History 1990s

1991 Rally Australia (Australia)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1991 Rally Australia (Australia)

Date: September 20–24, 1991

Start Location: Perth, Australia

Finish Location: Perth, Australia

Total Distance: 586.00 km of special stages

Surface: Gravel

Rally Australia in 1991 served up a challenging combination of tight forest stages, ball-bearing gravel, and narrow visibility windows under dense tree cover. Juha Kankkunen stayed clean and efficient through the event, using his experience to edge out rivals on tire wear and pace control. The win strengthened his title campaign and showcased the Lancia Delta Integrale 16V's agility on tricky, technical terrain.

Route

Wellington Dam and Harvey Weir: Fast, tree-lined sections where even minor mistakes meant brushing bark or losing rhythm.
Busselton Loops: Long gravel blasts with ball-bearing surfaces that made braking treacherous and cornering inconsistent.
Nannup and Mundaring Areas: Mix of open roads and tighter forest sprints—changes in light and surface kept crews guessing.

The rally’s stages threaded through eucalyptus forests and rolling hills, where traction was unpredictable and precision mattered:

While many drivers struggled with grip, Kankkunen excelled at adapting quickly, pushing just enough without compromising tire wear or car integrity.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Juha Kankkunen & Juha Piironen · Lancia Delta Integrale 16V
2nd Place
Carlos Sainz & Luis Moya · Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
3rd Place
Didier Auriol & Bernard Occelli · Lancia Delta Integrale 16V

Kankkunen’s Australian win was less about spectacle and more about intelligent control—an event that rewarded the driver who knew exactly when to push and when to back off.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Loose Gravel: Australia’s “marble” surface reduced traction—Kankkunen’s throttle finesse kept the car flowing.
  • Stage Visibility: Sunlight flickered through forest canopies, creating split-second blind spots on fast entries.
  • Tire Management: Long loops required strategic tire conservation—drivers who overcooked early stages paid for it later.

The 1991 Rally Australia was a showcase of smoothness, tire awareness, and smart navigation—Kankkunen’s win further solidified his grip on the season’s title race.

← Previous Event 1991 1000 Lakes Rally (Finland)
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