Burns Brings Pirelli Its 18th World Title

Richard Burns drove his Subaru-Pirelli to the 2001 World Rally Drivers' Championship after finishing 3rd on the Rally GB that finished in Cardiff this afternoon. It is the 30-year old Englishman's first World Crown while it marks the 18th World Crown for Pirelli, five of which have come from its technical partnership with Subaru, started in 1994.

Three Pirelli drivers - including Ford-Pirelli's Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz - began this final round of the World Championship with a chance of the Title. McRae crashed out of the event while leading and Sainz was withdrawn from fourth place, handing the Manufacturers' Championship to Peugeot. With Tommi Makinen (the only other possible champion) retiring on the opening day, Burns has been able to cruise to the title and he has not been called upon to show just how fast he can drive in the slippery Welsh forests.

Pirelli Motorsport Director, Paul Hembery, said today: 'Naturally we are delighted to have helped Richard become the first English World Rally Champion on his home event. The fact that Pirelli started this rally with three possible World Champions underlines the consistent performance of the PZero tyre range this season on all surfaces and in all conditions.'

Attention now turns to the 2002 WRC season that starts in less than eight weeks' time with testing getting underway for both Monte Carlo and Sweden immediately after this event. Subaru-Pirelli's line-up for the season will include new-signing 4 times world champion Tommi Makinen along with Petter Solberg, while Markko Martin moves from Subaru to the Ford-Pirelli team to join Colin McRae and Sainz.

Sunday November 25

WRC Manufacturers: 1.Peugeot p.106; 2. Ford 86; 3. Mitsubishi 69; 4. Subaru 66; 5. Skoda 17; 6. Hyundai 17.

WRC Drivers: 1. Burns 44; 2. McRae 42; 3. Makinen 41; 4. Gronholm 36; 5. Rovanpera 36; 6. Sainz 33.

The 18 Rally World Crowns For Pirelli

The 2 Fia Drivers' Cups
1977Sandro MunariLancia Stratos

1978Markku AlenFiat 131 Abarth

The Group A World Title
1986Kenneth Eriksson;Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v

Cardiff, November 25, 2001