# 1998 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup

The 1998 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup season was the 6th season of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup. Jean-Louis Schlesser was the drivers' champion driving his own buggy. Mitsubishi won the Manufacturers' cup.

## Calendar

The calendar featured seven events.
| Round | Dates | Rally name |
| 1 | 1–18 January | Paris-Granada-Dakar |
| 2 | 5–8 March | Italian Baja |
| 3 | 2–11 April | Rallye Optic 2000 de Tunisie |
| 4 | 7–16 May | Rallye Atlas Savane |
| 5 | 18–21 June | Baja Portugal Telecel 1000 |
| 6 | 18–20 July | Baja Movistar España Aragón |
| 7 | 3–6 November | Marlboro UAE Desert Challenge |

## Results

| Round | Rally name | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers |
| Round | Rally name | Rank | Driver | Car | Time |
| 1 | Paris-Granada-Dakar | 1 | Jean-Pierre Fontenay Gilles Picard | Mitsubishi Pajero | 65h25m58s |
| 1 | Paris-Granada-Dakar | 2 | Kenjiro Shinozuka Henri Magne | Mitsubishi Pajero | |
| 1 | Paris-Granada-Dakar | 3 | Bruno Saby Dominique Serieys | Mitsubishi Pajero | |
| 2 | Italian Baja | 1 | Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Monnet | Schlesser Buggy | 7h11m23s |
| 2 | Italian Baja | 2 | Kenjiro Shinozuka Henri Magne | Mitsubishi Pajero | 7h13m34s |
| 2 | Italian Baja | 3 | Curt LeDuc Giorgio Albiero | ProTruck | 7h14m44s |
| 3 | Rallye Optic 2000 de Tunisie | 1 | Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Monnet | Schlesser Buggy | 20h53m52s |
| 3 | Rallye Optic 2000 de Tunisie | 2 | Kenjiro Shinozuka Henri Magne | Mitsubishi Pajero | 21h20m55s |
| 3 | Rallye Optic 2000 de Tunisie | 3 | Philippe Alliot Jacky Dubois | Nissan Patrol GR | 23h40m24s |
| 4 | Rallye Atlas Savane | 1 | Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Monnet | Schlesser Buggy | 17h57m43s |
| 4 | Rallye Atlas Savane | 2 | Kenjiro Shinozuka Henri Magne | Mitsubishi Pajero | 17h59m48s |
| 4 | Rallye Atlas Savane | 3 | Pierre Lartigue Alain Guehennec | Ipso Buggy | 18h49m20s |
| 5 | Baja Portugal Telecel 1000 | 1 | Philippe Wambergue Jean-Paul Cottret | Toyota Land Cruiser | 9h47m59s |
| 5 | Baja Portugal Telecel 1000 | 2 | Santos Godinho Victor Jesus | SG Proto | 9h58m17s |
| 5 | Baja Portugal Telecel 1000 | 3 | Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Monnet | Schlesser Buggy | 10h07m16s |
| 6 | Baja Movistar España Aragón | 1 | Jean-Louis Schlesser Jean-Dominique Comolli | Schlesser Buggy | 8h54m59s |
| 6 | Baja Movistar España Aragón | 2 | Francesco Germanetti Oleg Pyalin | Nissan Patrol | 9h07m18s |
| 6 | Baja Movistar España Aragón | 3 | Miguel Prieto Carlos Mas | Mitsubishi Pajero | 9h08m19s |
| 7 | Marlboro UAE Desert Challenge | 1 | Jean-Pierre Fontenay Gilles Picard | Mitsubishi Pajero | 13h46m31s |
| 7 | Marlboro UAE Desert Challenge | 2 | Jean-Louis Schlesser Matthew Stevenson | Schlesser Buggy | 14h23m23s |
| 7 | Marlboro UAE Desert Challenge | 3 | Kenjiro Shinozuka Henri Magne | Mitsubishi Pajero | 14h36m22s |
| Source: ||||||

## Drivers' Championship

The best 6 results, including not more than the best 2 results in Bajas, are taken into account for the final classification of the Cup.
| Pos | Driver | PDA | ITA | TUN | ATL | POR | ARA | ABU | Points |
| 1 | Jean-Louis Schlesser | 5$^{68}$ | 1$^{58}$ | 1$^{87}$ | 1$^{87}$ | (3$^{42}$) | 1$^{58}$ | 2$^{72}$ | 430 |
| 2 | Kenjiro Shinozuka | 2$^{84}$ | 2$^{48}$ | 2$^{72}$ | 2$^{72}$ | Ret$^0$ | - | 3$^{63}$ | 339 |
| 3 | Jean-Pierre Fontenay | 1$^{116}$ | - | Ret$^0$ | Ret$^0$ | - | - | 1$^{87}$ | 203 |
| 4 | Philippe Alliot | 6$^{60}$ | - | 3$^{63}$ | 5$^{36}$ | - | - | 6$^{30}$ | 189 |
| 5 | Bruno Saby | 3$^{64}$ | - | - | 4$^{48}$ | - | - | - | 112 |
| 6 | Jean-Pierre Strugo | 13$^{12}$ | - | 6$^{45}$ | - | - | 4$^{38}$ | 10$^{15}$ | 110 |

## Manufacturers' Championship

In order to be featured in the final classification of the Cup, a manufacturer must enter at least 5 events. Only Group T1 and T2 cars are eligible.
The best 6 results, including not more than the best 2 results in Bajas, are taken into account for the final classification of the Cup.
| Pos | Driver | PDA | ITA | TUN | ATL | POR | ARA | ABU | Points |
| 1 | Mitsubishi | 80 | 40 | 60 | 60 | (34) | 40 | 60 | 340 |
| 2 | Nissan | 12 | 34 | 42 | 42 | 20 | (8) | 48 | 198 |
| 3 | Toyota | 20 | - | 45 | 36 | 40 | 18 | 9 | 168 |
| 4 | Land Rover | 0 | - | 9 | 0 | 0 | 20 | - | 29 |