History 2000s

2000 Telstra Rally Australia (Australia)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2000 Telstra Rally Australia (Australia)

Date: November 9–12, 2000

Start Location: Perth, Western Australia

Finish Location: Perth, Western Australia

Total Distance: ~1,300 km (estimated full route)

Competitive Stages: 391.17 km

Surface: Gravel

The 2000 Rally Australia was a career-defining moment for Marcus Grönholm. Blending blistering pace with calm control on Western Australia’s high-speed gravel, he stormed to victory and clinched the World Championship title with one round to spare. His Peugeot 206 WRC was faultless, while his rivals struggled to match the Finn’s rhythm and commitment through the trees.

Route

Ballingup: Smooth gravel with sweeping turns and crest-jumps — required absolute precision.
Wellington Dam: Dense tree-lined roads with narrow lines and minimal room for error.
Mundaring Super Special: A fan-favorite nighttime stage run head-to-head on parallel tracks in front of packed grandstands.

The rally featured lightning-fast gravel tracks through eucalyptus forests near Perth. Key stages included:

Dry conditions meant consistent grip but added the challenge of dust trails and low visibility for following cars.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Marcus Grönholm & Timo Rautiainen · Peugeot 206 WRC
2nd Place
Richard Burns & Robert Reid · Subaru Impreza S6 WRC
3rd Place
Carlos Sainz & Luis Moya · Ford Focus WRC

Grönholm led from the outset and held off a strong challenge from Burns, who kept the pressure on in a last-ditch title bid. Sainz drove consistently to claim the final podium spot and help Ford in the constructors' race.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Tight Margins: Fast stages left no room for error — millisecond-level decisions at 180 km/h between trees defined the top runs.
  • Dust & Light Conditions: Afternoon sun and airborne gravel created glare and haze — early road position was crucial.
  • Championship Pressure: Grönholm kept his nerve in the face of the biggest moment of his career, driving with calm dominance.

With his win in Australia, Marcus Grönholm captured the 2000 WRC Drivers’ Championship in stunning fashion — a fitting finale to a season of rising confidence, raw speed, and cool-headed execution.

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