Mud is the enemy in the 2001 Rallye de Portugal. Few can remember such atrocious conditions during what is normally an event run in spring-like weather, and mud and road positions have been the main talking point during a day when two of the nine scheduled stages have had to be cancelled. The Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart crew of Tommi Makinen and Risto Mannisenmaki, benefiting from their leadership of the Drivers’ Championship, have however been able to capitalise on the situation to lead at the end of the first leg and 119 competitive kilometres. Team-mates Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets hold a fine sixth overall in one of their favourite events. Mitsubishi Motors driver Manfred Stohl, driving a Carisma GT, has a commanding lead in Group N and his nearest rivals are all driving Lancer Evolutions or Carisma GTs.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
T. Makinen / R. Mannisenmaki
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Such severe road conditions can play havoc with the performance of competition cars and the team mechanics have a vital role to fulfil to ensure mechanical components and wheels are kept clean. Aside from the problems created by mud baking on hot components, the additional weight can affect the car’s balance resulting in unpredictable handling. The conditions may be causing problems for the teams and organisation, however the fanatical Portuguese supporters have not been deterred from venturing into the hills around Fafe to watch their heroes in action.
Tommi Makinen and Risto Mannisenmaki powered their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution into the lead after stage 4, the Finns taking full advantage of their preferred position of first on the road this morning. Conditions have been getting progressively worse, car by car, but this afternoon the Finns have not necessarily benefited as differing tyre choices between each team seem to suggest a secondary, non road position-related, factor. However, at the end of a very uncharacteristic day, the Finns have a 17.4 second lead over Ford’s Carlos Sainz.
"It’s been an extremely hard and very difficult day, but of course I am happy to be first", commented Tommi. "I don’t think I’ve seen a rally with such a mixture of slippy, muddy, wet and foggy stages in a long time. There’s been plenty of water on the stages and it’s been difficult to find the grip, especially this morning when I think it was better to be first on the road. But this afternoon it was not such a big advantage. The new rear suspension has been working very well and tomorrow we go flat out and try and stay on the road. For sure there’ll be a lot of mud and no grip and it could be good to start first car".
Mitsubishi Carisma GT
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
F. Loix / S. Smeets
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Team-mates Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets have had a near trouble-free run today in their Carisma GT. The Belgian pairing climbed as high as fifth, but slipped back behind Subaru’s Richard Burns after stage 5. "We found a good base speed today but the conditions have been incredibly difficult", said Freddy, echoing Makinen’s comments. "We had a small problem on stage 9 with the wheel speed sensor which affected the transmission a bit, but we will change the gearbox in service and try to attack tomorrow".
Adding to their comments, Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart team manager George Donaldson said: "The stages have been tough and it has been a day where road positions have sometimes been relevant and other times not. It’s also been difficult to judge the pace from the front of the field. It is a shame two stages had to be cancelled, but we are fully supportive of anything that brings safety into question. It was certainly the right decision".
Austrian Manfred Stohl has demonstrated why he became Group N World Champion for Mitsubishi with a superbly judged drive in such demanding conditions. His Carisma GT has performed faultlessly and he has built up an impressive lead in the production car category. "I like conditions when it is wet, but it is absolutely too rough. You have to try and find the right line without doing too much damage to the car. So far it has been OK, but you have to be careful all the time", Stohl warned.
Mitsubishi Carisma GT Gr.N
M. Stohl / P. Muller
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His nearest challenger is rising Argentine star Marcos Ligato, driving a Lancer Evolution. It is his first season outside South America and he is already proving that he is more than capable of confronting top-class opposition.
"This is my first time in Portugal and I must say conditions are incredibly difficult. It is so rough and so slippery and you just don’t know what to expect. We just try to keep going", Ligato said.
Dias da Silva holds third position in his Carisma GT with Portuguese driver Pedro Leal fourth. Fifth in the group belongs to another Carisma GT driver, Belgium’s Bob Colsoul, who has survived the conditions to put in one of his best performances to date.
"Today has been one of the most difficult I can remember in my career. There have been so many people having problems, I am glad just to be here", Colsoul said.
Mitsubishis dominate the leading positions, but South American stars Gustavo Trelles and Gabriel Pozzo were both unlucky to retire with suspension problems when well-placed in their Lancer Evolutions. Leading lady driver, Natalie Barratt, also retired, lucky to escape an accident that saw her Carisma GT roll eight times. Such is the strength of the car however, both she and co-driver Claire Parker walked away unhurt.
The second leg of the Rallye de Portugal takes the contenders to the south of Santa Maria de Feira for a scheduled nine special stages and 177 competitive kilometres. Conditions are expected to remain overcast, although rain is not currently forecast in the region.
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