Tommy pledges best showing in Medan

JAKARTA (JP): National leading driver Hutomo Mandala Putra vowed yesterday to steal a little bit of thunder in the Indonesia Rally Championship in Medan, North Sumatra, next week by besting his Asian rivals.

"To match European world-rated drivers is such a heavy job that I prefer eying the top place among Asians," Hutomo, or Tommy as his friends call him, said during the induction of leadership board of the Indonesian Motor Association (IMI) by National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar yesterday.

Hutomo, President Soeharto's youngest son, will team up for the first time with co-driver Jeffrey JP in his bid for a better run than last year when he quit early on. The new pairing will drive a Subaru Impreza.

"I'm thoroughly ready, both physically and mentally, for the race," said Hutomo, who is still fresh from his victory in the national rally championships' first leg in Palembang last month.

Swedish defending champion Kenneth Eriksson and Mitsubishi teammate Tommi Makinen are expected to battle it out against arch rivals Possum Bourne and Colin McRae of the Subaru team. Ford rests its hopes on former world champion Ari Vatanen who will team up with his female navigator Fabrizia Pons in the race, which is also the opening leg of the Asia Pacific Championships series.

Hutomo, renowned also as a leading businessman, said that he was worried about several stages of the July 7-9 race due to their long and winding roads. Participants will drive on the longest track in Bandar Meriah which covers a stretch of 31.26- kilometers.

Chairman of the committee Indrajit Sardjono said that organizers are still repairing two notorious stages in Bukit Lima and Tanah Gambus. The three-day race will be split into 26 stages. (amd)