History Event 2000s

2007 Rally New Zealand (New Zealand)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2007 Rally New Zealand (New Zealand)

Date: August 31 – September 2, 2007

Start Location: Hamilton, New Zealand

Finish Location: Hamilton, New Zealand

Total Distance: ~1,329.73 km

Competitive Stages: 353.56 km

Surface: Gravel (fast, flowing, cambered)

New Zealand delivered one of the most thrilling battles in WRC history, with Marcus Grönholm and Sébastien Loeb trading stage wins until the final kilometer, Grönholm ultimately claiming victory by just 0.3 seconds.

Route

Whaanga Coast: Coastal tarmac-gravel mix with cliffs, blind crests, and flowing speed sections.
Te Akau: Fast, rolling countryside roads with perfect camber, rewarded high commitment.
Maungatawhiri: Technical inland gravel requiring precise rhythm changes.

Famed for its smooth gravel and sweeping cambered corners, the New Zealand stages are a driver’s dream. Key stages included:

The long stage distances meant small mistakes could have big consequences, but both title contenders ran almost mistake-free all weekend.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Marcus Grönholm & Timo Rautiainen · Ford Focus RS WRC 07
2nd Place
Sébastien Loeb & Daniel Elena · Citroën C4 WRC
3rd Place
Mikko Hirvonen & Jarmo Lehtinen · Ford Focus RS WRC 07

The 0.3-second margin remains one of the closest finishes in rally history, cementing this rally as a modern WRC classic.

Car Highlights

  • Ford Focus RS WRC 07: Exceptional on fast gravel, giving Grönholm the edge in key high-speed sections.
  • Citroën C4 WRC: Perfect balance and braking, Loeb pushed it to the absolute limit.
  • Ford Focus RS WRC 07 (Hirvonen): Consistent and quick, securing another double-podium for Ford.

Navigation & Challenges

  • High-Speed Precision: Cambered gravel corners encouraged huge commitment, but punished overconfidence.
  • Weather Variability: Dry, sunny conditions favored a flat-out approach with minimal tire wear issues.
  • Split-Second Margins: Co-driver calls had to be perfect, even the smallest hesitation could decide the rally.

This finish went down in WRC history, with Grönholm gaining a critical psychological victory in his 2007 title fight against Loeb.

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