In 1996, SUBARU was now the defending champion. Sainz left the team, and was replaced by Kenneth Eriksson and Piero Liatti. With 1995 champion Colin McRae remaining on as the ace driver, and joined by Didier Auriol for some events, the team enjoyed an all-star lineup. But unexpected hardships were in store that year.
In the opening rounds, the team couldn't really get going, and failed to get the wins it wanted. The first win finally came in Round 4 (the Acropolis Rally), but victory continued to remain elusive until determined McRae won the season's final two rounds, San Remo and Catalunya (Rounds 8 and 9). Although the Drivers' Title went to Mitsubishi's Tommi Makinen, SUBARU had won the Manufacturers' Title for the second year running.
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Didier Auriol
