McRae beats Eriksson to win Medan Rally
JAKARTA (JP): Scotland's Colin McRae scorched his way to a convincing victory in the Rally of Indonesia '95, the first round of this year's Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in Medan, North Sumatra on Sunday.
Driving a Subaru Impreza 555, McRae, making his debut in Indonesia, chalked up an impressive win, particularly against the experienced Kenneth Eriksson of Sweden, champion of last year's event.
The Swede, in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III, finished second with a time of 4 hours, 57 minutes and 19 seconds.
Despite a furious final day charge by Eriksson, McRae and co- driver Derek Ringer finished more than two minutes clear of the field.
McRae started day three with his Subaru out in front by some two and a half minutes, only to see Eriksson claw back an incredible 42 seconds in the four timed stages of the morning session.
Finland's Tommi Makinen, also in a Mitsubishi, was third over the 500 km (310 mile) route across an often treacherous track through rubber and palm plantations in North Sumatra.
"We knew it was going to be tough and, if the others had not had problems, it would have been very, very close," McRae said.
Eriksson cut into McRae's advantage on Sunday morning but hit a differential problem, which left his Mitsubishi Lancer stuck in rear-wheel drive for the final three stages.
The same fate befell Makinen, who was able to hold off New Zealander "Possum" Bourne to take third place.
Hutomo Mandala Putra, the son of President Soeharto, showed a good turn of speed in the final phases, moving to sixth place from eighth overnight on Saturday, despite losing time when his Subaru suffered a puncture on stage 24.
McRae's victory gives him a five-point lead in the Asia- Pacific championship standings.
But in a cool-headed display of driving, the 27-year-old Scot refused to be intimidated by the Swede's continued challenge, letting him close the gap still further during the first two stages after lunch.
His plan worked and Eriksson saw his hopes of catching McRae evaporate in the 40 degrees heat when mechanical problems lost him more than 30 seconds just three stages from the end.
"Kenneth hates being beaten, so I knew he'd come out fighting," said McRae.
"But I had a comfortable lead by the end of day two and could let him close the gap while I concentrated on getting the car to the finish line unscathed," he said.
The Asia-Pacific Championship moves to New Zealand for the next round, which takes place July 27 to 30 in Auckland. (rsl)
Selected results
1. Colin McRae (Subaru) 4:53.05
2. Kenneth Eriksson (Mitsubishi) 4:55.19
3. Tommi Makinen (Mitsubishi) 4:57.41
4. Possum Bourne (Subaru) 5:03.07
5. Kenjiro Shinozuka (Mitsubishi) 5:17.31
6. Hutomo MP (Subaru) 5:24.34
7. Tonny Hardianto (Subaru) 5:26,12
8. Dandy Rukmana (Ford Escort) 5:29.25
9. Bambang Hartono (Mitsubishi) 5:30.50 10. Pornsawan Siritwattanakui (Mitsubishi) 5:31.56