2003 Race of Champions

The 2003 Race of Champions took place on November 28–30 at Gran Canaria for the final time. It was also the last year for three-car teams in the Nations' Cup (including one motorcycle racer), with the focus on rally drivers fading after this year's event due to the later stadium-based venues using all-tarmac tracks.

2003 Race of Champions
Previous: 2002 Next: 2004

The vehicles used were the Peugeot 206 WRC, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII Group N, the Subaru Impreza WRX and the ROC Buggy.

The individual competition was won by Sébastien Loeb, whilst the Nations' Cup was won by the All-Star line-up of Fonsi Nieto, Gilles Panizzi and Cristiano da Matta.

Participants
Country Racing Driver Rally Driver Motorcycle Racer
France Olivier Panis Sébastien Loeb Randy de Puniet
United States Boris Said Casey Mears Travis Pastrana
Great Britain Guy Smith David Higgins James Toseland
Finland JJ Lehto Timo Salonen Samuli Aro
Spain Oriol Servià Flavio Alonso Emilio Alzamora
Sweden Björn Wirdheim Daniel Carlsson Tony Rickardsson
Italy Rinaldo Capello Renato Travaglia Alessandro Gramigni
Germany Sven Heidfeld Armin Kremer Alex Hofmann
All-Stars Cristiano da Matta Gilles Panizzi Fonsi Nieto
  • Nick Heidfeld was originally confirmed for Germany but had prior commitments, his brother Sven taking his place.
  • Johnny Herbert was originally confirmed for Great Britain but had prior commitments, Smith taking his place.
  • Marcus Grönholm was to represent Finland, but due to testing commitments could not arrive in time for the Nations Cup. Salonen took his place.[1]
  • Kenny Brack was to represent Sweden, but due to injury sustained in a CART accident Wirdheim took his place.[2]

Junior Rally Masters

Group Stage
Driver Races Wins Losses Best Time
François Duval 3 3 0 2:10.04
Daniel Carlsson 3 2 1 2:09.28
Txus Jaio 3 1 2 2:19.27
Francisco Suárez 3 0 3 2:10.66
Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2
Daniel Carlsson 2:15.11 François Duval 2:13.13
Txus Jaio 2:19.27 Francisco Suárez DNF
François Duval 2:11.68 Txus Jaio 02:15.78
Francisco Suárez 2:23.69 (penalty) Daniel Carlsson 2:11.51
François Duval 2:10.04 Francisco Suárez 2:10.66
Txus Jaio 2:12.10 Daniel Carlsson 2:09.28

Final
 
Final
 
  
 
 
 
 
 François Duval1
 
 
 Daniel Carlsson0
 
Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2
François Duval 1:59.04 Daniel Carlsson 1:59.76

Nations' Cup

Group A
Pos. Team Races Wins Losses Total Time Driver Wins Losses Best Time
1 Sweden 6 4 2 6:00.60 Daniel Carlsson 1 1 1:56.77
Björn Wirdheim 1 1 2:01.13
Tony Rickardsson 2 0 2:02.70
2 Finland 6 3 3 5:56.92 Timo Salonen 1 1 1:57.69
JJ Lehto 2 0 1:59.32
Samuli Aro 0 2 1:59.91
3 France 6 2 4 5:56.15 Sébastien Loeb 1 1 1:56.05
Olivier Panis 0 2 2:00.19
Randy de Puniet 1 1 1:59.91
Team 1 Time 1 Score Team 2 Time 2
Finland 2-1 Sweden
Samuli Aro 2:05.68 Tony Rickardsson 2:02.70
JJ Lehto 1:59.77 Björn Wirdheim 2:03.58
Timo Salonen 1:59.93 Daniel Carlsson 2:14.20 (penalty)
Sweden 3-0 France
Tony Rickardsson 2:03.24 Randy de Puniet 2:13.09 (penalty)
Björn Wirdheim 2:01.13 Olivier Panis 2:02.42
Daniel Carlsson 1:56.77 Sébastien Loeb 2:06.91 (penalty)
France 2-1 Finland
Randy de Puniet 1:59.91 Samuli Aro 1:59.91
Olivier Panis 2:00.19 JJ Lehto 1:59.32
Sébastien Loeb 1:56.05 Timo Salonen 1:57.69

