Auto rally organizers eye world class status

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's success in organizing the recently concluded Asia-Pacific auto rally championship's first round in Medan, North Sumatra, may put Indonesia closer to world rally championship status.

In his letter to the Indonesian Automotive Association (IMI), team director John Spiller of the 555 Subaru World Rally Team jokingly noted that it would be "a miscarriage of justice" if Indonesia does not have the status by 1997.

Its only a few days since the Medan rally concluded on July 9, and already the association has received many letters of compliments on how it organized the regional event. The letters, none of which fail to mention the word "excellent", come from the heads of participating teams and individual participants. Most participants came to Medan at their own expense. Some letters also offered suggestions and help.

Indrajit Sardjono, who heads the association's motorsport department, said that Indonesia, which has held the annual championship since 1989, has managed to collect higher evaluation points year by year.

"Last year we scored 181.5 on a scale of 200," Indrajit told reporters yesterday. Every year the World Automobile Body, FIA, evaluates Indonesia's performance in hosting the championship.

No Asian country or city has, to date, gained FIA's world championship status. Countries or cities with championship status are mostly located in Europe and North America. Some sites include: England, Monte Carlo, Greece (Acropolis Rally), Portugal, Argentina, San Remo.

"World championship status should sooner or later be given to Asia. Isn't Asia part of the world?" Indrajit added.

Subject to FIA's evaluation are, among others, rally administration and organization, safety and security measures and infrastructure and facilities within the hosting city.

"Though perhaps not yet the best, the way we maintain safety during the Medan rally is better than, say, Corsica or Monte Carlo, where spectators are quite free to expose themselves to dangerous areas," Indrajit said. He added that during the Medan rally, the areas bordering both the inside and outside dangerous zones of the track were always kept clear of spectators.

Despite Indonesia's excellent performance as a host, however, Indonesian drivers finished poorly compared to their world-class counterparts. But Indrajit said that "FIA has entrusted us to host the championship not because of our drivers' performance. They know that we are very serious in doing our best."

"We have worked hard, very hard to make the championship a success. So far, we need 362 days to prepare the three-day annual event," he added. (arf)