The Peugeot 307 WRC is a World Rally Car based on the Peugeot 307 road car. It was used by Peugeot Sport, Peugeot's factory team, and replaced the championship-winning 206 WRC from 2004 to 2005 in the World Rally Championship.
Competition history
The vehicle was plagued by transmission problems throughout its career, and the works team's drivers' driving styles did not suit the car's handling characteristics. In 2004, the car took seven podiums and a maiden win in Rally Finland, but it was not able to challenge for the championship as Marcus Grönholm finished fifth in the drivers' championship and Peugeot fourth in the manufacturers' championship.
The 2005 season was more successful, and Peugeot was a serious challenger for the manufacturers' championship, leading the championship after round 10, but the challenge faded after Markko Märtin's retirement from rallying following the death of Martin's co-driver Michael Park during the 2005 Wales Rally of Great Britain. Peugeot ultimately finished second in the manufacturers' championship, while Grönholm finished third in the drivers' championship, tied on points with second-placed Petter Solberg. Grönholm took victories at Rally Finland and Rally Japan along with six other podium finishes, while Märtin took four further podiums.
The car saw its factory supported competition life cut short at the end of 2005 by PSA's decision to withdraw the factory teams of both Citroën and Peugeot from top level rallying. A private undertaking by seasoned Peugeot preparatory firm Bozian Racing, dubbed OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team, largely assumed responsibility for the running of WRC specification 307s for the following season of 2006. Manfred Stohl and Henning Solberg were named as the driving personnel. Stohl impressively placed fourth in the overall drivers' standings, and the 307 WRC took seven podiums by privateer teams that season.
Overall, the car has three WRC victories and 26 podiums to its name, Marcus Grönholm having driven it to the top of the podium in the series at the Rally Finland in 2004 and 2005 as well as at the Rally Japan in 2005.
The 307 WRC will be remembered for the accident that befell WRC competitors Markko Märtin and Michael Park on September 18, 2005, which resulted in co-driver Park's death. On stage 15 of Wales Rally GB, Märtin lost control of his 307 WRC and collided with a tree, killing Park instantly. This was the first fatality in a WRC event since Rodger Freeth in 1993.
WRC victories No. Event Season Driver Co-driver 1 2004 Rally Finland Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen 2 2005 Rally Finland Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen 3 2005 Rally Japan Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen
WRC results Year Entrant Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 TC Points 2004 Peugeot Sport Marcus Grönholm MON4 SWE2 MEX6 NZL2 CYPDSQ GRCRet TUR2 ARGRet FIN1 GERRet JPN4 GBRRet ITA7 FRA4 ESP2 AUSRet 4th 101 Freddy Loix MON5 SWERet ESPRet Harri Rovanperä MEX10 NZL5 CYPDSQ GRC3 TURRet ARG5 FINRet JPN6 GBR6 ITARet AUS2 Cédric Robert GER5 FRARet Freddy Loix MEX NZL CYP GRC TUR ARG FIN GER6 JPN GBR ITA FRA7 AUS Sebastian Lindholm MON SWE MEX NZL CYP GRC TUR ARG FINRet GER JPN GBR ITA FRA ESP AUS Daniel Carlsson MON SWE MEX NZL CYP GRC TUR ARG FIN GER JPN GBRRet ITA FRA ESP AUS 2005 Peugeot Sport Marcus Grönholm MON5 SWERet MEX2 NZL2 ITA3 CYPRet TUR3 GRC4 ARG2 FIN1 GER3 GBRRet JPN1 FRARet ESPRet AUSRet 2nd 135 Markko Märtin MON4 SWE2 MEX3 NZL5 ITA4 CYP3 TUR5 GRC8 ARG6 FIN3 GER4 GBRRet Daniel Carlsson JAP8 AUSRet Nicolas Bernardi FRA8 ESP6 Daniel Carlsson MON SWE6 MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR GRC ARG FIN GER GBR FRA ESP Sebastian Lindholm MON SWE MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR GRC ARG FINRet GER GBR JAP FRA ESP AUS
References
External links