History 2000s

2006 Rally New Zealand (New Zealand)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2006 Rally New Zealand (New Zealand)

Date: April 7–9, 2006

Start Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Finish Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Total Distance: ~1,370.00 km

Competitive Stages: 354.00 km

Surface: Gravel (smooth, high-speed)

The 2006 Rally New Zealand’s iconic cambered gravel roads once again delivered a high-speed spectacle. Marcus Grönholm, determined to strike back after Mexico, led from start to finish, pairing precision driving with the Ford Focus RS WRC 06’s excellent chassis balance to take his second win of the season.

Route

Whangarei: Smooth and flowing with rapid directional changes — a driver’s dream on gravel.
Wellsford: A challenging mix of fast open sections and technical junctions, requiring perfect pacenotes.
Waitomo: Undulating farmland roads where confidence in car placement is key to carrying speed.

The rally’s stages are famous for their sweeping bends, natural camber, and postcard-worthy scenery. Notable stages included:

With grip levels consistent but speeds extremely high, maintaining momentum and using the road’s camber to ‘sling’ the car through corners was critical for fast times.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Marcus Grönholm & Timo Rautiainen · Ford Focus RS WRC 06
2nd Place
Sébastien Loeb & Daniel Elena · Citroën Xsara WRC – Kronos Racing
3rd Place
Manfred Stohl & Ilka Minor · Peugeot 307 WRC

Grönholm’s early rally pace forced Loeb into chasing mode, but even the Frenchman’s trademark precision couldn’t match the Finn’s flowing gravel mastery. Stohl capitalized on consistent speed to secure another podium for Peugeot.

Navigation & Challenges

  • High-Speed Precision: Tiny errors could result in huge time loss at the event’s relentless pace.
  • Natural Camber: Using the road’s slope effectively allowed higher cornering speeds — missing the line meant understeer into loose gravel.
  • Momentum Management: Lifting unnecessarily cost precious tenths in every sweeping bend.

Grönholm’s win reignited his title fight with Loeb, ensuring the 2006 season would remain a two-driver battle at the sharp end.

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