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Story by Mitsubishi: 13th February 2000
SECOND FOR MAKINEN KEEPS MARLBORO MITSUBISHI RALLIART AHEAD IN BOTH CHAMPIONSHIPS FIA World Rally Championship Round 2 - International Swedish Rally (10-13 February) Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Tommi Makinen finished the second round of the FIA World Rally Championship - the International Swedish Rally - in second position. Makinen made an all-out assault in the Lancer Evolution during today's final leg to finish just 6.8 seconds adrift of Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm. Attempting this rally for only the second time in his career, Mitsubishi Carisma GT team-mate Freddy Loix finished in a fine eighth position, one place higher than his previous result. Makinen's six points, added to the maximum points scored in Monte Carlo, ensure he retains his lead in the World Rally Championship for Drivers. Although Loix finished just outside the points, Mitsubishi nevertheless retains its lead in the all-important Manufacturers' Championship and now has a 7 point advantage over its nearest rivals after just two of the fourteen rounds in the 2000 series. Starting the day on a charge, Makinen, co-driven by Risto Mannisenmaki, began reeling in Gronholm and was faster than his rival over each of today's five stages. The Finns slashed the overnight deficit of 26.5 seconds to just 6.8 seconds, but simply ran out of stage kilometres to overhaul their fellow countryman, who has taken Peugeot's first victory in the 206 WRC and the marque's first win since 1986. "It's been the fastest Swedish Rally so far," said Makinen. "There was a lot of snow on the final stage and, although the Michelins have been good, we were sliding a lot for the first five kilometres - it was certainly better for the cars behind. The gap at the start of the stage was too much, and there was a lot of pressure on Marcus to get his and Peugeot's first win, but we came quite close and still have good points for the Championship. I have a lot of experience but I still make some little mistakes, but I have had a very enjoyable day and am very happy for Marcus." Team-mates Freddy Loix and Sven Smeets, driving the Mitsubishi Carisma GT, have driven an almost faultless Swedish Rally. The Belgian pairing, competing for only the second time, have been in the thick of a battle during the closing leg and drove superbly to overhaul former World Champion and SEAT driver Didier Auriol. Dicing with Toyota's Markko Martin for eighth place, the duo were split by mere tenths of a second going into the final stage. However Freddy was six seconds faster than his rival in the closing 21.21 kilometre test and took the hard-fought position. "I am very happy to have won the battle with Markko," said Freddy. "It has been a long time since I've had to fight on the last stage and it has been very exciting. I knew that on the final stage, which is essentially new to the event, his experience was not so important. I said to myself during the stage 'Freddy, be as clean as possible' and in the middle we were pushing at maximum attack. I found a good rhythm and am very pleased." Reflecting on the team's result, Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart team manager Phil Short said: "We are a little disappointed not to win again, but the performance was very good and we got both cars to the finish. Peugeot did very well to achieve victory at this stage of their campaign. It's been a tough battle, but Tommi has done well for his Championship and we must thank Michelin who seem to have had the best options for the conditions in Sweden." From Europe, the FIA World Rally Championship crews head straight to Kenya for the Safari Rally (25-27 February). The frozen Swedish forests could not be more different to the searing temperatures and vastness of this spectacular event, one of the longest, fastest and roughest in the series. OVERALL STANDINGS AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL SWEDISH RALLY
2000 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS
2000 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MANUFACTURERS
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