Group B
Pos. Team Races Wins Losses Total Time Driver Wins Losses Best Time
1 Spain 6 6 0 5:51.52 Flavio Alonso 2 0 1:56.81
Oriol Servià 2 0 1:57.53
Emilio Alzamora 2 0 1:57.18
2 Italy 6 2 4 6:00.73 Renato Travaglia 1 1 1:56.92
Rinaldo Capello 1 1 1:59.84
Alessandro Gramigni 0 2 2:03.97
3 Great Britain 6 1 5 6:03.51 David Higgins 0 2 1:57.72
Guy Smith 0 2 2:03.73
James Toseland 1 1 2:02.06
Team 1 Time 1 Score Team 2 Time 2
Italy 2-1 Great Britain
Alessandro Gramigni 2:03.97 James Toseland 2:02.06
Rinaldo Capello 2:00.05 Guy Smith 2:03.73
Renato Travaglia 1:56.92 David Higgins 3:30.70
Great Britain 0-3 Spain
James Toseland DNF Emilio Alzamora 1:58.83
Guy Smith 2:25.56 Oriol Servià 2:00.49
David Higgins 1:57.72 Flavio Alonso 1:56.81
Spain 3-0 Italy
Emilio Alzamora 1:57.18 Alessandro Gramigni 2:11.34 (penalty)
Oriol Servià 1:57.53 Rinaldo Capello 1:59.84
Flavio Alonso 1:56.96 Renato Travaglia 1:57.45

Group C
Pos. Team Races Wins Losses Total Time Driver Wins Losses Best Time
1 All-Stars 6 4 2 5:55.38 Gilles Panizzi 2 0 1:58.15
Cristiano da Matta 2 0 1:57.37
Fonsi Nieto 0 2 1:59.86
2 USA 6 3 3 5:55.06 Casey Mears 0 2 1:59.92
Boris Said 1 1 1:59.79
Travis Pastrana 2 0 1:55.35
3 Germany 6 2 4 5:57.55 Armin Kremer 1 1 1:58.47
Sven Heidfeld 0 2 2:00.97
Alex Hofmann 1 1 1:58.11
Team 1 Time 1 Score Team 2 Time 2
USA 2-1 Germany
Travis Pastrana 1:57.16 Alex Hofmann 2:01.41
Boris Said 2:03.04 Sven Heidfeld 2:03.25
Casey Mears 1:59.92 Armin Kremer 1:48.57
Germany 1-2 All-Stars
Alex Hofmann 1:58.11 Fonsi Nieto 1:59.86
Sven Heidfeld 2:00.97 Cristiano da Matta 1:59.25
Armin Kremer 1:58.74 Gilles Panizzi 1:58.15
All-Stars 2-1 USA
Fonsi Nieto 2:00.60 Travis Pastrana 1:55.35
Cristiano da Matta 1:57.37 Boris Said 1:59.79
Gilles Panizzi 1:58.18 Casey Mears 2:02.85
  • USA progress to the semi-finals by having the fastest total time of the losing teams.

Best Times
Pos. Rally Racing Motorcycle
Driver Best Time Driver Best Time Driver Best Time
1 Sébastien Loeb 1:56.05 Cristiano da Matta 1:57.37 Travis Pastrana 1:55.35
2 Daniel Carlsson 1:56.77 Oriol Servià 1:57.53 Emilio Alzamora 1:57.18
3 Flavio Alonso 1:56.81 JJ Lehto 1:59.32 Alex Hofmann 1:58.11
4 Renato Travaglia 1:56.92 Boris Said 1:59.79 Fonsi Nieto 1:59.86
5 Timo Salonen 1:57.69 Rinaldo Capello 1:59.84 Samuli Aro 1:59.91
6 David Higgins 1:57.72 Olivier Panis 2:00.19 Randy de Puniet 1:59.91
7 Gilles Panizzi 1:58.15 Sven Heidfeld 2:00.97 James Toseland 2:02.06
8 Armin Kremer 1:58.47 Björn Wirdheim 2:01.13 Tony Rickardsson 2:02.70
9 Casey Mears 1:59.92 Guy Smith 2:03.73 Alessandro Gramigni 2:03.97

Knockout stage
 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
 
 
 
 Spain3
 
 
 
 Sweden0
 
 Spain2
 
 
 
 All-Stars3
 
 All-Stars3
 
 
 USA2
 

Semifinals
Team 1 Time 1 Score Team 2 Time 2
Spain 3-0 Sweden
Emilio Alzamora 2:00.69 Tony Rickardsson 2:02.07
Oriol Servià 2:00.48 Björn Wirdheim 2:02.91
Flavio Alonso 1:54.58 Daniel Carlsson 1:55.45
All-Stars 3–2 United States
Fonsi Nieto DNF Travis Pastrana 2:28.61
Cristiano da Matta 1:59.51 Boris Said 2:00.30
Gilles Panizzi 1:53.88 Casey Mears 1:56.34
Fonsi Nieto 2:02.23 Travis Pastrana 1:56.59
Cristiano da Matta 1:57.75 Boris Said 2:00.61

