History 2000s

2002 Rally Catalunya – Costa Brava (Spain)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2002 Rally Catalunya – Costa Brava (Spain)

Date: March 22–24, 2002

Start Location: Lloret de Mar, Catalonia, Spain

Finish Location: Lloret de Mar, Catalonia, Spain

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

Competitive Stages: 394.98 km

Surface: Asphalt (smooth, fast, circuit-like)

Rally Catalunya 2002 was a showcase of precision and control as Gilles Panizzi and his brother Hervé capitalized on their tarmac expertise. On Spain’s fast and flowing asphalt stages, the duo delivered a near-perfect performance, extending Peugeot’s dominance on sealed surfaces and leaving rivals struggling to match their pace.

Route

Els Àngels: Twisty and technical with stunning elevation changes and panoramic views.
La Trona: A fast and flowing ribbon of tarmac through Catalan hills — perfect for exploiting the Peugeot’s agility.
Santa Coloma: Long straights mixed with tight hairpins — rewarding late braking and strong traction out of corners.

Catalunya’s stages offered wide roads, smooth surfaces, and high-speed sequences resembling a road circuit. Key stages included:

Dry, sunny conditions gave crews full confidence to run soft slicks and optimize their setups for maximum tarmac performance across all three legs.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Gilles Panizzi & Hervé Panizzi · Peugeot 206 WRC
2nd Place
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3rd Place
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Panizzi led from the opening stage and controlled the rally with remarkable confidence and pace. His victory further cemented his status as one of the premier asphalt specialists of the WRC era, and gave Peugeot valuable manufacturer points in the championship battle.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Corner Precision: Success hinged on apex accuracy and throttle timing — Panizzi’s mastery was unmatched across the rally.
  • Setup Optimization: Peugeot dialed in the 206 WRC’s suspension and gearing for smooth asphalt — other teams struggled to find the same balance.
  • Driver Focus: Maintaining peak performance across dozens of similar-feeling tarmac corners was mentally taxing — Panizzi never wavered.

With this win, Gilles Panizzi reaffirmed his place among the elite tarmac specialists of his era, delivering Peugeot a well-earned victory in the heart of Catalonia’s asphalt paradise.

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