TAP Rallye de Portugal 2000
Sunday 19 March
COMMUNIQUE 5

LOIX SCORES POINTS FOR MARLBORO MITSUBISHI RALLIART
AS CAMPOS WINS IN GROUP N

The Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart crew of Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets finished the Rally of Portugal in sixth position, scoring one point for themselves and two points for Mitsubishi when they returned to Porto fifth of the nominated 2000 FIA World Rally Championship contenders. The crew moved up the order late this afternoon when Markko Martin incurred a 90 second penalty for illegal servicing.

Winning the rally for Subaru, Richard Burns picked up maximum points and the partnership now takes the lead in both Championships. However, the two points awarded to Freddy Loix ensures Mitsubishi maintains its second position, equal with Peugeot, in the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers. Reigning World Champion Tommi Makinen has led the series since Rally Australia 1998, but has now slipped into second position, alongside Marcus Gronholm, going into the fifth round.

Mitsubishi Carisma GT driver Freddy Loix has a fine record in Portugal and has never previously finished outside the top three, however small but frustrating problems hampered his charge this year. On such demanding terrain, even finishing the rally is an achievement and, in fact, the rate of attrition has been so high that no less than 62 of the 114 original starters retired during the 1,646 kilometre route.

Today’s closing leg included just three stages and 60.30 competitive kilometres, the narrow tree-lined mountain roads hosting a nail-biting finale between Burns and Peugeot’s Marcus Gronholm. Thousands of enthusiastic spectators basked in mid-twenty degree temperatures, undeterred by the clouds of billowing dust thrown up by the cars over the dry gravel roads.

"I am pleased to have scored points for Mitsubishi and we have set some good times when the car has been running well", said Freddy. "But I am not so happy with the result because this is an event where I know I can go well. In the second last stage I had a small problem with the brakes overheating, but also the set-up was not so good because the diff settings changed during the stage. Now we must look to Spain and we have made steps forward with the Lancer Evolution/Carisma GT on tarmac, and there are improvements from Sanremo last year".

Adding to Freddy comments, Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart team manager Phil Short said: "Freddy’s points keep us in contention, but it has been a difficult rally and we have had some problems. Including Monte Carlo, we have won the last two tarmac rallies so I think we have a lot to be positive about as we look to the next event".

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions and Carisma GTs customarily dominate the Group N category, which is the ultimate test of showroom machinery, and Miguel Campos’s victory was Mitsubishi’s fourth in as many World Championship rallies this season. The talented Portuguese drove carefully over the closing stages, well aware that he could easily damage his car in such rough conditions and that he already had a substantial lead in the class. Austria’s Manfred Stohl extended his Group N World Championship lead with a fine second place in his similar car, with Peru’s Ramon Ferreyros third and another Portuguese driver, Pedro Dias Da Silva, fourth. Sadly, promising Argentine driver Claudio Menzi rolled his Lancer Evolution near the finish after running in the top three on his first rally in Europe.

"It has been a fantastic rally for us", declared Campos. "We’ve had no serious problems at all and I’m really pleased with the performance of the car. We have had a lot of tough opposition and it hasn’t been easy".

The FIA World Rally Championship contenders now cross the border into Spain for Rallye Catalunya Costa Brava (30 March-2 April). This all-tarmac event, based around the coastal tourist resort of Lloret de Mar, is a firm favourite with drivers and spectators alike and, following a successful test two weeks ago, Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart is confident of setting the pace. "The car seems a lot faster than I remember from our last tarmac event in Sanremo last year", said Makinen, "so I am happy that we will be in the fight for victory",

FINAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION