Метка: history

WRC — Subaru Team 1995 (PHOTO)

SUBARU WRC 1995

Subaru used the rally team to demonstrate their proprietary symmetrical all-wheel drive system. Thanks to their performances in the World Championship, Subaru planned to increase sales of their cars and popularize the AWD system.

The team has been extremely strong throughout its history, competing in the WRC more than any other manufacturer of the time. Subaru WRT has won the championship three times in the manufacturers’ standings (1995, 1996, and 1997), as well as three times in the drivers’ individual standings (1995, 2001 and 2003). However, the team’s success began to decline starting with the 2005 season, when Petter Solberg secured the second position in the individual standings. The results did not meet expectations and became the object of criticism. In 2006, an updated car was brought to the stages of the World Championship, which had high hopes. However, that season was a complete disappointment. The following year, 2007, was no better, and Phil Mills called it «the second season from hell.»

FIA GT Season 2000 (PHOTO)

FIA GT SEASON 2000

The 2000 FIA GT Championship was the fourth FIA GT Championship, an auto racing series endorsed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO). The races featured grand touring cars divided into two categories, GT and N GT, with drivers and teams titles awarded for each category. The championship began on 26 March 2000 and ended 22 October 2000 after ten races, all held in Europe.

After the 1999 season featured just a single category of cars competing, the FIA GT Championship once again became a two-class series for 2000 with the introduction of the Group N-GT cars by the FIA. The new category was positioned below the former GT2 class of cars from 1997 to 1999, now renamed to just GT, and was awarded an FIA Cup instead of a full FIA Championship. Britons Julian Bailey and Jamie Campbell-Walter won the GT Drivers’ Championship with five victories, in chassis number GTM 002 driving for the GT team champions Lister Storm Racing in their first full season of FIA GT competition. Christophe Bouchut and Patrice Goueslard were the inaugural N-GT Cup winners, driving for Teams title winners Larbre Compétition Chereau.