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