World drivers find the going rough in Sumatra<\/p>\n
By Robert Soelistyo<\/p>\n
PARAPAT, North Sumatra (JP): Heavy rain halfway through
\nyesterday's nine stages turned Special Stage 14 into a killing
\nfield and frustrated most of the world rated drivers in the FIA
\nWorld Rally Championship.<\/p>\n
Forty-three of the original 62 cars flagged off at the
\nstarting line in Medan on Friday, entered yesterday's second leg
\nof the scheduled three with their drivers uncertain whether they
\nwould reach the finish line on the shore of Toba Lake on time.<\/p>\n
By the 15th SS ,only 13 cars of the original 62 had survived
\nthe punishment.<\/p>\n
"We had no speed at all. We hit the bank, we went everywhere,
\nbut at least we didn't spin. There was nothing you could do. In
\nsome corners, the car was just sliding, sliding, with no
\nsteering," complained Finnish driver Juha Kankkunen.<\/p>\n
Driving a Toyota Celica GT-4 with navigator Nicky Grist of
\nEngland, the Finn was placed second after 14th SS with a time of
\n3hrs 05.13 behind overnight leader Colin McRae.<\/p>\n
Third was the Spanish duo of Carlos Sainz and navigator Luis
\nMoya in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth after clocking 3hrs 06.30.<\/p>\n
"If you can't even walk on it, imagine what it's like to drive
\non it," Scotland's Colin McRae said in disgust.<\/p>\n
Despite all of the torment that put the Mitsubishi Ralliart
\nTeam's best hope Tommi Makkinen out of contention yesterday as he
\nfollowed in the unhappy steps of teammate Richard Burns on
\nFriday, McRae managed to extend the lead by three and a half
\nminutes ahead of his closest rival Kankunnen.<\/p>\n
"I've had a good day but it's a shame that Tommi went out. I
\nsuppose I can't complain. It would have been very difficult to
\nfight for seconds on those slippery stages -- but I am enjoying
\nthe battle," McRae commented.<\/p>\n
Overheated<\/p>\n
Makkinen saw his Mitsubishi overheat and retired halfway
\nthrough 11th SS. "There is nothing really damaged. It's just the
\nradiator started leaking and the engine overheated. It has never
\nhappened before and I just don't understand it," he said.<\/p>\n
Leg one on Friday saw the retirement of both Burns and 555
\nSubaru driver, and reigning Asia Pacific Rally Champion, Kenneth
\nEriksson.<\/p>\n
A tropical downpour, slippery road conditions, rugged terrain
\nand temperatures of 34 degrees Celcius, proved a real test for
\nall the teams yesterday.<\/p>\n
Burns had a disastrous day on Friday which saw him out of the
\nevent after just three SS. He hit a tree on SS1, badly damaging
\nthe front of his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III, including the
\noil cooler, and stopped on SS3 with a blown engine.<\/p>\n
National leading driver Dolly Indra Nasution and navigator
\nFarryd Sungkar and Reza Pribadi accompanied by co-driver Giraudat
\nand the duet of Bambang Hartono and navigator Agung Baskoro are
\namong a few local hopes that managed to advance to today's third
\nand final comprising 11 SS.<\/p>\n
Dolly, in a Ford Escort clocked 3hrs 27.25 for sixth place.
\nReza, driving a Toyota, finished eighth with a time of 3:29.08,
\nwhile Bambang had 3:33.01 to finish ninth.<\/p>\n
"Local knowledge has been useful but we're not looking for
\nanything dramatic. We just want to get to the finish ... it would
\nbe good to have an Indonesian in the top 10," Bambang said.<\/p>\n
Leaders:
\n 1. Colin McRae (Gbr) 555 Subaru Imprezza 3:02.13
\n 2. Juha Kankkunen (Fin) Toyota Celica 3:05.51
\n 3. Carlos Sainz (Spa) Ford Escort 3:06.30
\n 4. Piero Liatti (Ita) 555 Subaru Imprezza 3:08.11
\n 5. Yoshiro Fujimoto (Jpn) Toyota Celica 3:18.09
\n 6. Dolly Indra Nasution (Ina) Ford Escort 3:27.25
\n 7. Michael Lieu (HK) Subaru 3:28.46
\n 8. Reza Pribadi (Ina) Toyota Celica 3:29.08
\n 9. Bambang Hartono (Ina) Mitsubishi Lancer 3:33.01
\n 10. Shigeyuki Konishi (Jpn) Subaru 3:34.48<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/world-drivers-find-the-going-rough-in-sumatra-1447893297",
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