World class rally drivers to compete in Medan

World class rally drivers to compete in Medan

JAKARTA (JP): World top rally drivers who dominated the race
through its 11th stop in Finland last week will continue their
battle for top honors when they compete in the Gudang Garam World
Rally Championships in Medan, North Sumatra, from Sept. 19 to
Sept. 21.

Tommi Makinen of Finland, Carlos Sainz of Spain, Britain's
Colin McRae and Richard Burns, Scotland's Kenneth Eriksson and
Finnish driver Juha Kankkunen have confirmed their participation
in the world championships, committee spokesman Helmy Sungkar
said yesterday.

"They will continue their battle for top honors when they race
in Medan. Makinen, who leads in points, will try to do his best
to keep the lead," Helmy predicted.

Makinen, driving a Mitsubishi Evolution IV, won the Finland
Rally for the fourth successive time last week.

Makinen's victory and the failure of his nearest championship
challengers, Sainz (Ford Escort) and McRae (Subaru Impreza), to
finish, left him favorite to record a second successive world
title.

Sainz, who finished second behind Makinen in Finland and was
last year's winner in Medan, will find the race around rubber,
tea, cocoa and oil palm plantations in North Sumatra not an easy
way to get even.

North Sumatra, notorious for its tricky track especially when
wet, is known by world drivers as one of the toughest and most
challenging routes.

This year's race stretching some 402.47 kilometers will be
split into three legs. Leg one will cover a stretch of 137.72 km
and run over eight Special Stages (SS).

Leg two, scheduled to run on Sept. 20, will take the racers
over a stretch of 149.07 km over eight SS before stopping for the
second night at beautiful Lake Toba.

The third and final leg which covers a stretch of 115.68
kilometers over six SS will take the drivers back to the
finishing line in Merdeka Square in Medan which marks the
conclusion of the three-day event.

Toyota team's Didie Auriol of Finland, behind the wheel of a
newly introduced Toyota Corolla WRC, will be one driver to watch.
Another driver in the Toyota team is Australian Neal Bates, also
in a Toyota Corolla WRC.

Hutomo Mandala Putra, the national leading driver, is expected
to be a stiff challenge to his foreign opponents. He will be
driving a Mitsubishi Evolution IV with co-driver Jefrey JP.

Other national drivers who will try to hold off their overseas
racers are Chandra Alim (Mitsubishi Evo IV), Ricardo Gelael
(Subaru Impreza) and Pratikno Singgih (Mitsubishi Evo IV).

At least 800 hotel rooms will be needed to accommodate all the
participating teams in the world championships, which some 200
reporters local and foreigners will cover.

Standings (after Finland rally):
1. Makinen (Fin) 52 points
2. Carlos Sainz (Spa) 34
3. Colin McRae (Gbr) 32
4. Kenneth Eriksson (Swe) 24
5. Piero Liatti (Ita) 18
6. Kankkunen (Fin) 16

World constructors' championship:
1. Subaru 74 points
2. Mitsubishi 66
3. Ford 61