Rallye Monte Carlo 2000
Thursday 20 January
COMMUNIQUE 2

MAKINEN LEADS RALLYE MONTE CARLO
AND MITSUBISHI DOMINATE TOP 8 IN GROUP N

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart has made an excellent start to the Rallye Monte Carlo, the first round of the 2000 FIA World Rally Championship, with four-times World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen grabbing a brilliant lead in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Team-mate Freddy Loix is also running well in 12th place in his Mitsubishi Carisma GT.

Huge crowds have flocked to the traditional season-opener from every corner of Europe, but although they have enjoyed bright sunshine, there has been plenty of snow and ice on the twisty, demanding stages of the Alps. Only the bravest and most confident drivers thrive in such conditions and the gaps between the leaders are already large. Conditions predictably deteriorated as night fell and most of the top drivers switched to studded ice tyres that are unique to this rally.

Tommi Makinen, co-driven by fellow Finn Risto Mannisenmaki, enjoyed a trouble-free first leg in his Lancer Evolution and burst into the lead on the most icy stages at the end of the leg, thanks to a shrewd choice of Michelin tyres. He is confident that he can go quicker still with the bulk of the rally still in front of him.

"It’s been a good day and I am obviously happy, not only with our position but how well we have worked with Michelin and our ice crew. We made a good choice of tyres for the last two stages. It was really difficult, with a lot of ice downhill on the last stage especially. The car has been very good but it is still early in the rally, so many things can happen, but I am looking forward to a good fight with Richard (Burns) and Gilles (Panizzi)", Makinen commented.

Belgians Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets are pleased with the Carisma GT’s performance, but Loix admitted that he hopes to increase his pace for the rest of the rally after a prudent start.

"I am very happy with the car, but I think we have a bit too much information in the pace notes and it is a bit complicated. It has been difficult today with quite a lot of ice, but I think it is important for me to gain the experience and then I know I can go faster", he said.

Mitsubishi traditionally excels in the Group N production category and, once again, Lancer Evolutions and Carisma GTs are setting the pace in the top eight positions. Germany’s Uwe Nittel has established an impressive one and a half minute lead over Manfred Stohl, while reigning World Champion Gustavo Trelles is third.

The second leg could well be the toughest of the rally, with five stages totaling 162 kilometres, including the longest stage of the event, at 48 kilometres. All of them are near Gap and plenty of ice is expected.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION AFTER LEG 1