History 2000s

2009 Rally Catalunya (Spain)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2009 Rally Catalunya (Spain)

Date: October 2–4, 2009

Start Location: Salou, Spain

Finish Location: Salou, Spain

Total Distance: ~1,299.18 km

Competitive Stages: 353.62 km

Surface: Tarmac (smooth, circuit-like)

Arriving in Spain with the title fight still alive, Loeb needed a strong result to pressure Hirvonen before the final round. On Catalunya’s ultra-smooth tarmac, he was in a class of his own, winning stage after stage with precision driving that left his rivals battling for scraps. Dani Sordo delighted the home crowd with a strong second place, while Hirvonen focused on damage limitation to carry the points battle to Great Britain.

Route

La Mussara: High-speed tarmac with long, sweeping bends—perfect for testing car balance.
El Priorat: A technical challenge with elevation changes and tight switchbacks.
Riudecanyes: Famous for its roundabout section, which required a precise 360-degree drift.

Catalunya’s roads are often compared to a race circuit—wide, smooth, and flowing, with excellent grip. Key stages included:

The warm autumn weather ensured consistent conditions, making outright speed the deciding factor rather than survival.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Sébastien Loeb & Daniel Elena · Citroën C4 WRC
2nd Place
Dani Sordo & Marc Martí · Citroën C4 WRC
3rd Place
Mikko Hirvonen & Jarmo Lehtinen · Ford Focus RS WRC 09

Loeb’s mastery of tarmac driving was on full display as he controlled the rally from start to finish, with Sordo acting as the perfect wingman. Hirvonen settled for third, keeping his championship hopes intact.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Precision Pace Notes: Catalunya’s speed demanded flawless calls for every corner radius.
  • Braking Zones: Late braking into hairpins was critical for maintaining momentum.
  • Tire Choice: The predictable weather still required careful compound selection for optimal grip.

With his win in Spain, Loeb set up a dramatic winner-takes-all showdown with Hirvonen in Wales, capping off one of the most tense WRC title fights of the decade.

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