McRae Wins San Remo Rally

Scot Colin McRae drove his Subaru Impreza 555 to victory in the Sanremo Rally Wednesday, beating Spain's Carlos Sainz by 22 seconds in the penultimate event of the 1996 World Rally Championship.

McRae's second victory this season - his first ever in Sanremo - lifted Subaru atop the world manufacturers standings.

With one race left in Spain next month, Subaru led Mitsubishi 340-304.

Mitsubishi, whose best finish was France's Didier Auriol in eighth place, had entered the Italian race with a nine-point lead over defending champion Subaru.

McRae, the 1995 world champion, led throughout the three stages and completed the race in 4 hours, 26 minutes, 57 seconds. Sainz finished second in a Ford Escort Cosworth, 2 minutes and nine seconds ahead of his Belgian teammate Bruno Thiry.

A second Subaru Impreza 555, driven by Sweden's Kenneth Eriksson, was fourth, 2:44 behind.

Sainz, a former world champion, narrowed his gap from McRae by 10 seconds from Tuesday's second stage but was unable to catch the leader.

At one point, Sainz had closed to six seconds behind McRae, who extended his lead in the two last trials on asphalted roads.

Belgian Freddy Loix, in a Toyota Celica, moved from eighth to fifth with impressive driving in the final stage. He still finished 2:51 behind McRae.

The 28-year-old McRae increased his season total to 72 points in the world drivers championship, in fourth place.

Finland's Tommi Makinen, who clinched the title in Australia last month with 115 points, was forced out in the opening stage Monday when he crashed his Mitsubishi Lancer. Sainz is second with 89 points, 13 ahead of Eriksson.