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.

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 CountryRacing DriverRally DriverMotorcycle RacerFrance Olivier Panis Sébastien Loeb Randy de PunietUnited States Boris Said Casey Mears Travis PastranaGreat Britain Guy Smith David Higgins James ToselandFinland JJ Lehto Timo Salonen Samuli AroSpain Oriol Servià Flavio Alonso Emilio AlzamoraSweden Björn Wirdheim Daniel Carlsson Tony RickardssonItaly Rinaldo Capello Renato Travaglia Alessandro GramigniGermany Sven Heidfeld Armin Kremer Alex HofmannAll-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. Kenny Brack was to represent Sweden, but due to injury sustained in a CART accident Wirdheim took his place.

Junior Rally Masters

Group stage DriverRacesWinsLossesBest Time François Duval3302:10.04 Daniel Carlsson3212:09.28 Txus Jaio3122:19.27 Francisco Suárez3032:10.66

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

Driver 1 Time 1 Driver 2 Time 2 François Duval 1:59.04 Daniel Carlsson 1:59.76

Nations' Cup

Group stage

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 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 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 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.RallyRacingMotorcycle 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

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 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 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 stage

Group A

DriverRacesWinsLossesBest Time Renato Travaglia3301:58.07 Dani Sordo3122:03.68 Timo Salonen3122:06.47 Martin Rowe3122:07.45

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

DriverRacesWinsLossesBest Time Flavio Alonso3301:54.50 Oriol Servià3211:54.03 Emilio Alzamora3121:56.67 Thomas Biagi3031:56.77

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

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

External links https://web.archive.org/web/20050203014113/http://www.carreradecampeones.org/