2001 Race of Champions
Encyclopedia
The 2001 Race of Champions
took place on December 9 at Gran Canaria
. It was the 14th running of the event, and the 10th running at Gran Canaria. There was a slight format change for this year - The International Masters event was replaced by the Junior Masters event, open to rally drivers under the age of 30. Seeding for the main Race of Champions event was no longer awarded on the basis of having won a WRC
title, but places were awarded for having posted the fastest times in the Nations Cup.
The vehicles used were the Peugeot 206 WRC
, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI WRC, the SEAT Córdoba WRC, the Saab 93
Rallycross car and the ROC Buggy.
The individual competition was won by Harri Rovanpera
, whilst the Nations Cup was won by Spain with Fernando Alonso
, Jesús Puras
and Rubén Xaus
.
Group B
Heat B
Group B
Race of Champions
The Race of Champions is an international motorsport event held at the end of each year, featuring some of the world's best racing and rally drivers...
took place on December 9 at Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago...
. It was the 14th running of the event, and the 10th running at Gran Canaria. There was a slight format change for this year - The International Masters event was replaced by the Junior Masters event, open to rally drivers under the age of 30. Seeding for the main Race of Champions event was no longer awarded on the basis of having won a WRC
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
title, but places were awarded for having posted the fastest times in the Nations Cup.
The vehicles used were the Peugeot 206 WRC
Peugeot 206 WRC
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 years in a row from 2000 to 2002...
, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI WRC, the SEAT Córdoba WRC, the Saab 93
Saab 93
The Saab 93, pronounced ninety-three, is an automobile manufactured by Saab. It was announced on August 18, 1955, and was first presented on December 1, 1955. It was styled by Sixten Sason and had a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder 748 cc Saab two-stroke engine giving 33 hp . The...
Rallycross car and the ROC Buggy.
The individual competition was won by Harri Rovanpera
Harri Rovanperä
Harri "Rovis" Rovanperä is a Finnish rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship from 1993 to 2006. He drove for SEAT , Peugeot , Mitsubishi and Red Bull Škoda Team...
, whilst the Nations Cup was won by Spain with Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
, Jesús Puras
Jesús Puras
Jesús Puras Vidal de la Peña , also known as 'Chus Puras', is a Spanish rally driver active in the World Rally Championship from 1991 to 2002...
and Rubén Xaus
Rubén Xaus
Rubén Xaus is a motorcycle road racer. He currently competes in the Superbike World Championship. For 2009, he joins the new factory BMW team, his first ever campaign in WSBK on anything other than a Ducati. He was runner-up in this series in 2003, and spent the next two years in MotoGP with mixed...
.
Participants
| Country | Racing Driver | Rally Driver | Motorcycle Racer |
|---|---|---|---|
| France |  Paul BelmondoPaul Belmondo Paul Alexandre Belmondo is a French racing driver who raced in Formula One for the March and Pacific Racing teams. He is the son of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo and grandson of sculptor Paul Belmondo... |
Gilles Panizzi Gilles Panizzi Gilles Panizzi is a French rally driver on the World Rally Championship circuit.Gilles was born in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes... |
Olivier Jacque Olivier Jacque Olivier Jacque is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.He was second in the 250cc European Championship in 1994, before moving on to the 250cc World Championship. He achieved a top ten finish in the points standings every year he competed... |
| United States |  Robby GordonRobby Gordon Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series... |
Rhys Millen Rhys Millen Rhys Millen , nephew of IMSA GTS driver Steve Millen, son of Rod and elder brother of Ryan, is one of the world's top competitors in drifting. Prior to that he was a top rally driver in the US, and became the first works backed driver from a car manufacturer with GM in 2004 after narrowly losing to... |
Shaun Palmer Shaun Palmer Shaun Palmer is an American professional snowboarder, skier, mountain biker, and motocross rider. "Palm Daddy" is known as one of the forefathers of extreme sports.-Early life:... |
| Great Britain |  Johnny HerbertJohnny Herbert John Paul Herbert is a British racing driver from England. He competed in Formula One, winning three races, and also in sports cars winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 driving a Mazda 787B... |
Alister McRae Alister McRae Alister McRae is a Scottish rally driver, who competed in the World Rally Championship. He is the son of the five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae and the younger brother of the late 1995 World Rally Champion, Colin McRae... |
James Dobb James Dobb James 'Jamie' Dobb , is a former British motocross racer. Amongst his achievements, he was crowned 125cc Motocross World Champion in 2001, and was a top rider in the AMA motocross and supercross series during the mid 1990s.... |
