History 2000s

2000 Rallye Catalunya – Costa Brava (Spain)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2000 Rallye Catalunya – Costa Brava (Spain)

Date: March 31 – April 2, 2000

Start Location: Lloret de Mar, Spain

Finish Location: Lloret de Mar, Spain

Total Distance: ~1,400 km (estimated full route)

Competitive Stages: 383.09 km

Surface: Asphalt

The 2000 Rallye Catalunya delivered sunshine, clean tarmac, and high-speed drama as Colin McRae piloted his Ford Focus WRC with fearless commitment through the Catalonian hills. His aggressive yet controlled driving brought Ford its first win of the season, while signaling a return to form after early reliability woes.

Route

Els Àngels: Long sweeping corners and flowing rhythm sections with little margin for braking error.
La Trona: Demanding on tires and brakes — fast downhill segments led into tight switchbacks.
Santa Pellaia: Narrower and more technical — required precision and strong co-driver rhythm.

Catalunya’s asphalt stages are wide, smooth, and deceptively fast — more like circuit racing than classic rallying. Key stages included:

Consistent weather and smooth roads meant pure pace was the deciding factor — any mistake meant lost seconds with no opportunity to recover through attrition.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Colin McRae & Nicky Grist · Ford Focus WRC
2nd Place
Richard Burns & Robert Reid · Subaru Impreza S5 WRC
3rd Place
Carlos Sainz & Luis Moya · Ford Focus WRC

McRae’s stage-winning pace built an early lead that he carefully defended across the final legs. Burns kept pressure on throughout, while Sainz secured valuable points with a measured drive on home soil.

Navigation & Challenges

  • High-Speed Precision: Clean lines and exact pacenote execution were critical — time was lost through understeer or late braking.
  • Tire Wear: Long, abrasive stages pushed tire compounds to their limits — careful management was essential.
  • Pressure of Perfection: With few retirements, every second gained or lost was magnified — drivers needed to push with zero mistakes.

McRae’s win in Catalunya proved Ford’s competitiveness on asphalt and reignited his title hopes — a pure display of talent, trust in the car, and maximum commitment on some of the cleanest roads in rallying.

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