The Safari Rally, Africa’s only round of the FIA World Rally Championship, is a quite unique challenge. Driver skill, tactics and cutting-edge technology play a significant role in the longest, toughest and most car-breaking round of the series but, without the tireless work of the team mechanics, it could all be over in minutes.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart T. Makinen / R. Mannisenmaki during the 2001 Safari Rally

This year the Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart mechanics demonstrated how team-work, persistence and the will to succeed can make all the difference. Tommi Makinen, driving the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, powered to a second Safari Rally victory and he, more than anyone, is all too aware of the effort and long hours put in by the guys who make sure his challenger barely missed a beat over the marathon 1,079.81 competitive kilometre event.

Within Mitsubishi Ralliart, each and every member of the team has an important role to play and the car crew need to work in harmony, anticipating one others moves, to ensure the slickest operation and maximum output.

As Kevin MacKenzie, one of the sub assembly technicians, recounts, the days are tough and the hours painfully long - nowhere more so than in Africa - but Makinen’s 23rd World Championship rally victory is as much theirs as it is his.

2001 Safari Rally Saturday 21 July - Leg 2

02:00 hrs: Morning wake-up call, much needed at this early hour as we left the workshop at midnight and only get two hours sleep. Far too tired to wash - that extra five minutes in bed is more important! Breakfast consists of two cans of Red Bull and a piece of toast before we head off for the three-hour drive to the service at Equator Park.

02:45 hrs: We’re on the road but weather conditions are getting worse, and quickly. Fog makes driving even more treacherous than normal and we have to balance speed with caution - we’re not much use late, or off the road in a ditch.

04:45 hrs: Arrive at Equator Park and start to set up the team’s service area. Everyone has a very specific job to ensure we get it done in good time. For me it’s unloading all the spares from the truck and setting out the 16 sets of suspension components.

05:30 hrs: The Mitsubishi service area is ready to roll, but everyone then has to check their tool boxes. Everything’s mixed up as it was used the night before and we all set about making sure we’ve got the right kit for our own specific jobs. The tools then need cleaning as they’re caked with mud.

06:11 hrs: Tommi’s been in, the turbo was changed and we’re now waiting for Freddy. The transmission needs changing in just 20 minutes - not a bad wake-up call!

06:30 hrs: Freddy leaves, the Carisma GT refettled, and we start to sort out and clean the tools and service area, again to make sure everything’s back where it should be.

07:00 hrs: Breakfast! We’re all really hungry by now and tend to eat more than normal as we’re unlikely get another chance for a good few hours. It’s still only seven in the morning and we’ve been up and working five hours already - it’s a welcome break...

Between every service, the Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart mechanics have a short but well deserved rest

07:45 hrs: Rest over and it’s time to get the suspension components out for the next service. The whole corner on each car gets changed at every service, whether the driver’s had problems or not, so we need to keep an eye on the spares and rebuild as necessary.

08:04 hrs: Tommi’s car is in, but we hear that Freddy’s stopped on the stage with some sort of engine-related problem. Everyone listens to the messages crackling over the radio from the crew in the spotter helicopter, who’ve landed several kilometres away from the route, waiting for him to get going again. It’s tense. In the meantime, I help out on Tommi’s car as Freddy’s going to be late checking in.

08:24 hrs: Tommi leaves on time after routine maintenance, but as all four corners have been changed again we need to check the suspension components we’ve taken off and make repairs if any are necessary. It’s at least a 20 minute job just to check everything thoroughly and it’s got to be done as quickly as possible as Freddy’s due in at 08:45 hrs. Again, the same - and more - now has to be done on his car as we need to change the turbo and check the engine.

08:45 hrs: Freddy arrives and the car doesn’t sound so clever on two cylinders. Everyone sets to work on their respective corners, a job that takes about 15 minutes, and we’ve then normally got two minutes to double-check everything leaving him 3 minutes to get out on time. The engine guys are up front but all of a sudden the rear bumper catches fire! I grab the extinguisher, heart pounding, but get it out before anything serious happens. With all the work that needs doing Freddy incurs penalties, and as he leaves the car’s still on two cylinders. Everyone wonders if he’ll make it through the next section and back to us...

09:15 hrs: Tools need sorting out and cleaning again, and suspension components need examining ready for the next service. Time for a quick couple of cans of Red Bull to keep the energy levels up before Tommi comes back in.

Making sure that everything is ready when the cars arrive at the service park is a key issue

10:20 hrs: Tommi arrives for routine service, but there’s a problem with the sump guard so a couple of us pile in to help, making sure he gets back out on time.

10:40 hrs: Tommi’s four suspension sets need checking before the guys can take them ready for the next service.

11:10 hrs: Miracle, Freddy’s back! The car’s still running on two cylinders but the engineers decide they need more time to sort the problem so we’re going to wait to the final 45-minute service to do it. Everyone hopes we get the chance to try...

11:30 hrs: Freddy’s out of service and it’s in everyones’ minds that the engine could let go at any time. No time to worry though, parts need checking, tools need sorting and the service area needs a tidy. Temperatures start to rise - it’s cooler than last year, but it’s still only relative...!

12:00 hrs: Energy levels getting low. Lunch - great! We’re all starving and the cars aren’t back for over an hour so everyone takes the opportunity to have a bit of a breather. The service area looks like a bomb site! That’s the next job.

13:42 hrs: Tommi arrives back for routine service, but everyone else who’s not working on his car is standing by, just in case. After this it’s back to checking the suspension.

14:10 hrs: Everything sorted, all the struts and dampers are ready and we wait for Freddy to come in.

14:25 hrs: Freddy’s back in and the engineers have decided they can’t wait till the end of the leg to change the head gasket and cylinder heads. We’ve never done this on a rally before and it’s all pretty tense. Not everyone is one hundred percent convinced we can do it... Freddy’s out just 10 minutes late; 30 minute job in total - not bad for such a major one. Everyone’s pretty chuffed and Freddy’s back in the rally.

15:05 hrs: Back to cleaning tools, sorting out kit and generally tidying up. There’s no time for slacking though as Tommi’s back shortly.

15:30 hrs: Tommi’s into service - all pretty routine. It’s amazing how the car’s standing up to the punishment. Change all four corners again - that’s now 40 individual uprights, dampers, wishbones and links we’ve changed so far today!

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart Freddy Loix’s Mitsubishi Carisma GT at the service park during the 2001 Safari Rally