History 1990s

1998 Rallye Sanremo – Rallye d’Italia (Italy)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1998 Rallye Sanremo – Rallye d’Italia (Italy)

Date: October 4–7, 1998

Start Location: Sanremo, Italy

Finish Location: Sanremo, Italy

Total Distance: ~1,130 km (full route)

Competitive Stages: 395.00 km

Surface: Asphalt

The 1998 Rallye Sanremo delivered a pure tarmac challenge along the coastal and mountain roads of Liguria. With high speeds, tight corners, and little margin for error, the event demanded both technical finesse and tire management. Didier Auriol, known for his asphalt mastery, used every bit of his experience to control the rally from start to finish, giving Toyota a much-needed boost in the championship battle and solidifying the Corolla WRC as a top performer on sealed surfaces.

Route

Colle d’Oggia: A tight and technical climb with hairpins and decreasing radius turns through dense hillside forest.
Bajardo–San Romolo: Fast mountain descent with changing grip and blind apexes.
Monte Ceppo: Classic Italian switchbacks combined with long, rhythm-based tarmac sequences, testing driver patience and braking consistency.

Sanremo’s stages took place in the hills above the Ligurian coast, with rapid elevation changes and narrow mountain passes. Highlights included:

Warm and dry weather allowed crews to push their tarmac setups to the limit, resulting in one of the fastest Sanremo editions in years.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Didier Auriol & Denis Giraudet · Toyota Corolla WRC
2nd Place
Piero Liatti & Fabrizia Pons · Subaru Impreza WRC98
3rd Place
Carlos Sainz & Luis Moya · Toyota Corolla WRC

Auriol’s dominance was never seriously threatened, while teammate Sainz’s podium finish gave Toyota a vital double-points haul in their constructor’s campaign.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Corner Variety: Sanremo’s mix of wide and tight bends required adaptable driving lines and near-perfect pacenote calls.
  • Brake Management: Long descents with minimal recovery zones forced teams to monitor temperature and fade risk.
  • Tire Selection: With consistent dry weather, tire compound choice revolved around long-stage longevity and lateral grip rather than mixed conditions.

The 1998 Sanremo Rally was a tarmac masterclass from Didier Auriol and Toyota, reaffirming their status as dominant players when smooth asphalt and precision cornering are on the menu.

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