Final
Team 1 Time 1 Score Team 2 Time 2
Spain 2-3 All-Stars
Emilio Alzamora 1:58.15 Fonsi Nieto 2:02.42
Oriol Servià 1:59.30 Cristiano da Matta 1:58.45
Flavio Alonso 1:53.37 Gilles Panizzi 1:52.62
Emilio Alzamora 1:56.92 Fonsi Nieto 1:59.26
Oriol Servià 1:59.73 Cristiano da Matta 1:57.98

Race of Champions

Participation in the main Race of Champions was awarded primarily on the basis of having the best times in the Nations' Cup. There were several exceptions to this rule however - Marcus Grönholm, as the defending champion, was guaranteed a spot, whilst Cristiano da Matta, despite having the best time among racing drivers in the Nations' Cup, did not participate. François Duval secured his place by winning the Junior event, Dani Sordo won the Spanish Masters event, Timo Salonen was an invited 'seeded' driver and Martin Rowe was invited for having won the 2003 PWRC title. Thomas Biagi meanwhile earned his place by beating FIA GT teammate Matteo Bobbi and Volkswagen Cup UK winner Rob Carvell.

Group A
Driver Races Wins Losses Best Time
Renato Travaglia 3 3 0 1:58.07
Dani Sordo 3 1 2 2:03.68
Timo Salonen 3 1 2 2:06.47
Martin Rowe 3 1 2 2:07.45
Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2
Dani Sordo DNF Renato Travaglia 1:58.07
Martin Rowe 2:07.45 Timo Salonen 2:07.71
Timo Salonen 2:06.47 Dani Sordo 2:15 47 (penalty)
Renato Travaglia 2:04.27 Martin Rowe 2:05.80
Dani Sordo 2:03.68 Martin Rowe 2:14.38 (penalty)
Timo Salonen 2:08.11 Renato Travaglia 2:04.33

Group B
Driver Races Wins Losses Best Time
Flavio Alonso 3 3 0 1:54.50
Oriol Servià 3 2 1 1:54.03
Emilio Alzamora 3 1 2 1:56.67
Thomas Biagi 3 0 3 1:56.77
Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2
Oriol Servià 1:55.71 Emilio Alzamora 1:59.99
Thomas Biagi 2:02.72 Flavio Alonso 1:57.05
Flavio Alonso 1:54.84 Oriol Servià 1:55.64
Emilio Alzamora 1:56.67 Thomas Biagi 2:07.61 (penalty)
Emilio Alzamora 1:54.53 Flavio Alonso 1:54.50
Oriol Servià 1:54.03 Thomas Biagi 1:56.77

Knockout stage
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 
 
 
 Sébastien Loeb2
 
 
 
 Daniel Carlsson0
 
 Sébastien Loeb2
 
 
 
 François Duval0
 
 Flavio Alonso0
 
 
 
 François Duval2
 
 Sébastien Loeb2
 
 
 
 Marcus Grönholm0
 
 Marcus Grönholm1
 
 
 
 Travis Pastrana0
 
 Marcus Grönholm2
 
 
 
 Gilles Panizzi1
 
 Gilles Panizzi2
 
 
 Renato Travaglia0
 

Quarterfinals
Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2
Sébastien Loeb 1:56.96 Daniel Carlsson 1:57.90
Sébastien Loeb 1:51.67 Daniel Carlsson 1:52.38
Flavio Alonso 1:57.13 François Duval 1:57.03
Flavio Alonso 1:52.30 François Duval 1:52.05
Marcus Grönholm 1:56.51 Travis Pastrana 2:37.21
Gilles Panizzi 1:58.21 Renato Travaglia 1:58.57
Gilles Panizzi 1:53.60 Renato Travaglia 1:53.67

Semifinals
Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2
Sébastien Loeb 1:56.55 François Duval 1:56.60
Sébastien Loeb 1:51.85 François Duval 1:52.30
Marcus Grönholm 1:57.07 Gilles Panizzi 1:57.64
Marcus Grönholm 1:53.53 Gilles Panizzi 1:53.46
Marcus Grönholm 1:52.18 Gilles Panizzi 1:53.05

Final
Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2
Sébastien Loeb 1:56.15 Marcus Grönholm 1:56.45
Sébastien Loeb 1:52.30 Marcus Grönholm 1:53.09

References
  1. "Michelin Race of Champions". Archived from the original on 15 November 2006. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  2. "Michelin Race of Champions". Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
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