Hightech battle in Medan Auto Rally
JAKARTA (JP): Newly-improved high-tech cars will be the highlight of the Bank Utama Indonesia Rally '95, which is set to be a battle of world beaters and the giant car manufacturers.
Three of the world's leading car producers--Japan's Mitsubishi, Ford of England and Japan's Subaru--have vowed to field new high-technology cars in their bid to win the President Soeharto Cup.
But the most unique aspect of the auto rally, to be held between July 7 and July 9 in Medan, North Sumatra, is the partnership of Finland's former world champion Arie Vatanen and his navigator Italian Fabrizia Pons, a mother of two children.
No less than six other teams are set to take part in the rally, representing a tremendous show of support for the annual event, which is round one of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship. They are Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, Proton Saga, Hyundai and Daewoo.
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart has launched a powerful attack on this grueling rally, mostly contested over gravel and dirt road around palm oil and rubber plantations, with a three-car entry.
Kenneth Eriksson, who won the event last year, will lead the team, which includes Tommi Makinen and Kenjiro Shinozuka.
"This time the rally will be tougher, as there will be Vatanen, and Possum Bourne who won the 1993 race," Eriksson said.
"However, Mitsubishi, which is fielding its latest Lancer Evolution III series with a newly-developed sequential gearbox system, will enable our team to achieve a successful result," Eriksson added.
Makinen, his navigator Seppo Harjanne and Turin-based navigator Pons, are making their debut in Indonesia.
Pons, who turned 40 on Monday, has booked some 10 years experience in auto rallying. "And I began my partnership with Vatanen since last year. Hopefully we get tremendous results in Medan," she told reporters after receiving a very special birthday cake.
"The rally is surprisingly well organized. I think if an event of the Far East is going to be included in World Championship, then the Rally of Indonesia is certainly one of the top candidates," said Vatanen.
Success
His forecast is supported by most drivers from the Mitsubishi team, who all said the Medan rally is well organized and deserved the right to be included in the world championship series.
Mitsubishi has been successful throughout the Asia-Pacific region since it first entered the arena in 1988. Last year Eriksson won the race and set out to achieve his ambition of winning the title. Further top results throughout the season placed the likable Swede second overall to New Zealand's Possum Bourne. Kenneth finished fourth in New Zealand, and third in Malaysia and Australia. A fighting first place in Thailand rounded off a super-successful season.
Shinozuka won in Indonesia in 1990 and has finished second overall for the past two years in the tough, demanding East African Safari. The experienced driver, who became the first Japanese winner of a World Championship event with victory in the Ivory Coast rally, finished third in Indonesia in 1994 and fourth overall in the Hong Kong-Beijing event.
Following Medan, the Asia-Pacific Rally series will continue in New Zealand (July 27-30), then Malaysia (Aug. 12-14), Australia (Sept. 16-18), Hong Kong and China (Oct. 14-20) and will conclude in Thailand (Dec. 2-4) (rsl).