Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Tommi Makinen will contest the 2000 Michelin Race of Champions Nations Cup in the Canary Islands on the weekend of 8-10 December.
The top drivers from many branches of motorsport compete in the Michelin Race of Champions
|
Based on the Canary Islands, off the northwest coast of Africa, the Race of Champions itself actually celebrates its 13th running this year. The original competition, which began in 1988, featured only stars from the world of rallying and moved from its original base in France to Germany and Spain before settling in the Canary Islands in 1992. It was, and still is, a separate stand-alone knock-out format of head-to-head runs, for individual rally drivers, over three heats, culminating in a final duel between the two fastest drivers. Last year, current and former World Rally Champions Tommi Makinen and Didier Auriol were up against each other in the final of the outright Race of Champions, the Finn taking the runners-up slot on that occasion.
The Race of Champions Nations Cup is based on this original idea by Michele Mouton, runner-up in the 1982 FIA World Rally Championship, and her Swedish husband Fredrik Johnson. It was created in 1999, but brings together top names from all forms of world class motor sport in one competitive team event, and was an instant success.
Makinen, the four-times FIA World Rally Champion (1996-1999) has pledged a return to defend Finland's 1999 Nations Cup victory when he, along with team-mates JJ Lehto and Kari Tiainen, won the title in the face of strong opposition from five other national teams. This year, Makinen will be joined by racing star Harri Toivonen and biker Vesa Kytainen.
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Tommi Makinen at speed in his Lancer Evolution during last year's Michelin Race of Champions
|
"After last year I am very much looking forward to returning to the Canary Islands again in December", commented Makinen. "The Michelin Race of Champions is a great end of season event and I am keen to go one better this time and win. I am particularly looking forward to competing again for the Finnish team in the Nations Cup event - I hope we can retain our victory".
This year, the Nations Cup is set to expand from six to eight participating teams comprising one rally driver, one race driver and one biker, all of whom will drive similar four-wheel drive machinery. The qualifying session will see all participants put in timed laps with the accumulated times for each team deciding the proceeding knock-out rounds. The final will be based on the best of nine heats and the first team to win five will win the 2000 Nations Cup.
For the first time in the history of the competition, a Japanese team has also been invited to participate. Mitsubishi’s Kenjiro Shinozuka, former World Rally Championship driver and winner of the legendary Paris-Dakar in 1997, will be partnered by fellow countrymen Hiroki Katoh and Nobuatsu Aoki from circuit and bike racing respectively.
Despite some wet weather last year, winter sunshine should add to the attraction for the thousands of spectators who flock to the purpose-built dual-lane super stage to witness stars from the worlds of rallying, formula one, grand prix and super bikes and Indy cars pit their respective skills against one another. The 2.6 kilometre Spanish Circuit Deportiva Islas Canarias, which is located 10 kilometres from the Gran Canaria capital city of Las Palmas, is 35% asphalt and 65% smooth gravel, yet another challenge for the contenders.
![[ENTRANCE]](img/go_entrance2.gif){kind=small}
![[TOP PAGE]](img/mitsubishi.gif)