GRANADA-DAKAR 1999
Communique 2
LEG 1: GRANADA-RABAT
Distance: 520 KM
Stage distance: 5 KM


RABAT, MOROCCO,
Friday, January 1, 1999

HAPPY NEW YEAR START FOR MITSUBISHI

The Mitsubishi Ralliart supported drivers in this year's Granada-Dakar Rally celebrated the first day of the New Year with a confident start on the first leg from Spain to Morocco, with Mitsubishis filling the top four positions ahead of a variety of buggies, Nissans and Toyotas

The first day's special stage was cut back to just five kilometres however, due to bad weather, and the 87 remaining cars simply tackled a repeat of the previous day's prologue test. Local driver Miguel Prieto took the lead in his Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, while prologue winner Kenjiro Shinozuka was second in his Team Mitsubishi Oil Pajero/Montero.

Although there was only occasional light rain on the first special stage, the tracks were extremely muddy after yesterday's action and many drivers complained that the conditions were very difficult. With a huge grin on his face, stage winner Spaniard Prieto commented: "It was very bad, but I am happy."

Japanese ace Shinozuka added: "It was very wet, like three years ago when we came here. It was very slippery and difficult to see through the windscreen because of the water and mud. But we enjoyed the drive and the car was perfect. Happy New Year!"

Frenchman and last year's Dakar winner Jean-Pierre Fontenay was third today in his Team PIAA Ralliart Pajero/Montero. He said: "I had to concentrate hard because the car was sliding around so much on the slippery mud and it was very hard to see through the windscreen. Sometimes I was driving blind! It felt like we were making slow progress, but I think we did OK."

German lady driver Jutta Kleinschmidt was fourth in her Mitsubishi and commented: "It was very, very muddy and we actually had mud on the inside of the windscreen!"

Only the Schlesser Megane buggy driven by Jose Maria Servia came close to matching the pace of the Mitsubishis, finishing the first leg in fifth place. His teammate Jean-Louis Schlesser fared less well, windscreen wiper failure forcing yesterday's second placed driver down to 27th, 51 seconds behind the leaders.

Japanese ace Hiroshi Masuoka is looking forward to the African stages and therefore took a very cautious approach to the first test, finishing sixth in his Team Ralliart Mitsubishi Pajero Sport/Montero Sport. He reported: "It was more slippery than yesterday but great fun to drive. I drove very safely however, we have to save ourselves for Morocco. We were 20 seconds slower than yesterday but the car was perfect."

The ultra competitive T1 category, the class for standard vehicles and probably the toughest contest of all, was led after the first leg by Brazilian driver Klever Kolberg in a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero. In addition to winning the category, the former bike rider finished 17th overall just ahead of second-placed T1 driver Manuel Plaza Perez, also driving a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero.

After completing the short special stage, the surviving crews, including 161 motorbikes and 50 trucks, faced a long non-competitive drive from Granada, through Andalucia down to southern Spain and the port of Algeciras for the one and a half hour ferry crossing over the Mediterranean to Tangiers. From there they were due for another long haul through Morocco to Rabat and the first overnight bivouac of the rally.

Tomorrow, Saturday, January 2, 1999
LEG 2: RABAT - AGADIR
Distance: 654 KM
Special Stage: 100 KM

The first stage in Africa will be quite short, following the forest tracks through cork, eucalyptus and assorted pine trees last used on the Morocco Rally. The rough, twisting route will test car control to the limit, and the survivors will then face a long liaison section down to the airport at Agadir for the second overnight halt in southern Morocco.

21stGRANADA-DAKAR - Friday, January 1, 1999

�@�@*The time, under 2nd position is the difference from the top.