Neste Rally Finland 1999
Saturday 21 August
COMMUNIQUE 3

MITSUBISHI MAINTAINS GROUP N LEAD ON
RALLY FINLAND AS MAKINEN RETIRES

Triple World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen was forced to retire from the tenth round of the 1999 FIA World Rally Championship, the Rally Finland, with a technical problem in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. His team-mate Freddy Loix is battling on despite overturning his Mitsubishi Carisma GT and Mitsubishi continues to dominate the Group N production category.

A tough but dramatic day with over 200 kilometres of stages has seen big changes on the Rally Finland. Huge crowds have lined the route and followed the event through the picturesque region of forests and lakes between Jyvaskyla and Tampere. The final result is still very much in doubt, with Subaru driver Juha Kankkunen leading Toyota man Carlos Sainz, after Marcus Gronholm hit mechanical trouble in his Peugeot.

Tommi Makinen, co-driven by Risto Mannisenmaki, was setting the pace and looking on course for a sixth successive victory on home ground when an unexpected transmission problem halted the Lancer Evolution on stage 14. Makinen was in fifth place at the time, but just eight seconds behind the leader. Makinen still has a chance of adding to his World Championship lead, as he can contest the final stage of the rally on Sunday and could score up to three points.

"It’s a big disappointment of course and it is very unusual, because normally our car is so reliable. But things could be much worse and we can try our best to score points tomorrow", Makinen stated.

Belgians Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets also ran out of luck on stage 14, rolling their Carisma GT near the start of the 34-kilometre stage. The Mitsubishi’s rugged strength enabled them to complete the test and fight on.

"We went a little bit off the right line and hit some gravel and that was it. Otherwise I have been enjoying the rally and it has been good to learn", Loix commented.

Mitsubishis remain very much in command in Group N, with Finnish drivers setting the pace. Jouko Puhakka has been in a class of his own, while Jani Paasonen is fighting hard to hold second. Hamed Al-Wahaibi retired earlier in the day following an accident while his main rival Gustavo Trelles is still fighting in fourth behind Austrian Manfred Stohl who lies third.

"It has been a good day for us with not too much pressure and the car has been very good. I hope we can stay in front tomorrow", Puhakka stated.

"Our only problem was hitting a stone, but we have fixed the car and I want to help Mitsubishi Ralliart Finland take first and second", Paasonen said.

The final leg includes six more stages covering 93 kilometres, with extra points on offer for the last stage, which is televised live.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION AFTER LEG 2