Telstra Rally Australia 1999
Saturday 6 November
COMMUNIQUE 4

MITSUBISHI DRIVER MAKINEN CLOSE TO WORLD TITLE
ON TELSTRA RALLY AUSTRALIA

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Tommi Makinen is on the brink of becoming World Rally Champion for the fourth time in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. He will be crowned champion if he maintains his third place to tomorrow’s finish of the penultimate round of the 1999 FIA World Rally Championship, the Telstra Rally Australia. Team-mate Freddy Loix is fourth in a Mitsubishi Carisma GT and Uwe Nittel leads the production category in a Group N Carisma GT.

The second leg headed south to the fertile farmland round Harvey and Collie, including the longest stage of the rally at Wellington Dam. Large crowds have thronged the route, with people of all ages keen to catch a glimpse of the world’s best drivers. A long, tough day has taken its toll on the cars, both Seat drivers suffered mechanical trouble and Briton Colin McRae wrecked his Ford in a high-speed accident, promoting Makinen to third place. Mitsubishi is only factory team with two cars in the points.

Once McRae had retired, Finns Tommi Makinen and Risto Mannisenmaki were under no pressure to reel in the leaders and, rather than take chances in their Michelin-shod Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, they eased off to make sure of a finish. Makinen is keen to make sure of the championship in Australia so he can challenge for a win on the Rally of Great Britain later this month.

"We are not in any hurry - we have even been doing some testing today. I could easily go much faster, but there is no point in trying too hard. It’s better to go smoothly and nicely. There is really no pressure at all. I am just concentrating on my own championship", Makinen stated.

Belgian team-mates Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets have battled hard to stay in contention in their Carisma GT and held an encouraging fourth place after the second leg, well clear of their nearest challenger. Loix had a frustrating morning with gearbox and differential problems, but these were swiftly resolved during servicing.

"It has been a bit of a struggle sometimes today, but we are in a good position and it is important that we finish now. This could be my best result in Australia, which would be nice after a long season. We will just do our best to help Tommi", Loix said.

Mitsubishi is also leading the Group N production car class thanks to Germany’s Nittel, driving a Carisma GT. Nittel proved that he had lost none of his World Championship pace by pulling clear of Toshihiro Arai’s Subaru. Fellow Mitsubishi driver Gustavo Trelles is already confirmed as Group N World Champion for an amazing fourth successive year.

The third and last leg is concentrated in the famous Bunnings Forest, south-east of Perth. It is the shortest leg of the rally, with 100 flat out kilometres, divided into just four stages - some of the longest on the event.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION AFTER LEG 2