Wednesday 13th November 2013

Wales Rally GB 1998: Time For Tea?

Makinen and Sainz battle it out for the 1998 title with an unbelievable finish

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With this year's WRC already sewn up by Sebastien Ogier and VW, this weekend's Rally GB doesn't have the title significance it often does.

There is arguably no greater story of heartbreak and joy on the Rally GB than the 1998 event. Just two points separated Carlos Sainz and Tommi Makinen going into the final round. With Makinen out after losing a wheel at Millbrook and being pulled over by the police, the WRC crown was set to be the Spaniard's. He was running in fourth place until the very last kilometre of the final stage. You might well know what happened next but, in case you don't, we'll let you re-live the drama via some fabulous footage from the day.

And even if you do know the ending already these TV highlights are great, covering the rally in 10 minutes with loads of sideways Impreza, Evos and Escorts, the latter on its final WRC event before being replaced by the Focus. Brilliant television.

Watch it here.

[Alex Langheck]

Ah, and McRae leading when his engine went, following up from Australia 2 weeks previously, again, in the lead when the turbo failed; costing him 2 possible/ probable wins.

However, look at the entry for that event, and the F2 entry. Quite good I'd say.

[cerb4.5lee]

I remember this like it was yesterday, it's amazing how quick time goes & I used to love going to watch it until they ruined it all with strict health & safety rules so you couldn't get anywhere near the action.

[Vocal Minority]

Properly dramatic stuff. Golden era of rallying in my mind (of course it is - its the one I frew up with)

[eybic]

After this era is when rallying became boring for me, group B was the pinnacle IMHO.

[4340BB]

When rallying was proper rallying with proper cars.
Group b was better but this was still good.

[SimNugget]

We just need some Propaganda theme music and we are away!

[garypotter]

Crikey that was back in 1998 I stll remember those days, amazing how many of the 98 drivers are household names, I do not follow Rallying but knew the drivers and the cars, today I cannot tell you any of the current drivers apart drom a Seb is winning in a french car..

[Charlie Foxtrot]

I remember this first time round. Where the fk did those 15 years go?

[astra la vista]

top stuff!

alister mcrae at 3:45 had me laughing out loud. had to rewind and watch it again.

[Krikkit]

Vocal Minority said:

Properly dramatic stuff. Golden era of rallying in my mind (of course it is - its the one I frew up with)

Me too - rose-tinted specs perhaps, but the days of Evo's and Impreza's blasting down the trails getting their tails kicked out were so much more fun than the current era of front-drive-biased cars that hardly move around.

[enioldjoe]

cerb4.5lee said:

I remember this like it was yesterday, it's amazing how quick time goes & I used to love going to watch it until they ruined it all with strict health & safety rules so you couldn't get anywhere near the action.

I was there at Margham Park and saw that happen to Sainz! Bet he were right gutted, like.

Agree about how the time flies. Scary!

[cerb4.5lee]

eybic said:

After this era is when rallying became boring for me, group B was the pinnacle IMHO.

I never witnessed group B but the guys who I used to go with loved group B & said it was immense, I wish I had experienced it for myself & the vids look epic

[HorneyMX5]

garypotter said:

Crikey that was back in 1998 I stll remember those days, amazing how many of the 98 drivers are household names, I do not follow Rallying but knew the drivers and the cars, today I cannot tell you any of the current drivers apart drom a Seb is winning in a french car..

It's actually a Seb in German car this year.

[dc2rr07]

Brilliant stuff

Nice to see plod was just as helpful back then as it is now, I seem to recall Marcus Gronholm having a similar issue a few years later and our police force been as much help as a chocolate fireguard.

[jamesson]

dc2rr07 said:

Brilliant stuff

Nice to see plod was just as helpful back then as it is now, I seem to recall Marcus Gronholm having a similar issue a few years later and our police force been as much help as a chocolate fireguard.

Would you normally expect to see cars missing a wheel being allowed to drive on the public road? The fact that it's a rally car makes no difference.

[Escy]

I was there and was lucky enough to see Carlos Sainz's car go bang. It happened on the corner just before the long straight through the forest which opened up into the field by the house. He managed to get it a fair distance before it gave up.

Rallying is rubbish these days, I don't know any of the drivers really. I went to Wales Rally GB and it was terrible. The cars are uninspiring, the field was tiny. It was a complete waste of money. I've been to better club rally's. Shame how a great sport can fall so far.

[Alex Langheck]

jamesson said:

Would you normally expect to see cars missing a wheel being allowed to drive on the public road? The fact that it's a rally car makes no difference.

Other competitors have been given a police escort - so why wasn't Makinen? However, the rule has now been changed after Loeb's antics on the Acropolis 4-5 years ago: driving on 2 wheels back to service......

[Ian_C]

Was quite a close to the season and a golden era of rallying - post Group B at least. As others have mentioned, cannot believe this was 15 years ago now!

[BlimeyCharlie]

Escy said:

I was there and was lucky enough to see Carlos Sainz's car go bang. It happened on the corner just before the long straight through the forest which opened up into the field by the house. He managed to get it a fair distance before it gave up.

Rallying is rubbish these days, I don't know any of the drivers really. I went to Wales Rally GB and it was terrible. The cars are uninspiring, the field was tiny. It was a complete waste of money. I've been to better club rally's. Shame how a great sport can fall so far.

I saw it too. And I still have the video I shot of the exact moment it went pop, which to the best of my knowledge would be a world exclusive.

[Daniel1]

I love this era of rallying, right when I realised I was ugly so cars, not girls, were for me.