Rally New Zealand

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox recurring event The Rally New Zealand is an annual rally race in New Zealand. It was first included as a round of the World Rally Championship in 1977. The race is famous for its fast flowing gravel roads which carry the competitors through forests and alongside the New Zealand coastline.

It was first held in Taupō in 1969, and was subsequently staged in Canterbury, before moving back to the North Island in 1971. Auckland has hosted the majority of Rally New Zealand events. From 2006 to 2008 the event was based in Hamilton, with the service park, parc ferme and the super special stage all being located at the Mystery Creek Events Centre. In 2010 it returned to Auckland.

The WRC teams voted Propecia Rally New Zealand "Rally of the Year" in 2001. The 2007 Rally New Zealand ended with the closest-ever finish in the history of the World Rally Championship. After over 350 competitive kilometres, only 0.3 seconds separated the winner Marcus Grönholm and second-placed Sébastien Loeb.

No WRC event was held between 2013 and 2021. The event was planned to be held on the 2020 calendar, but was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Rally New Zealand returned after a 10 year hiatus in 2022, with Auckland as the main focus of the event. Kalle Rovanpera won the event, and as the event hasn't returned to the WRC Calendar since, Rovanpera remains the most recent winner of the event.

Past winners

File:Rally New Zealand 2006.jpg

2006 post-race celebration with Marcus Grönholm, Mikko Hirvonen and Manfred Stohl.

Season	Driver	Co-driver	Car	Event report
1969*	Template:Flagicon Grady Thompson	Rick Rimmer	Holden Monaro
1970*	Template:Flagicon Paul Adams	Don Fenwick	BMW 2002
1971*	Template:Flagicon Bruce Hodgson	Mike Mitchell	Ford Cortina–Lotus
1972*	Template:Flagicon Andrew Cowan	Jim Scott	BLMC Mini 1275 GT
1973*	Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola	Jim Porter	Ford Escort RS1600
1974*	Not held
1975*	Template:Flagicon Mike Marshall	Arthur McWatt	Ford Escort RS1800
1976*	Template:Flagicon Andrew Cowan	Jim Scott	Hillman Avenger
1977	Template:Flagicon Fulvio Bacchelli	Francesco Rossetti	Fiat 131 Abarth
1978*	Template:Flagicon Russell Brookes	Chris Porter	Ford Escort RS1800
1979	Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola	Arne Hertz	Ford Escort RS1800
1980	Template:Flagicon Timo Salonen	Seppo Harjanne	Datsun 160J
1981*	Template:Flagicon Jim Donald	Kevin Lancaster	Ford Escort RS
1982	Template:Flagicon Björn Waldegård	Hans Thorszelius	Toyota Celica
1983	Template:Flagicon Walter Röhrl	Christian Geistdörfer	Lancia 037 Rally
1984	Template:Flagicon Stig Blomqvist	Bjorn Cederberg	Audi Quattro
1985	Template:Flagicon Timo Salonen	Seppo Harjanne	Peugeot 205 T16 E2
1986	Template:Flagicon Juha Kankkunen	Juha Piironen	Peugeot 205 T16 E2
1987	Template:Flagicon Franz Wittman	Jorg Pattermann	Lancia Delta 4WD
1988	Template:Flagicon Josef Haider	Ferdinand Hinterleitner	Opel Kadett GSi 16V
1989	Template:Flagicon Ingvar Carlsson	Per Carlsson	Mazda 323 4WD
1990	Template:Flagicon Carlos Sainz	Luis Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
1991	Template:Flagicon Carlos Sainz	Luis Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
1992	Template:Flagicon Carlos Sainz	Luis Moya	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
1993	Template:Flagicon Colin McRae	Derek Ringer	Subaru Legacy RS
1994	Template:Flagicon Colin McRae	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
1995	Template:Flagicon Colin McRae	Derek Ringer	Subaru Impreza 555
1996*	Template:Flagicon Richard Burns	Robert Reid	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III
1997	Template:Flagicon Kenneth Eriksson	Staffan Parmander	Subaru Impreza WRC 97
1998	Template:Flagicon Carlos Sainz	Luis Moya	Toyota Corolla WRC
1999	Template:FlagiconTommi Makinen	Risto Mannisenmäki	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI
2000	Template:Flagicon Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen	Peugeot 206 WRC
2001	Template:Flagicon Richard Burns	Robert Reid	Subaru Impreza WRC 2001	Report
2002	Template:Flagicon Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen	Peugeot 206 WRC	Report
2003	Template:Flagicon Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen	Peugeot 206 WRC	Report
2004	Template:Flagicon Petter Solberg	Phil Mills	Subaru Impreza WRC 2004	Report
2005	Template:Flagicon Sébastien Loeb	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC	Report
2006	Template:Flagicon Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen	Ford Focus RS WRC 06	Report
2007	Template:Flagicon Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen	Ford Focus RS WRC 07	Report
2008	Template:Flagicon Sébastien Loeb	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC	Report
2009*	Not held
2010	Template:Flagicon Jari-Matti Latvala	Miikka Anttila	Ford Focus RS WRC 09	Report
2011*	Template:Flagicon Hayden Paddon	John Kennard	Subaru Impreza WRX
2012	Template:Flagicon Sébastien Loeb	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC	Report
2013 – 2016*	Not held
2017*	Template:Flagicon Hayden Paddon	John Kennard	Hyundai i20 AP4
2018*	Template:Flagicon Hayden Paddon	Malcolm Read	Hyundai i20 AP4
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns
2021*	Not held
2022	Template:Flagicon Kalle Rovanperä	Jonne Halttunen	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	Report
2023 – Present*	Not held

* denotes years when Rally New Zealand was not part of the World Rally Championship

Multiple winners

Number	Driver	Years
5	Template:Flagicon Marcus Grönholm	2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007
4	Template:Flagicon Carlos Sainz	1990, 1991, 1992, 1998
3	Template:Flagicon Sébastien Loeb	2005, 2008, 2012
	Template:Flagicon Colin McRae	1993, 1994, 1995
	Template:Flagicon Hayden Paddon	2011, 2017, 2018
2	Template:Flagicon Andrew Cowan	1972, 1976
	Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola	1973, 1979
	Template:Flagicon Timo Salonen	1980, 1985
	Template:Flagicon Richard Burns	1996, 2001

External links

• Official site
• FIA Page for Rally New Zealand
• Rally New Zealand at eWRC-results