CYPRUS SHAKEDOWN/MITSUBISHI MOTORS/2001 WRC

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart is at full strength for the Rally of Cyprus, the sixth round of the 2001 FIA World Rally Championship, with a three-car team consisting of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions for Tommi Makinen and Katsuhiko Taguchi, and a Mitsubishi Carisma GT for Freddy Loix. Mitsubishi Motors drivers are also the hot favourites to win the Group N production category, having won the class on 20 consecutive World Championship rounds. It is therefore little surprise that all the top Group N drivers are using either Lancer Evolutions or Carisma GTs.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
T. Makinen / R. Mannisenmaki

An idyllic holiday island in the eastern Mediterranean for most visitors, Cyprus promises to be nothing but hard work for the drivers. The narrow, rocky tracks winding through the Troodos Mountains are so twisty that the average speed is lower than on any other World Championship rally, while ferocious early summer heat imposes huge strains on cooling systems, tyres and the crews themselves. Although the route is shorter than on any other World Championship round, winning will certainly not come easily.

Finns Tommi Makinen and Risto Mannisenmaki are leading the World Championship in their Michelin-shod Lancer Evolution and are in confident form after a useful test in Cyprus.

"We did a good test, changed quite a lot on the car and it’s looking good. It turns in well, which is important on these twisty roads. The heat is going to be hard for cooling systems and tyres though", Makinen predicted.

Mitsubishi Carisma GT
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
F. Loix / S. Smeets

Belgian stars Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets are also hoping for a good result, building on the experience gained last year and strong results earlier this season in their Carisma GT.

"It’s a little bit quicker but it’s also rougher than last year. There are a lot of rocks on the road. The car is good. I did a test just before the recce and everything felt fine", Loix stated.

The Cyprus Rally will be a big occasion for Japan’s Katsuhiko Taguchi. Co-driven by Scotsman Derek Ringer, it will be his first drive in the Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart team, his first in Europe and his first in such rough conditions.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
K. Taguchi / D. Ringer

"As it is my first time in the team and my first time in Europe, I really want to finish the rally and gain experience. There are a lot of new things for me, but at least the heat shouldn’t be a problem: I’ve done lots of rallies in Malaysia and I’m used to that", Taguchi commented.

Competition between the Group N front runners is so intense that there is no obvious favourite, but World Championship leader Gabriel Pozzo from Argentina is without doubt a likely victor in his Lancer Evolution.

"This will be a really tough rally. There are so many rocks on the stages and the temperature will be more than 30 degrees Celsius, so it will be important to concentrate as well as look after the car", Pozzo said.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GT
G. Trelles / J. del Buono

He faces a tough task to beat Uruguayan arch-rival Gustavo Trelles, a four-times World Champion for Mitsubishi in his Lancer Evolution and one of the most experienced drivers in the field.

"I think it’s rougher than last year and really only the third leg is nice to drive. The first and second legs are terrible. You just have to try to find a good rhythm and see what happens", Trelles commented.

Reigning Group N Champion Manfred Stohl returns in his Carisma GT and he will be eager to avenge his defeat to Trelles last year.

"This is one of the toughest rallies in the World Championship and you have to have a very strong car to do well. I’m confident in my Mitsubishi, but you need some luck too", Stohl said.

A host of talented drivers will be vying to challenge Stohl and the Latin American trio, including 1973 victor Stig Blomqvist and Britain’s Mark Higgins, not to mention local man Andrea Peratikos, all driving Carisma GTs.

The rally begins in Limassol on Friday 1 June, for what may easily prove the toughest leg. Competitors face 137 kilometres of flat-out driving, with three of the six stages covering more than 30 kilometres.