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RALLY
NEWS NO.5
Swansea…Saturday
09.00..in torrential rain!
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9 (RHONDDA 2)
1st (5) Colin McRae/Nicky Grist (Ford WRC) 1.30.19.5
2nd (10) Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiainen (Peugeot WRC) 1.30.37.7
3rd (3) Richard Burns/Robert Reid (Subaru WRC) 1.31.14.4
4th (1) Tommi Makinen/Risto Mannisenmaki (Lancer) 1.31.19.5
5th (6) Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (Ford WRC) 1.31.23.6
6th (7) Didier Auriol/Denis Giraudet (SEAT WRC) 1.31.28.6
7th (9) Francois Delecour/Daniel Grataloup (Peugeot WRC) 1.32.00.9
8th (4) Juha Kankkunen/Juha Repo (Subaru WRC) 1.32.01.6
9th (21) Markko Martin/Michael Park (Corolla) 1.32.20.6
10th (19) Gilles Panizzi/Herve Panizzi (Peugeot WRC) 1.32.23.5
11th (17) Harri Rovanpera/Risto Pietilaien (SEAT WRC) 1.33.11.0
12th (8) Toni Gardemeister/Paavo Lukander (SEAT WRC) 1.33.18.0
Wet and difficult conditions greeted the drivers on the first
of today's special stages. Following the overnight re-seeding
rally leader Colin McRae was first on the road in his Ford Focus,
and when he reached the end of the Rhondda stage he commented
"It was a very difficult start to the stage, very rough
after being used yesterday. As regards tactics, we must
wait and see other's times". Marcus Gronholm said
"I drive Peugeot 95 per cent, very slippy in places".
Richard Burns started the day in 5th place and set fastest time
through that stage 9 to move up to 3rd. Burns said "I
drove 102%, not 110. The Pirellis, everything worked well".
Richard's co driver Robert Reid interjected "If we weren't
fastest in there we should go home!" Sainz moved from 3rd
to 5th, reported no particular problem although his brakes were
virtually on fire at stage finish. Tommi Makinen was distracted
during the stage when a small electrical box dropped down into
the pedals, Tommi also commenting "We picked wide tyre for
here, not so good, but I think very good on next stage".
Kankkunen reported the stage very bumpy in places, Panizzi that
it was very difficult, very foggy.
Tapio Laukkanen is reportedly stuck in that 9th stage, his Focus
having slid into the ditch on the inside of a corner, not damaged,
but the crew unable to get the Ford back on the road. Gwyndaf
Evans is also stuck in there, his SEAT starting to lose drive
at the very first hairpin and eventually grinding to a halt with
a great smell of burning clutch material.
Looking back slightly, Niall McShea was forced to retire his
Saxo late yesterday when an engine/gearbox mounting broke, the
engine slid forward into the oil cooler which was smashed, and
with no lubricant the motor ceased. Also out late yesterday
went Johan Deen, his Lancer on its roof in stage 8. Martin
Stenshorne set some good times in gpN towards the finish of the
day having rolled earlier and got stuck for 13 minutes.
His Norwegian mentor John Haughland tells us that Norway has
been given the nod fo try for a place in the WRC with a full
snow rally in the mountains. Gavin Cox got back in front
of Guy Anderson in gpN after losing over 3 minutes with a broken
wheel. Eamonn Boland is one of the few surviving Irish
drivers, the Hertz man comfortable in 39th place overnight, and
remarking "We're just tipping along". Frank O'Mahony
had a major struggle to get out of stage 8 when his McKinstry
Subaru suffered a broken driveshaft. Mark Higgins continues to
lead F2 in the Astra from Neil Wearden, Mark 24th overall in
the 2 wheel drive car. Manfred Stohl continues to lead gpN from
Trelles. LATE NEWS..Laukkanen has got Focus out
of ditch - time loss approx. 32 mins, heading for stage 10. Alister
McRae now 13th, Schwarz 14th, P.Solberg 15th. More news later.BRIAN
& LIZ PATTERSON |
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