![]() Daniel Solà driving a SEAT Córdoba WRC at the Rallye de tierra de Cangas del Narcea. | |||||||||
Category | World Rally Car | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Constructor | SEAT | ||||||||
Technical specifications [1] [2] [3] | |||||||||
Length |
| ||||||||
Width | 1,770 mm (69.7 in) | ||||||||
Height | 1,500 mm (59.1 in) | ||||||||
Axle track | 1,520 mm (59.8 in) | ||||||||
Wheelbase | 2,443 mm (96.2 in) | ||||||||
Engine | 1,995 cc (121.7 cu in) I4 turbo charge Front transverse | ||||||||
Transmission | Six-speed sequential 4-wheel drive | ||||||||
Weight | 1,230 kg (2,711.7 lb) | ||||||||
Tyres | Pirelli | ||||||||
Competition history (WRC) | |||||||||
Notable entrants | ![]() | ||||||||
Notable drivers | |||||||||
Debut | ![]() | ||||||||
|
The SEAT Córdoba WRC is a World Rally Car built for the SEAT World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship. It is based upon the SEAT Córdoba road car, and was debuted at the 1998 Rally Finland.
The Córdoba WRC was SEAT's official rally car in the World Rally Championship from 1998 to 2000. It featured a 2.0 litre turbocharged engine. [1] The Córdoba WRC competed in the top category of the championship, as SEAT had homologated a World Rally Car version of the Córdoba 16v for competition in the FIA World Rally Championship and other international rallies. [4] [5]
1994 World Drivers' Champion Didier Auriol, of France, and Toni Gardemeister and Harri Rovanperä, both of Finland, were among those to drive the factory cars. [1] [2] [3]
It made its debut at the 1998 Rally Finland, with Harri Rovanperä as the main driver. [6] The car achieved podiums at the 1999 Rally New Zealand, driven by Toni Gardemeister, the 1999 Rally GB, driven by Rovanperä, as well as in the 2000 Safari Rally, driven by Didier Auriol. [7] [8] [9] The works programme concluded at the end of the season of 2000, with the third evolution of the rally car. [3]
However, the Córdoba WRC continued to compete with successful results in national championships in different countries. [4] In Spain, the Córdoba won the national title of all the rallies on gravel with Pedro Diego and Marc Blázquez, and wins in tarmac rallies with Salvador Cañellas Jr. [10]
Carlos Sainz Cenamor is a Spanish rally driver. He won the World Rally Championship drivers' title with Toyota in 1990 and 1992, and finished runner-up four times. Constructors' world champions to have benefited from Sainz are Subaru (1995), Toyota (1999) and Citroën. In the 2018 season, he was one of the official drivers of the Team Peugeot Total. He received the Princess of Asturias Sports Award in 2020. Sainz founded the Acciona | Sainz XE Team to join Extreme E and competed in the first two seasons alongside Laia Sanz.
Toni Gardemeister is a Finnish professional rally driver in the World Rally Championship. After previously competing for SEAT's, Mitsubishi's, Škoda's and Ford's factory teams, as well as for privateer teams, he joined the Suzuki World Rally Team for the 2008 season.
Didier Auriol is a French former rally driver. Born in Montpellier and initially an ambulance driver, he competed in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1990s. He became World Rally Champion in 1994, the first driver from his country to do so. He was a factory candidate for Lancia, Toyota and Peugeot among others, before losing his seat at Škoda at the end of 2003. His sister Nadine was also involved in rallying as a co-driver, while his brother Gerrard was also a former rally driver.
Ralliart is the high-performance division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally development of high-performance models and parts available to the public. Ralliart scaled down its business activities in April 2010, though the brand will continue to be used by Mitsubishi.
Gilles Panizzi is a French former rally driver.
Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe GmbH (TGR-E) is an automotive engineering and motorsport services facility based in Cologne, Germany. It is fully-owned and controlled by Toyota Motor Corporation.
Harri "Rovis" Rovanperä is a Finnish rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship from 1993 to 2006. He drove for SEAT (1997–00), Peugeot (2001–04), Mitsubishi (2005) and Red Bull Škoda Team (2006). Rovanperä was known as a loose surface specialist. He is the father of 2022 and 2023 World Rally Drivers' Champion Kalle Rovanperä. He was married to Tiina Rovanperä.
The Ford World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson Motorsport company to run its factory team, entering the Ford Escort World Rally Car. The new team took their first victory in the 1997 Acropolis Rally.
The Peugeot 206 WRC is a World Rally Car based on the Peugeot 206. It was used by Peugeot Sport, Peugeot's factory team, in the World Rally Championship from 1999 to 2003. The car brought Peugeot the manufacturers' world title three consecutive years. Marcus Grönholm won the drivers' title in 2000 and 2002.
The Toyota Corolla WRC is a World Rally Car built for the Toyota Castrol Team by Toyota Motorsport GmbH to compete in the World Rally Championship. It is based upon the E110 version of Toyota Corolla road car. The car was debuted at the 1997 Rally Finland, and replaced the Toyota Celica Turbo ST205. It won a total of four rally victories and the 1999 World Manufacturers' title.
ŠKODA Motorsport is the sports factory team of the car manufacturer Škoda Auto, currently focusing on the development and construction of racing cars. The latest model from Škoda Motorsport's workshops is the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, which was introduced on June 14, 2022, and is set to follow in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, unveiled in 2019. During the factory team's existence, they have managed to secure five championship titles in the FIA World Rally Championship category WRC 2 in the manufacturers' standings.
Cupra Racing, formerly known as SEAT Sport, is the high-performance motorsport subsidiary of the Spanish automobile manufacturer SEAT, founded in 1985, succeeding the "SEAT Special Vehicles department" which had been formed in 1971 with the mission to enforce the brand's participation in rally championships, followed by 11 titles between 1979 and 1983. In 2018, SEAT created the Cupra brand as its independent high-performance branch and SEAT Sport was officially replaced by Cupra Racing.
The Škoda Octavia WRC is a World Rally Car built for the Škoda Motorsport by Škoda Auto in the World Rally Championship. It is based upon the Škoda Octavia road car, and was debuted at the 1999 Monte Carlo Rally.
The Toyota Yaris WRC is a World Rally Car designed by Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT to compete in the World Rally Championship. The car is based on the Vitz-based XP130 Toyota Yaris, and is the first car Toyota have competed with in the WRC since withdrawing from the championship at the end of the 1999 season to focus on their Le Mans Prototype and Formula One programmes. The car was driven by Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, Ott Tänak, Kalle Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta.
The 2000 Safari Rally was the third round of the 2000 World Rally Championship. The race was held over three days between 25 February and 27 February 2000, and was won by Subaru's Richard Burns, his 6th win in the World Rally Championship. Juha Kankkunen made it 1-2 for Subaru and Didier Auriol took SEAT's first podium of the season being third
Kalle Rovanperä is a Finnish professional rally driver who competes in the World Rally Championship (WRC) for Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, alongside co-driver Jonne Halttunen. He is the double reigning World Champion. As the son of former WRC driver Harri Rovanperä, he garnered international attention by starting rallying at an exceptionally young age.
Mitsubishi Ralliart World Rally Team was the official Mitsubishi team that competed in the World Rally Championship from 1982 to 2005. Over the years the name has generally varied by main sponsor, so the team has also been known as: Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports, Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports MMSP, Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart, Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Europe, Mitsubishi Ralliart, Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe. The brand has participated in the World Cup through its European subsidiary Ralliart based in Rugby (England).