MARLBORO MITSUBISHI RALLIART IN
GOOD SHAPE FOR MONTE CARLO RALLY

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart is confident of a successful start to the 1999 World Rally Championship after its final tests for the Monte Carlo Rally. The team has high hopes of its fifth victory in five rallies, for it has a strong team consisting of triple World Champion Tommi Makinen in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and rising Belgian star Freddy Loix in a Mitsubishi Carisma GT.

The team carried out the final evaluation of tyres and shock absorbers - the crucial details that earn vital fractions of seconds - on a mountain road near the picturesque village of Sospel, at the foot of the famous Col de Turini. It was a typical Monte Carlo Rally morning, for it was bitterly cold at first with ice and damp patches on the road, before a bright Mediterranean sun climbed above the mountains to warm the mechanics and the thousands of excited fans eager to catch their first glimpse of new cars and drivers.

Makinen and fellow Finn Risto Mannisenmaki are delighted with the 1999 changes to the Lancer Evolution and are looking forward to making the most of the car and the latest Michelin tyres, while Loix and co-driver Sven Smeets will be happy to gain experience on their first rally for Mitsubishi.

"The car feels very good. I've just been working to get the perfect settings for asphalt," said Makinen.

The rally starts on Sunday afternoon and it is famously unpredictable. Much of the snow that fell last week has melted, but fresh falls are expected on Sunday and conditions look certain to be very demanding around Gap, the base for the first leg.