Manfred Stohl
Encyclopedia
Manfred Stohl is an Austria
n rally
driver who debuted in the World Rally Championship
in 1991. Stohl's co-driver
is fellow Austrian Ilka Minor.
points by finishing seventh in the same event the following year.
After several more privateer entries in the WRC, Stohl got a contract with Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Germany
to compete in the FIA Cup for Drivers of Production Cars (now the Production World Rally Championship
) driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
. He finished third in the championship in 1997, second in 1998 and fourth in 1999, before winning the title in 2000 ahead of defending champion Gustavo Trelles
.
Progressing from Group N
production cars to World Rally Cars, Stohl took his first WRC points in ten years by driving his Peugeot 206 WRC
to seventh place at the 2003 Wales Rally GB. In the 2004 season, driving mainly for the OMV World Rally Team, backed by Austrian oil company OMV
, his best event result was sixth at the Acropolis Rally.
In 2005, Stohl continued with the OMV team now driving the Citroën Xsara WRC. He took his first podium finish with a surprise second place at the Cyprus Rally
, behind Citroën Total factory driver Sébastien Loeb
. In the season-ending Rally Australia
, he took his second podium by finishing third. His results placed him ninth in the drivers' world championship.
In the 2006 season, with Henning Solberg
as his team-mate, Stohl drove a Peugeot 307 WRC for the Bozian Racing
-run OMV Peugeot Norway WRT. He took four podium places and finished a career-best fourth in the drivers' standings. He also became one of the few drivers to reach participation in 100 world rallies without winning one of them.
In 2007
, Stohl returned to the wheel of a Xsara WRC for the OMV Kronos Citroën. After a disappointing season, in which he finished ninth in the championship and his best result was sixth place in both Mexico
and Japan
, OMV withdrew their support of Stohl. This left him without a full-time drive for the 2008 season
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
driver who debuted in the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
in 1991. Stohl's co-driver
Co-driver
Co-driver is the term given to the navigator of rally car in the sport of rally racing, who sits in the front passenger seat. The co-driver's job is to navigate, by reading off a set of pacenotes to the driver, often over a radio headset, due to the high level of noise in the car...
is fellow Austrian Ilka Minor.
Career
Stohl ventured into rallying following the career path of his father Rudi Stohl. Stohl's first professional rally was the 1991 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire Bandama, driving an Audi 90 Quattro with Kay Gerlach as his co-driver. He took his first World Rally ChampionshipWorld Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
points by finishing seventh in the same event the following year.
After several more privateer entries in the WRC, Stohl got a contract with Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Germany
Ralliart
Ralliart was the high-performance and motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, as well as the development of high-performance models and parts available to the public...
to compete in the FIA Cup for Drivers of Production Cars (now the Production World Rally Championship
Production World Rally Championship
The FIA Production World Rally Championship, or PWRC, is a companion rally series to the World Rally Championship, and is driven on the same stages. PWRC is limited to production-based cars homologated under the Group N. The series began in 2002, replacing the FIA Group N Rally Championship...
) driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
. He finished third in the championship in 1997, second in 1998 and fourth in 1999, before winning the title in 2000 ahead of defending champion Gustavo Trelles
Gustavo Trelles
Gustavo Trelles is a Uruguayan former rally driver. He competed actively in the World Rally Championship from 1988 to 1993, mainly with a Lancia Delta Integrale, and from 1996 to 2002, mainly with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution....
.
Progressing from Group N
Group N
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class"....
production cars to World Rally Cars, Stohl took his first WRC points in ten years by driving his Peugeot 206 WRC
Peugeot 206 WRC
Peugeot 206 WRC is a World Rally Car based on the Peugeot 206. It was used by Peugeot Sport, Peugeot's factory team, in the World Rally Championship from 1999 to 2003. The car brought Peugeot the manufacturers' world title three years in a row from 2000 to 2002...
to seventh place at the 2003 Wales Rally GB. In the 2004 season, driving mainly for the OMV World Rally Team, backed by Austrian oil company OMV
OMV
OMV is Austria's largest oil-producing, refining and gas station operating company with important activities in other Central European countries...
, his best event result was sixth at the Acropolis Rally.
Cyprus Rally
The Cyprus Rally is a rallying competition held yearly in Cyprus since 1970. The event is run by the Cyprus Automobile Association and is based in the city of Limassol . It is run on the winding roads of the nearby mountains of Troödos. It was part of the FIA's World Rally Championship from 2000...
, behind Citroën Total factory driver Sébastien Loeb
Sébastien Loeb
Sébastien Loeb is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship...
. In the season-ending Rally Australia
Rally Australia
Rally Australia is an automobile rally event which was held in and around Perth, Western Australia from 1988 until 2006, when that state's tourism commission severed its collaboration with the event. The rally was part of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in 1988 and the World Rally Championship...
, he took his second podium by finishing third. His results placed him ninth in the drivers' world championship.
In the 2006 season, with Henning Solberg
Henning Solberg
Henning Solberg is a Norwegian rally driver. Together with co-driver Ilka Minor, he currently competes in the World Rally Championship with Stobart M-Sport Ford. Solberg is the older brother of the 2003 world champion Petter Solberg....
as his team-mate, Stohl drove a Peugeot 307 WRC for the Bozian Racing
Bozian Racing
Bozian Racing is a French auto racing team founded in 1969 by Arthur Bozian. Although it also run in circuits, the rally represents the principal activity of the team. It was related to Renault for a long time...
-run OMV Peugeot Norway WRT. He took four podium places and finished a career-best fourth in the drivers' standings. He also became one of the few drivers to reach participation in 100 world rallies without winning one of them.
In 2007
2007 World Rally Championship season
The 2007 World Rally Championship season was the 35th season in the FIA World Rally Championship. The season began on January 19 with the 75ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo and ended on December 2 with the 63rd Wales Rally of Great Britain. Citroën's Sébastien Loeb won the drivers' world...
, Stohl returned to the wheel of a Xsara WRC for the OMV Kronos Citroën. After a disappointing season, in which he finished ninth in the championship and his best result was sixth place in both Mexico
2007 Rally México
The 21º Corona Rally México, the fourth round of the 2007 World Rally Championship season, took place between March 9–11 2007. The rally consisted of 20 special stages, of which five were super specials...
and Japan
2007 Rally Japan
Results of Rally Japan , 14th round of 2007 World Rally Championship, run on October 26 - 28:- Results :-Retirements: Marcus Grönholm - went off the road ; Chris Atkinson - crashed his car ; Fumio Nutahara - mechanical ; Sébastien Loeb - mechanical ; Armindo Araujo - excluded after post-rally...
, OMV withdrew their support of Stohl. This left him without a full-time drive for the 2008 season
2008 World Rally Championship season
The 2008 World Rally Championship season was the 36th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 15 rallies and began on January 24, with the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally....
.