria Manfred Stohl Austria Ilka Minor Austria Stohl Racing Peugeot 206 WRC 3:37:46.5 +8:48.4 2
8 22 Czech Republic Roman Kresta Czech Republic Jan Tománek France Bozian Racing Peugeot 206 WRC 3:38:00.7 +9:02.6 1

World Rally Cars

Classification

Position No. Driver Co-driver Entrant Car Time Difference Points
Event Class
1 1 7 Norway Petter Solberg United Kingdom Phil Mills Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 3:28:58.1 10
2 2 18 France Sébastien Loeb Monaco Daniel Elena France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 3:29:41.7 +43.6 8
3 3 8 Finland Tommi Mäkinen Finland Kaj Lindström Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 3:31:56.9 +2:58.8 6
4 4 17 United Kingdom Colin McRae United Kingdom Derek Ringer France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC 3:34:26.2 +5:28.1 5
5 5 5 Belgium François Duval Belgium Stéphane Prévot United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 3:36:14.2 +7:16.1 4
6 6 2 Belgium Freddy Loix Belgium Sven Smeets France Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC 3:37:04.6 +8:06.5 3
11 7 14 France Didier Auriol France Denis Giraudet Czech Republic Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC 3:44:44.0 +15:45.9 0
Retired SS16 3 Finland Harri Rovanperä Finland Risto Pietiläinen France Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC Transmission 0
Retired SS16 15 Finland Toni Gardemeister Finland Paavo Lukander Czech Republic Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC Accident 0
Retired SS4 1 Finland Marcus Grönholm Finland Timo Rautiainen France Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC Lost wheel 0
Retired SS4 4 Estonia Markko Märtin United Kingdom Michael Park United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '03 Engine 0
Retired SS3 6 Finland Mikko Hirvonen Finland Jarmo Lehtinen United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Focus RS WRC '02 Accident 0
Retired SS3 19 Spain Carlos Sainz Spain Marc Martí France Citroën Total WRT Citroën Xsara WRC Accident 0

Special stages

Day Stage Stage name Length Winner Car Time Class leaders
Leg 1 (6 Nov) SS1 Cardiff Super Special 1 2.45 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 2:08.7 Norway Petter Solberg
Leg 1 (7 Nov) SS2 Brechfa 23.12 km France Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 13:19.6 France Sébastien Loeb
SS3 Trawscoed 27.97 km France Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 16:23.4
SS4 Rheola 1 32.58 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 17:58.6 Norway Petter Solberg
SS5 Resolfen 1 43.09 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 22:40.9
SS6 Rheola 2 32.58 km France Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 17:50.9
SS7 Cardiff Super Special 2 2.45 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 2:06.4
Leg 2 (8 Nov) SS8 Crychan 1 13.05 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 7:10.6
SS9 Halfway 1 18.53 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 10:15.7
SS10 Crychan 2 13.05 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 7:08.0
SS11 Halfway 2 18.53 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 10:11.0
SS12 Margam Forest 17.37 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 9:57.7
SS13 Margam Park 1 12.64 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 7:08.8
SS14 Resolfen 2 43.09 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 22:21.3
SS15 Cardiff Super Special 3 2.45 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 2:05.1
Leg 3 (9 Nov) SS16 Rhondda 1 30.61 km France Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 16:25.5
SS17 Rhondda 2 30.61 km France Sébastien Loeb Citroën Xsara WRC 16:21.1
SS18 Margam Park 2 12.64 km Norway Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza S9 WRC '03 7:07.4

Championship standings

  • Bold text indicates 2003 World Champions.
Pos. Drivers' championships Co-drivers' championships Manufacturers' championships
Move Driver Points Move Co-driver Points Move Manufacturer Points
1 2 Norway Petter Solberg 72 2 United Kingdom Phil Mills 72 France Citroën Total WRT 160
2 1 France Sébastien Loeb 71 1 Monaco Daniel Elena 71 France Marlboro Peugeot Total 145
3 1 Spain Carlos Sainz 63 1 Spain Marc Martí 63 Japan 555 Subaru World Rally Team 109
4 United Kingdom Richard Burns 58 United Kingdom Robert Reid 58 United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. 93
5 Estonia Markko Märtin 49 United Kingdom Michael Park 49 Czech Republic Škoda Motorsport 23

