History 1990s

1998 Rally Australia (Australia)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1998 Rally Australia (Australia)

Date: November 6–8, 1998

Start Location: Perth, Australia

Finish Location: Perth, Australia

Total Distance: ~1,385 km (full route)

Competitive Stages: 386.00 km

Surface: Gravel

The 1998 Rally Australia brought the World Rally Championship to the smooth but treacherous forest roads near Perth. Featuring ball-bearing gravel and tight trees lining the route, the rally demanded razor-sharp precision and strong car control. Richard Burns, paired with co-driver Robert Reid, mastered the slick surface and blind crests to take a commanding win in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V — marking a major highlight in his rising WRC career.

Route

Bunnings: Narrow tree-lined stage with light gravel and deceptive corners.
Helena South: One of the fastest stages of the event, with sweeping curves and limited runoff.
Mundaring: A technical and flowing loop near the Perth foothills, requiring tight lines and rhythmic pacenote delivery.

The route covered forest and farmland trails with some of the fastest average speeds of the season. Key stages included:

Loose top gravel and frequent camber changes demanded specialized tire strategies and perfect car placement to avoid time-sapping slides or clipped trees.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Richard Burns & Robert Reid · Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V
2nd Place
Tommi Mäkinen & Risto Mannisenmäki · Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V
3rd Place
Carlos Sainz & Luis Moya · Toyota Corolla WRC

Burns’s clean, consistent pace put him ahead of even teammate Mäkinen, while Sainz kept Toyota in the title hunt with a measured third-place finish on unfamiliar roads.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Ball-Bearing Gravel: The smooth surface offered little grip and made braking distances unpredictable at high speeds.
  • Tight Trees: Narrow road edges lined with eucalyptus trees left no room for error — one misjudged line could mean retirement.
  • Pace Precision: The event’s speed demanded exact pacenote calls and full confidence in blind crests and flowing sequences.

The 1998 Rally Australia solidified Richard Burns as a top-tier WRC contender and showcased Mitsubishi’s dominance on flowing gravel. It was a technical triumph on one of the calendar’s fastest and most unforgiving events.

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