The road to victory

BBC Sport Online charts Richard Burns' world title-winning season.

Monte Carlo - 18-21 January

Tommi Makinen launches his campaign to regain his world title by winning in Monte Carlo while Burns can only look on, having failed to make the start of the second day.
Race report

Championship standings: 1. T Makinen (Fin, Mitsubishi) 10, 2. C Sainz (Spa, Ford) 6, 3. F Delecour (Fra, Ford) 4

Burns found his form in Sweden - but no points

Sweden - 8-11 February

Harri Rovanpera scores the first victory of his career to move top of standings with fellow Finn Makinen, but again Burns misses out, despite setting fastest time on every stage of final day.
Race report

Standings: 1. Makinen, Sainz & H Rovanpera (Fin, Peugeot) 10

Portugal - 8-11 March

Burns gets his tally underway with a battling fourth spot at a rain-lashed event while Makinen regains outright lead with his second victory of campaign.
Race report

Standings: 1. T Makinen 20, 2. Sainz 16, 3. Rovanpera 10

Spain - 22-25 March

Burns falls further behind in the standings after finishing in seventh spot while Frenchman Didier Auriol wins for Peugeot.
Race report

Standings: 1. Makinen 24, 2. Sainz 18, 3. Rovanpera & D Auriol (Fra, Peugeot) 10

Burns got some vital points on the board in Argentina

Argentina - 3-6 May

Burns proves that he is still in the title hunt after completing a British one-two, with Colin McRae winning in South America.
Race report

Standings:
1. Makinen 27, 2. Sainz 22, 3. C McRae (Gbr, Ford), Rovanpera & Auriol 10

Cyprus - 31 May-3 June

McRae deliberately slows, amid the sun-scorched mountain roads, to give Burns the lead at the end of the second day, then benefits from a cleaner path to beat his British rival into second spot again.
Race report

Standings: 1. Makinen 27, 2. Sainz 26, 3. McRae 20

Acropolis - 14-17 June

McRae completes a stunning hat-trick of victories, while Burns' hopes of maintaining his challenge are hit by retirement.
Race report

Standings: 1. Makinen & McRae 30, 3. Sainz 26

Safari - 19-22 July

Burns is yet again out of the points, but Makinen survives a collision with a rock on the final stage to win and regain the overall lead in the championship battle.
Race report

Standings: 1. Makinen 40, 2. McRae 30, 3. Sainz 26

Burns beat McRae to second place in Finland

Finland - 24-26 August

Burns is back in the points with second, bowing to the local expertise of reigning world champion Marcus Gronholm who wins his first event of the season.
Race report

Standings:
1. Makinen 40, 2. McRae 34, 3. Sainz 27

New Zealand - 20-23 September

Burns wins a tactical battle in New Zealand for his first victory of the season and is suddenly a realistic title contender.
Race report

Standings: 1. McRae & Makinen 40, 3. Burns (Gbr, Subaru) 31

San Remo - 4-7 October

Burns' hopes of a double are ended less than two miles into the event when he slides into a ditch, while tarmac specialist Gilles Panizzi wins.
Race report

Standings: 1. Makinen & McRae 40, 3. Sainz 33

Corsica - 19-21 October

Burns battles his way to fourth as Jesus Puras triumphs and British rival McRae finishes back down in 11th.
Race report

Standings: 1. Makinen & McRae 40, 3. Burns 34

Australia - 1-4 November

Burns is second to Gronholm to set up a finale in which four drivers, including McRae, Makinen and Carlos Sainz, are still in with a chance of the title.
Race report

Standings: 1. McRae 42, 2. Makinen 41, 3. Burns 40

Burns secured the world crown with a third place on home soil

Great Britain - 22-25 November

Burns snatches the championship by two points from McRae after finishing third as Gronholm wins the British rally.
Race report

Final standings:
1. Burns 44, 2. McRae 42, 3. Makinen 41