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.