Rain threat hangs over drivers in Medan championship rally
Rain threat hangs over drivers in Medan championship rally
By Robert L. Soelistyo
MEDAN (JP): Rain is wanted in drought stricken areas, but it
is not wanted here by most of the drivers starting the World
Gudang Garam Rally Championship this morning.
Sixty-nine cars, 35 of them with local drivers, will begin
their three-day battle for top honors with the threat hanging
over their heads of rain dampening their best efforts.
Four giant international car producers dominate the field,
three from Japan, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Subaru, and Ford from
the U.S.
They will endeavor to continue their supremacy in this
season's world rally championship.
Defending champion and number one seed Carlos Sainz of Spain
in a Ford Escort WRC has starting order number one and will be
flagged off ahead of the field.
The Spanish driver made his debut here last year on the muddy
tracks, and won the battle of superb machines in the fray.
Teammate Juha Kankunnen of Finland is number four in the
starting line at Merdeka Square in the heart of the city.
Tommi Makinnen of Finland, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer
Evolution IV will be second in the starting line-up followed by
Colin McRae of Scotland in a 555 Subaru third.
Didier Auriol of France in a Toyota Corolla WRC will make his
debut here in the newly introduced machine which was tested in
the Finland world rally last week.
Boosted by the stunning performance of the new Toyota World
Rally Car in its debut race, the team will move the car into its
next development stage.
Team leader Auriol and co-driver Denis Giraudet, who finished
eighth in Auriol's first Finnish event since 1994, now face a new
challenge here where they will be teamed with Australian champion
Neal Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor.
"I have never contested this event before, but I have some
experience of the conditions from promotional work we did in
Malaysia a couple of years ago," Auriol, the 1994 World Rally
Champion said.
"I know exactly how hot and humid it will be," he said.
"I'll do my best tomorrow and hopefully there will be no
rain."
For many drivers coming from Europe the tropical plantations
of the province where they will run their machines to the maximum
speed, are a stark contrast to the conditions experienced in
Europe.
No less challenge
But the conditions pose no less of a challenge for the rally
crews.
The 555 Subaru World Rally Team will try to capitalize on the
double opportunity to win the qualifying round of both the world
series and the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.
However, McRae's focus remains firmly fixed on closing the gap
on arch rivals, Makinen and Sainz, in the World series.
This is the Scot's third visit to Indonesia and, while he
retired in frustrating circumstances last year while leading,
victory on his first outing in 1995 underlined his expertise in
unchartered territory.
"You can't keep thinking about things that have happened. You
have to look ahead with a positive attitude and I feel very good
about Indonesia. So I'll do my best tomorrow and the rest of the
days during the rally," Collin said.
On the local drivers' chances in the rally Collin said it
would be hard for them to beat professional drivers like himself.
"I think local drivers will find it difficult to compete
against the world rated pros as taking part in a rally is our
job."
"From there we were paid to do our best," he said.
But he said they were improving after years of racing in
Indonesia.
Hutomo Mandala Putra, driving under the Goro Team banner, will
lead the local challenge.
Fifteen Timor cars, claimed to be the national car, will join
in the fray with Enny Ariani and Yatti Suhamei -- the only women
drivers among the 136 male drivers.
The rally route covers eight special stages on the first day,
encompassing 350kms.
The second day loops from Parapat over another eight demanding
stages through forests and rubber plantations.
The third and final leg retraces part of the opening day route
as it heads back toward Medan and the finish scheduled at 4 p.m.