Four-times FIA World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen continues to lead the 2001 Safari Rally in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The Finn, co-driven by Risto Mannisenmaki, holds a six minute 14 second advantage over Peugeot’s Harri Rovanpera after 778 kilometres of flat-out competition. Team-mates Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets hold seventh position in their Carisma GT after experiencing problems during the day.

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

Mitsubishi Motors drivers continue to dominate the Group N production car class leaderboard with a thrilling battle developing between the Argentineans Gabriel Pozzo and Marcos Ligato, both driving Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions.

Today’s 426 competitive kilometre route took the remaining 26 contenders to the north of Nairobi and into the Rift Valley for five competitive sections. Yesterday’s rain all but disappeared and temperatures rose to 28 degrees Centigrade around the equator, however crews still experienced very mixed road conditions. Under the trees and in wooded areas the roads were wet and muddy, while out on the vast African plains drivers were greeted by dry and dusty conditions. Tropical storms later in the day made some sections as slippery as ice and in places the drivers had to ford 300-metre sections of flooded route without being quite sure where the road was. Spectators, who reach some of the most inaccessible places, have been out in their thousands again, the Equator Park service area awash with enthusiastic supporters who only ever get to see such state-of-the-art machinery during Africa’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Makinen is performing at his best, the Finn totally at one with the car, tyres and conditions. After encountering wildlife during yesterday’s leg, the Finn has enjoyed an almost trouble-free run today, his only scare being on the penultimate section when he thought they had broken the prop-shaft. "I think we have had some good information today from our gravel crew and been well prepared for the conditions", said Tommi. "Some of the roads have been very wet but I am very happy that things are going well for us. The problem with the prop-shaft was very worrying because I thought we could be out of the rally, but fortunately we got to the end of the section and the team changed the part in service. I went a bit faster on the final section because I knew the road was very smooth and I wanted a bigger advantage for tomorrow", concluded the Finn, who set fastest time on this last section.

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

Team-mates Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets have been hampered by problems throughout the day, however the Belgians hold seventh position in their Carisma GT. A problem this morning left them struggling with a misfiring engine and a team of engineers bemused by a lack of evidence to suggest the cause. On-going investigations at each service halt ultimately revealed that the head gasket and cylinder heads needed replacing and, while Freddy was forced to incur penalties in the penultimate service halt, without the repairs his rally would have been over.

"The team was prepared to take the maximum 50 minutes to change these components to keep us in the rally, but in fact the mechanics worked fantastically and did it all in 35 minutes", said Freddy. "The whole day has been disappointing though. I look at the car, how it and the tyres have been performing, and it’s easy to see we have a car capable of winning the rally. You only have to look at Tommi. It’s frustrating that I couldn’t drive how I wanted to today, but to hear the engine back to normal is great. We are still in the rally and have every chance now to fight to the end".

Rising star Gabriel Pozzo has made the most of his Safari experience to maintain his Group N lead, but although he has taken care not to demand too much of his Lancer Evolution, he lost some ground with a puncture.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Gr.N G. Pozzo / D. Stillo