Rally of Turkey
Encyclopedia
The Rally of Turkey is a rally competition on the FIA World Rally Championship
(WRC) schedule.
. In 1999, the idea of creating an all-new event as a WRC candidate was conceived. The next year in 2000, the Anatolian Rally based in İzmir
was born. After being observed by the FIA, the rally became an official reserve event for the WRC.
Antalya and Kemer, a holiday region in southwestern Turkey was chosen in 2001 as the start and finish venue for the Anatolian Rally adopting a WRC format. In 2002, first foreign entries took part, Sébastien Loeb
in a Citroën Saxo
and Juuso Pykälistö
in a Peugeot 206 WRC
.
Turkey debuted in the World Rally Championship in the 2003 season in which only 27 of the 62 entries finished. The first two years were dedicated to Junior World Rally Championship
(JWRC) for gaining experience. In 2005, the Rally of Turkey hosted for the first time Production Car World Rally Championship (PWRC) drivers.
76 rally teams took part in the 2005 Rally of Turkey. Only 53 teams finished the total distance of 1,228 km. Repeating his victory of previous year, Sébastien Loeb of France
won the cup at 4.21.48.00' with his co-driver
Daniel Elena
.
The 2006 event was held from October 13 to October 15, 2006 around Kemer
– Kumluca – Antalya
in southwestern Turkey
on rough, gravel roads up into occasionally snowy mountain roads. Rally headquarters and the service park were located in Kemer.
The Rally of Turkey returned to the WRC calendar in for the 2008 season
. The 2008 Rally of Turkey
took place between June 12-15 and was won by Mikko Hirvonen
ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala
and Sébastien Loeb
.
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...
(WRC) schedule.
History
First international rally in Turkey was held in 1972, starting and finishing in İstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. In 1999, the idea of creating an all-new event as a WRC candidate was conceived. The next year in 2000, the Anatolian Rally based in İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
was born. After being observed by the FIA, the rally became an official reserve event for the WRC.
Antalya and Kemer, a holiday region in southwestern Turkey was chosen in 2001 as the start and finish venue for the Anatolian Rally adopting a WRC format. In 2002, first foreign entries took part, 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 a Citroën Saxo
Citroën Saxo
The Citroën Saxo is a supermini produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1996 to 2003. It was also sold in Japan as the Citroën Chanson. It shares many engine and body parts with the Peugeot 106 , the major difference being interiors and body panels...
and Juuso Pykälistö
Juuso Pykälistö
Juuso Pykälistö is a Finnish rally driver. He has driven in the World Rally Championship with Citroën and Peugeot. Pykälistö has won the Arctic Rally twice.-External links:*...
in a Peugeot 206 WRC
Peugeot 206
The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car, manufactured by the French automaker Peugeot from 1998 to 2010.Even though the 206 has finished production in most markets as of 2010, in Europe since 2009, it is available the 206+, with a back and especially a front design that resembles the Peugeot 207.-The...
.
Turkey debuted in the World Rally Championship in the 2003 season in which only 27 of the 62 entries finished. The first two years were dedicated to Junior World Rally Championship
Junior World Rally Championship
The FIA Junior World Rally Championship is a complementary series to the World Rally Championship as is the Production World Rally Championship , and the Super 2000 World Rally Championship . As JWRC was originally envisioned as a series for developing drivers, it is limited to drivers below the...
(JWRC) for gaining experience. In 2005, the Rally of Turkey hosted for the first time Production Car World Rally Championship (PWRC) drivers.
76 rally teams took part in the 2005 Rally of Turkey. Only 53 teams finished the total distance of 1,228 km. Repeating his victory of previous year, Sébastien Loeb of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
won the cup at 4.21.48.00' with his 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...
Daniel Elena
Daniel Elena
Daniel Elena is a Monegasque rally co-driver, currently working with Sébastien Loeb. Between them, the pair have won the World Rally Championship eight times, and currently compete with the Citroën DS3 WRC...
.
