History 1990s

1999 Network Q Rally of Great Britain (UK)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1999 Network Q Rally of Great Britain (UK)

Date: November 21–23, 1999

Start Location: Cheltenham, England

Finish Location: Cardiff, Wales

Total Distance: ~1,430 km (full route)

Competitive Stages: 380.00 km

Surface: Gravel (wet/mud)

The final round of the 1999 WRC season took place in the wet and wild Welsh forests of the UK. In slippery and misty conditions, rally legend Juha Kankkunen showed his mastery once again, securing his 23rd and final WRC victory. The event was a classic British mud-fest, with deep ruts, foggy mornings, and minimal margin for error — ideal for an experienced driver like Kankkunen to shine in his Subaru Impreza WRC99.

Route

Hafren: Fast and flowing with slick corners and narrow forest lines, often run in thick fog.

Myherin: Open but muddy, requiring extreme car control through high-speed bends with poor visibility.

Sweet Lamb: Water splashes and jumps made this a fan-favorite, though treacherous at rally pace.

The event covered the iconic gravel stages of Wales, many of which have become legendary in rally folklore. Key stages included:

Welsh autumn conditions were brutal, with soaked gravel, mud-churned ruts, and leaves covering braking zones — making traction and visibility constant concerns.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner

Juha Kankkunen & Juha Repo · Subaru Impreza WRC99

2nd Place

Richard Burns & Robert Reid · Subaru Impreza WRC99

3rd Place

Freddy Loix & Sven Smeets · Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI

Kankkunen’s win was both a swan song and a masterclass, with teammate Burns right behind to secure a Subaru 1-2 finish. Loix rounded off the podium after a clean and steady drive in difficult conditions.

Navigation & Challenges

Mud & Visibility: Thick fog and muddy braking zones demanded precision from both driver and co-driver — even minor pacenote errors proved costly.
Tire Wear: Wet stages degraded quickly across multiple passes, forcing teams to manage compound performance throughout each loop.
Experience Factor: Veterans like Kankkunen thrived by avoiding mistakes and managing the car through unpredictable surface transitions.

The 1999 Rally GB was a poetic ending to the season — and to Kankkunen’s career as a WRC winner. With his final victory, he reminded the world why he remains one of the sport’s true legends.

← Previous Event 1999 Rally Australia (Australia)

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