Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Tommi Makinen will be aiming for an extraordinary sixth victory in seven years on the ninth round of the 2000 FIA World Rally Championship, the Rally Finland. Driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Makinen will be the man to beat, while Mitsubishi can also rely on Belgium's Freddy Loix in a Mitsubishi Carisma GT.

In many respects, Finland's premier sports event is the ultimate rally. So many of the world's top rally drivers have come from Finland that the pace has always been searchingly fast and it is the rally that all drivers want to win. High speed roads winding through the picturesque lakeland region of central Finland and the numerous jumps that pitch the cars into the air for metres at a time make it a daunting test of skill and courage. For non-Finns, it is the toughest challenge: only three of them have won it in the past 25 years. The rally is also a breathtaking spectacle and although Finland is one of Europe's less densely populated countries, the crowds are always huge.

Tommi Makinen was born in the heart of Rally Finland country and his record on his home rally is second to none. The Lancer Evolution driver has been beaten at home only once since 1994 and with co-driver Risto Mannisenmaki, he is inevitably one of the favourites this year.

"Of course it is special for any Finn to do well on this rally and I want very much to win again. We need some good results at the moment and I am very happy with the testing we have done. I think we can show the others something", Makinen promised.

Belgians Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets will offer Makinen strong support in their Michelin-equipped Carisma GT and they are also in a positive frame of mind after pre-rally testing.

"I think this is one of the most difficult rallies for any driver, but it is also very satisfying when you go well - the stages are so quick. Mitsubishi has a lot of experience in Finland and although it will be difficult to be as fast as Tommi, I hope we can get a good result", Loix stated.

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart is making extensive changes to the Lancer Evolution and the Carisma GT for this event. Thorough testing has resulted in modified front suspension with new lightweight lower arm and a new tubular front subframe that saves weight as well as improving front suspension geometry. It also contributes to better weight distribution. New differentials with altered electronic mapping have improved handling and traction. Three more days of testing are planned just before the rally to refine the cars still further.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart Tommi Makinen (Photo: '00 June. Test in Finland)

"We go to Finland with renewed confidence, as our testing in Finland did go particularly well. We weren't able to use all the new specification parts in New Zealand and we therefore expect to do better in Finland. Both drivers report a big improvement with the Finland specification and we are looking to get a good result from both of them. We are still in touch with the World Championship leaders and we are looking to Finland to kickstart our campaign for the second half of the season", Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart team manager Phil Short commented.

"When you look at individual stage times in Finland over the years, you see how close the drivers are. The pressure builds up and you often find that cars are very close together throughout the rally, but the early stages can also shape the whole event. The speed of the rally and the jumps mean that if a driver makes a mistake it's likely to be a serious one, but it's also the sort of rally where you can't afford a big time loss", he added.

Mitsubishi Motors drivers will be aiming for an amazing record on the Rally Finland: a ninth successive victory in the Group N production car class in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2000. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Mitsubishi Carisma GT drivers will be the hot favourites for the most northerly round of the series, which promises the toughest competition yet this season.

The Rally Finland runs in the densely wooded lakeland region in the centre of the country and it used to be known as the 1000 Lakes Rally. It is in many respects the rally driver's ultimate challenge: famous for its ultra-fast dirt roads and enormous jumps, success demands centimetre- perfect judgement, immense bravery and plenty of experience. Only the world's best drivers succeed in such a daunting environment and beating the Finns on home soil is sure to be one of the highlights of any driver's career.

Naturally, the Finns will be present in force and despite the presence of numerous top-quality rivals, they will be the drivers to beat. Likely front runners include Jouko Puhakka, Jani Paasonen and Juso Pykalisto, all driving Mitsubishi Carisma GTs, with the odds possibly favouring Paasonen, who won Group N on the Swedish Rally in February.

Mitsubishi Carisma GT Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart Freddy Loix (Photo: '00 June. Test in Finland)

"Beating the Swedes on their rally was very difficult and it makes me more confident for my home event. There is a lot of opposition, but we have a good car and I think we can win again", Paasonen said.

Against such tough local opposition, even the World Championship pacesetters may struggle to win. Championship leader Manfred Stohl of Austria celebrated his second victory of the season on last month's Rally of New Zealand in his Carisma GT, but is realistic about his chances in Finland.

"I would like very much to win in Finland and the roads are a bit like New Zealand, so I have some feeling for them, but it is very difficult to beat the Finns at home. To win would be fantastic, but my main opponent is Gustavo Trelles and finishing is important for the World Championship", Stohl commented.

Most of the potential front runners are driving Mitsubishis, recognising that their combination of speed and durability makes them the ideal choice in the showroom category. They include four- times Group N World Champion Gustavo Trelles of Uruguay, Argentine duo Gabriel Pozzo and Claudio Menzi - all three of them have won Group N at least once this year in Lancer Evolutions - along with top Swede Kenneth Backlund and former Group N World Champion Jesus Puras of Spain, both driving Carisma GTs.

"I know this rally quite well and I have a good feeling for it. The car works very well here and we need a win to keep the pressure on Manfred, but that will be very difficult, because the opposition is so strong. It is a big challenge", Trelles stated.

This year's rally is based in the university town of Jyvaskyla, in keeping with tradition, but it has a new look to it, with three new stages in the first leg. Starting on August 18, competitors face 10 stages, comprising 128 kilometres, in a loop west and north of Jyvaskyla centred on Tikkakoski. The second leg is the longest and potentially the toughest, including some of the longest and most demanding stages of the rally, notably the classic, ultra-fast Ouninpohja test. The eight stages, south-west of Jyvaskyla, total 165 kilometres. The third and final leg is the shortest, but with 116-out kilometres, and second visits to Ouninpohja and the highly demanding Vaheri stages, it promises to keep the result in the balance until the very end. After 1680 kilometres, 410 of them on special stages, the winner crosses the finish ramp in the afternoon of August 20.