Rallye Sanremo 1999
Wednesday 13 October
COMMUNIQUE 4

MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION TAKES
THRILLING SANREMO RALLY WIN
AS CARISMA GT FINISHES STRONG FOURTH

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Tommi Makinen has taken a giant step towards his fourth consecutive title thanks to a brilliant victory on the 12th round of 1999 FIA World Rally Championship, Italy’s Sanremo, in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. It is Mitsubishi’s 30th World Rally victory and Makinen’s 19th. Team-mate Freddy Loix backed him up with an excellent fourth in his Carisma GT. Mitsubishi also won the Group N production class thanks to Italian Gianluigi Galli.

Makinen snatched victory after a day of high drama in the mountains above Sanremo. Rain made the stages exceptionally treacherous and, as conditions varied from hour to hour, tyre choice played a crucial part. There was nothing to choose between the leaders and the lead changed hands on each of the last three stages in a thrilling finish.

A superb performance on both runs at the rally’s longest, 40-kilometre stage secured Makinen&3146;s fourth victory of the season in the Michelin-shod Lancer Evolution. Co-driven by fellow Finn Risto Mannisenmaki, he judged the rally perfectly to overhaul Peugeot’s Gilles Panizzi and snatch the win on the very last stage.

"The first stage today was so good. That was what made winning possible. I did a good time on this long stage last year and I like it very much. Of course the tyres have been important too and the whole team has worked very hard for this. I am very confident now for the last two rallies of the season", Makinen stated.

Belgians Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets produced one of their best performances since joining Mitsubishi to make certain of fourth place on an exceptionally difficult rally, in which their Carisma GT ran faultlessly.

"It’s good to be at the finish and we have learnt a lot, trying different things on the car. Today has been good, because it has been the first time I have driven the car on asphalt in the rain. I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a good day for the team with this fantastic result for Tommi", Loix said.

Mitsubishi’s dominance in Group N was never threatened, with all the leading drivers in Lancer Evolutions or Carisma GTs. Gianluigi Galli cruised to a handsome victory in his Lancer Evolution after pulling clear in the second leg. Austria’s Manfred Stohl took advantage of the rain to overhaul fellow Mitsubishi driver Mario Stagni in a close finish, while Hamed Al-Wahaibi boosted his chances of beating Uruguayan Gustavo Trelles for the Group N World Rally Championship by finishing sixth. Uncharacteristically, Trelles crashed, although he still leads Al-Wahaibi by 16 points and could secure the world title with a good result in Australia.

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart will be in action again in under three weeks’ time on the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship, the Rally Australia, which starts on November 4.

FINAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION (PROVISIONAL)