GRANADA-DAKAR
1999
Communique 11
LEG 9: BOBO DIOULASSO (BURKINA FASO) - MOPTI (MALI)
Distance: 732 KM
Stage distance: 300 KM


MOPTI, MALI
Sunday, January 10, 1999

MITSUBISHIS CHALLENGING FOR LEAD
AS DAKAR RALLY HEADS BACK INTO MALI

The intense battle for the lead of the 1999 Granada - Dakar Rally rages on as the leading trio remain just a few minutes apart as the event starts its second half, heading from Burkina Faso back into Mali. Spaniard Miguel Prieto, co-driven by Frenchman Dominique Serieys, is still applying pressure on the lead in his Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, now less than 10 minutes behind rally leader Jean-Louis Schlesser's prototype buggy. Female crew Jutta Kleinschmidt of Germany and Tina Thorner of Sweden are still close behind in third place in their Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero. But Kleinschmidt said " We sufferd tyre puncture, and difficult navigation."


While Schlesser won the ninth competitive section between Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Faso and Mopti in Mali, he did so by just 7m 04s from Japanese driver Kenjiro Shinozuka and his French partner Henri Magne in their Team Mitsubishi Oil Ralliart Pajero/Montero. Although some way behind the leading three, Shinozuka is looking increasingly comfortable in fourth position. Shinozuka said "Navigation was very difficult. But the car was wonderful today. I have not had any problems, so I am happy. Maybe we can keep this good luck to Dakar." Prieto was third fastest, just 11 seconds behind Shinozuka, while just 16 minutes split the top 10 in a closely fought race held in searingly hot conditions when temperatures topped 32 degrees Celsius.


Just 46 cars started the second half of this year's epic Dakar, around half of the original number that started in Granada. Today they faced an early start before a "Saharan" first half of desert driving over sand and rock, before the route took them along the narrow tracks of Dogon, running alongside the cliffs of Bandiagara, famous for its troglodyte villages hewn from solid rock. The final liaison section from the end of the stage was changed to take them to a changed bivouac at Mopti instead of the planned halt at Gao on the banks of the River Niger.

It was a tough day for several drivers, including Thierry De Lavergne who dropped to eighth place in his Nissan Patrol when he damaged his steering. He had been embroiled in a battle with Hiroshi Masuoka and Andreas Schulz who now look more comfortable in fifth place in their Team Ralliart Pajero Sport/Montero Sport. Masuoka said "We managed to overtake 16 cars. It was very exciting to drive. The car was like new after the rest day. Today, tha navigation was very hard, but my co-driver keeps us right." Ex-biker Stephane Peterhansel is now the lead Nissan in seventh place, now 40 minutes behind the rival Mitsubishis.

French pair Jean-Pierre Fontenay and Gilles Picard, driving the Team PIAA Ralliart Pajero/Montero, remain in 12th position after scoring sixth fastest today, just eight minutes less than the leader.

In the T1 category for standard cars, it would appear that Frenchman Jean-Pierre Strugo leads the category in today's stage with his Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero. First half leader Luc Alphand, the ex-world skiing champion from France, struck trouble on today's leg when he broke the rear axle on his Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero. But, he is still leading T-1 category.

Tomorrow, Monday, January 11, 1999
LEG 10: MOPTI -TIMBUKTU
Distance: 1030 KM
Special Stage: 460 KM

Last minute changes to the route make the 10th leg, held in Mali, the longest of the event. At 460 km the competitive section of the leg may not be the longest, but it will certainly be challenging, snaking along the banks of the River Niger to the mythical town of Timbuktu. Motorbikes will not run competitively, but will head to Timbukutu by aeroplane.