Junior World Rally Championship

Classification

Position No. Driver Co-driver Entrant Car Time Difference Points
Event Class
14 1 52 Sweden Daniel Carlsson Sweden Matthias Andersson Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 3:57:29.8 10
15 2 51 San Marino Mirco Baldacci Italy Giovanni Bernacchini Italy Purity Auto Fiat Punto S1600 3:59:04.2 +1:34.4 8
23 3 64 Finland Ville-Pertti Teuronen Finland Mikko Markkula Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 4:04:51.6 +7:21.8 6
28 4 69 Spain Salvador Cañellas Jr. Spain Xavier Amigó Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 4:14:50.3 +17:20.5 5
29 5 67 San Marino Alessandro Broccoli Italy Giovanni Agnese San Marino Sab Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 4:20:58.2 +23:28.4 4
30 6 63 Italy Massimo Ceccato Italy Mitia Dotta Italy Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 4:24:25.8 +26:56.0 3
Retired SS17 71 Estonia Urmo Aava Estonia Kuldar Sikk Japan Suzuki Sport Suzuki Ignis S1600 Driveshaft 0
Retired SS17 74 United Kingdom Kris Meeke United Kingdom Chris Patterson Germany Opel Motorsport Opel Corsa S1600 Accident 0
Retired SS16 62 Sweden Oscar Svedlund Sweden Björn Nilsson Germany Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 Mechanical 0
Retired SS15 76 Italy Luca Cecchettini Italy Marco Muzzarelli Italy Top Run SRL Fiat Punto S1600 Engine 0
Retired SS13 54 Finland Kosti Katajamäki Finland Jani Laaksonen Germany Volkswagen Racing Volkswagen Polo S1600 Steering 0
Retired SS11 61 France Brice Tirabassi France Jacques-Julien Renucci France Renault Sport Renault Clio S1600 Engine 0
Retired SS5 65 Lebanon Abdo Feghali Lebanon Joseph Matar Italy Astra Racing Ford Puma S1600 Gearbox 0
Retired SS5 70 United Kingdom Guy Wilks United Kingdom Phil Pugh United Kingdom Ford Motor Co. Ltd. Ford Puma S1600 Water pump 0

Special stages

Day Stage Stage name Length Winner Car Time Class leaders
Leg 1 (6 Nov) SS1 Cardiff Super Special 1 2.45 km San Marino Mirco Baldacci
United Kingdom Kris Meeke
Fiat Punto S1600
Opel Corsa S1600
2:25.0 San Marino Mirco Baldacci
United Kingdom Kris Meeke
Leg 1 (7 Nov) SS2 Brechfa 23.12 km United Kingdom Kris Meeke Opel Corsa S1600 15:45.5 United Kingdom Kris Meeke
SS3 Trawscoed 27.97 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 19:11.2
SS4 Rheola 1 32.58 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 20:28.2
SS5 Resolfen 1 43.09 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 25:48.7 Sweden Daniel Carlsson
SS6 Rheola 2 32.58 km France Brice Tirabassi Renault Clio S1600 20:09.7
SS7 Cardiff Super Special 2 2.45 km San Marino Mirco Baldacci Fiat Punto S1600 2:21.4
Leg 2 (8 Nov) SS8 Crychan 1 13.05 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 8:06.1
SS9 Halfway 1 18.53 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 11:26.0
SS10 Crychan 2 13.05 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 8:02.6
SS11 Halfway 2 18.53 km United Kingdom Kris Meeke Opel Corsa S1600 11:18.6
SS12 Margam Forest 17.37 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 11:13.7
SS13 Margam Park 1 12.64 km United Kingdom Kris Meeke Opel Corsa S1600 8:05.0
SS14 Resolfen 2 43.09 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 25:18.6
SS15 Cardiff Super Special 3 2.45 km United Kingdom Kris Meeke Opel Corsa S1600 2:18.5
Leg 3 (9 Nov) SS16 Rhondda 1 30.61 km United Kingdom Kris Meeke Opel Corsa S1600 18:27.2
SS17 Rhondda 2 30.61 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 18:24.9
SS18 Margam Park 2 12.64 km Sweden Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 8:09.4

Championship standings

  • Bold text indicates 2003 World Champions.
Pos. Drivers' championships
Move Driver Points
1 France Brice Tirabassi 38
2 Spain Salvador Cañellas Jr. 36
3 Sweden Daniel Carlsson 33
4 3 San Marino Mirco Baldacci 20
5 1 Estonia Urmo Aava 20

References

  1. ^ "Wales Rally GB". juwra.com. Independent WRC archive. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  2. ^ "Wales Rally GB 2003 Entry List". Retrieved 21 November 2021.