The 2006 event was held from October 13 to October 15, 2006 around Kemer
Kemer
Kemer is a seaside resort and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, west of the city of Antalya.Kemer is on the Gulf of Antalya, of sea coast with the skirts of the western Taurus mountains behind. The coast has the typical Mediterranean hot, dry weather and warm sea...
– Kumluca – Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
in southwestern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
on rough, gravel roads up into occasionally snowy mountain roads. Rally headquarters and the service park were located in Kemer.
The Rally of Turkey returned to the WRC calendar in 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....
. The 2008 Rally of Turkey
2008 Rally of Turkey
The 9th Rally of Turkey, the 8th round of the 2008 World Rally Championship season took place between June 12–15, 2008. The event returned after a year sabbatical and was held in the south west of Turkey, with the rally headquarters and service park based in the seaside resort of Kemer. The special...
took place between June 12-15 and was won by Mikko Hirvonen
Mikko Hirvonen
Mikko Hirvonen is a Finnish rally driver currently driving for the Citroën Total World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship. He placed third in the drivers' championship and helped Ford to the manufacturers' title in both 2006 and 2007. In 2008, 2009 and 2011, he finished runner-up to...
ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala
Jari-Matti Latvala
Jari-Matti Latvala is a Finnish rally driver competing in the World Rally Championship. His co-driver has been Miikka Anttila since the 2003 Rallye Deutschland...
and Sébastien Loeb
Sébastien Loeb
Sébastien Loeb is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship...
.
Winners
- 20102010 World Rally Championship seasonThe 2010 World Rally Championship season was the 38th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 13 rallies, beginning with Rally Sweden on 11 February and ended Wales Rally GB on 14 November....
– Sébastien LoebSébastien LoebSébastien Loeb is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship...
, Citroën C4 WRCCitroën C4 WRCThe Citroën C4 WRC is a World Rally Car built for the Citroën World Rally Team by Citroën Racing to compete in the World Rally Championship. It is based upon the Citroën C4 road car and replaced the Citroën Xsara WRC... - 20082008 World Rally Championship seasonThe 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....
– Mikko HirvonenMikko HirvonenMikko Hirvonen is a Finnish rally driver currently driving for the Citroën Total World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship. He placed third in the drivers' championship and helped Ford to the manufacturers' title in both 2006 and 2007. In 2008, 2009 and 2011, he finished runner-up to...
, Ford Focus RS WRC 07Ford Focus WRCThe Ford Focus RS WRC is a car built for the Ford World Rally Team by Ford and M-Sport and based on the Ford Focus Climate 2-litre production hatchback, developed to compete in the World Rally Championship. The RS stands for Rallye Sport and the WRC for World Rally Car, the car's FIA specification... - 2006 – Marcus GrönholmMarcus GrönholmMarcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a Finnish former rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the...
, Ford Focus RS WRC 06Ford Focus WRCThe Ford Focus RS WRC is a car built for the Ford World Rally Team by Ford and M-Sport and based on the Ford Focus Climate 2-litre production hatchback, developed to compete in the World Rally Championship. The RS stands for Rallye Sport and the WRC for World Rally Car, the car's FIA specification... - 2005 – Sébastien LoebSébastien LoebSébastien Loeb is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship...
, Citroën Xsara WRCCitroën XsaraThe Citroën Xsara is a small family car produced by French automaker Citroën from 1997 to 2006.Like its predecessor, the Citroën ZX, the Xsara shares running gear with the Peugeot 306.... - 2004 – Sébastien LoebSébastien LoebSébastien Loeb is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship...
, Citroën Xsara WRCCitroën XsaraThe Citroën Xsara is a small family car produced by French automaker Citroën from 1997 to 2006.Like its predecessor, the Citroën ZX, the Xsara shares running gear with the Peugeot 306.... - 2003 – Carlos SainzCarlos SainzCarlos Sainz Cenamor is a Spanish rally driver. He won the World Rally Championship drivers' title with Toyota in 1990 and 1992, and finished runner-up four times...
, Citroën Xsara WRCCitroën XsaraThe Citroën Xsara is a small family car produced by French automaker Citroën from 1997 to 2006.Like its predecessor, the Citroën ZX, the Xsara shares running gear with the Peugeot 306....