| Finland |  Heikki KovalainenHeikki Kovalainen Heikki Johannes Kovalainen is a Finnish Formula One racing driver who spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with British based team McLaren and the 2010 and 2011 seasons with Team Lotus.... |
Marcus Grönholm Marcus Grönholm Marcus "Bosse" Grönholm is a Finnish former rally driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2002. After Peugeot withdrew from the World Rally Championship, Grönholm moved to Ford for the 2006 season and placed second in the drivers' world championship, losing the... |
Kari Tiainen Kari Tiainen Kari Tiainen is a Finnish enduro rider. He is a seven-time World Enduro Champion and held the record for most wins in the world championship , until the record was broken by compatriot Juha Salminen during the 2008 season... |
| Spain |  Fernando AlonsoFernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari.... |
Jesús Puras Jesús Puras Jesús Puras Vidal de la Peña , also known as 'Chus Puras', is a Spanish rally driver active in the World Rally Championship from 1991 to 2002... |
Rubén Xaus Rubén Xaus Rubén Xaus is a motorcycle road racer. He currently competes in the Superbike World Championship. For 2009, he joins the new factory BMW team, his first ever campaign in WSBK on anything other than a Ducati. He was runner-up in this series in 2003, and spent the next two years in MotoGP with mixed... |
| Italy |  Emanuele PirroEmanuele Pirro Emanuele Pirro is an Italian former Formula One driver and five time Le Mans 24 hour winner.- Biography :... |
Miki Biasion |
Valentino Rossi Valentino Rossi Valentino Rossi, , is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class.Following his father, Graziano Rossi,... |
| Germany |  Frank BielaFrank Biela Frank Biela is an auto racing driver, mainly competing in touring cars and sportscar racing. He has raced exclusively in cars manufactured by the Audi marque since 1990.... |
Armin Schwarz Armin Schwarz Armin Schwarz is a German rally driver. He competed in the World Rally Championship from 1988 to 2005, winning the 1991 Rally Catalunya and taking six other podium finishes... |
Katja Poensgen |
| All-Stars |  Tom KristensenTom Kristensen Tom Kristensen is a Danish racing driver. He has won many championships in auto racing but his most famous achievement is being the only person to win the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times, six of which were consecutive... |
Harri Rovanpera Harri Rovanperä Harri "Rovis" Rovanperä is a Finnish rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship from 1993 to 2006. He drove for SEAT , Peugeot , Mitsubishi and Red Bull Škoda Team... |
 Troy BaylissTroy Bayliss Troy Bayliss is a retired Australian motorcycle racer. During his career Bayliss won the Superbike World Championship three times, as well as the British Superbike Championship and a MotoGP race, all with Ducati. He finished his career after winning the 2008 World Superbike title... |
Legends Race
Group A| Driver | Wins | Best Time |
|---|---|---|
 BlomqvistStig Blomqvist "Stig" Lennart Blomqvist is a Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985... |
2 | 1'59.88 |
| Salonen Timo Salonen Timo Salonen is a Finnish former rally driver and the 1985 world champion for Peugeot. It was commented of him that he stood out from other drivers, because he was overweight, wore thick glasses and smoked heavily, but still remained one of the fastest and most competitive drivers in the sport... |
1 | 1'59.82 |
| Waldegård Björn Waldegård Björn Waldegård from Rimbo is a former Swedish rally driver, and the winner of the inaugural World Rally Championship for drivers in 1979... |
0 | 2'00.84 |
Group B
| Driver | Wins | Best Time |
|---|---|---|
| Biasion |
2 | 2'09.65 |
| Eklund Per Eklund Per Eklund, born on June 26, 1946 in Skönnerud , Eda Municipality of Värmland in Sweden, is a Rally and Rallycross driver who lives in Arvika. His nickname is "Pekka". In rallying he never made it to the very top but he has been very successful in his later rallycross career.- Saab works... |
1 | 2'11.91 |
| Zanini |
0 | 2'13.13 |
- For Winning the event, Blomqvist qualified for the Race of Champions
Junior Rally Masters
| Driver | Wins | Best Time |
|---|---|---|
 DuvalFrançois Duval François Duval is a Belgian rally driver.-1999–2004:With victories in four events Duval won the Belgian Citroën Saxo Challenge title in 1999... |
3 | 2'13.10 |
| Loeb Sébastien Loeb Sébastien Loeb is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship... |
2 | 2'16.23 |
 Pozzo |
1 | 2'16.69 |
 Campos |
0 | 2'15.80 |
- For winning the event, Duval qualified for the Race of Champions
Race of Champions
Heat A| Driver | Wins | Best Time |
|---|---|---|
| Schwarz |
2 | 1'56.13 |
| Rovanpera |
2 | 1'56.60 |
| Kankkunen |
2 | 1'56.85 |
| Alonso Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari.... |
0 | 1'56.69 |
Heat B
| Driver | Wins | Best Time |
|---|---|---|
| McRae |
3 | 1'56.63 |
| Gordon |
2 | 1'55.21 |
| Panizzi |
1 | 1'56.82 |
| Xaus |
0 | 1'59.61 |
Nations Cup
Group A| Team | Match Wins | Heat Wins | Best Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain |
2 | 5 | 5'44.53 |
 All-Star |
2 | 4 | 5'46.17 |
| UK |
1 | 5 | 5'48.53 |
| Italy |
1 | 4 | 5'43.19 |
Group B
| Team | Match Wins | Heat Wins | Best Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA |
2 | 6 | 5'44.95 |
| France |
2 | 4 | 5'51.20 |
| Finland |
1 | 4 | 5'46.01 |
| Germany |
1 | 4 | 5'56.24 |
External links
- Information sourced from the Wayback Machine (carreradecampeones.org)