RALLY: Round 1 FIA World Rally Championship Results
20 January 1999
Round 1 of the 1999 FIA World Rally Championship17 January - 20 January 1999
Results of Leg 1
What a way to start the season!
The first leg and particularly the first stage of the Monte Carlo has provided much excitement. The first stage was a difficult 48km with black ice, snow and unpredictable conditions. A number of leading drivers experienced problems and as usual on the Monte, tyre choice was the name of the game. Weather conditions during the day became fine and clear and was a little wet and overcast in the morning.
Carlos Sainz (Toyota) has retired from the Monte on the very first stage after an incident on the very first corner! The first corner was 100% ice and Sainz slid off, damaging the front end. He struggled on for another 8kms, but the bonnet flew up and they slid off the road again as he couldn't see the road. Sainz: "On a positive note though, every year I have won in Monte Carlo we have not won the Championship. Maybe this means our luck will change." Auriol also had a disappointing start and the flu. He went off the road on the first stage when co-driver Giraudet announced a tricky pacenote a little too late!
Tommi Makinen had an excellent start to the first event of the year. He won the first stage and now leads the rally at the end of the first leg. He did have some problems with the rear suspension and broke a front disc which lost him over 1 minute. Team mate Loix in his first event for Mitsubishi was not so good - he went off the road on the first stage, damaged the radiator and retired.
With an all new team, the Subarus are still flying. But the best of them is Peugeot driver Gilles Panizzi in a privately entered Impreza and he is in 2nd position even after a 30 second penalty. Kankkunen and Thiry are both in the top 5 although are not happy with their performance.
The Ford Focus of McRae and Jean-Joseph started under appeal of the FIA's decision to exclude the Fords for their water pump not complying to technical regulations. A letter to Stewards signed by all competing registered manufacturers, requested both cars be able to start the rally. Colin McRae went on to score 2 special stages wins but was not without his problems. His car stopped in SS1 due to an electrical problem and then smoke came into the cockpit after a damaged exhaust came too close to the paintwork. Simon Jean-Joseph went off the road in SS1 but was pushed back on the road by spectators and finished the day in 15th.
Liatti and Rovanpera were both impressive despite some problems in the Seat WRC which is now a lot more competitive. Harri Rovanpera made a wrong tyre choice and was slowed by Loix on the first stage, spun on the 2nd nad set 2nd fastest stage time on the 3rd. Liatti was consistently quick but had a suspected punture on SS4 losing him time.
Skoda unfortunately withdrew both cars prior to the start of the first stage. Armin Schwarz's clutch failed as he approached the start ramp and Pavel Sibera experienced power steering failure. Problems with the engine management system were also experienced during testing.
Unofficial results and of Leg 1: 1 Makinen Mitsubishi 1:51:11,8 2 Panizzi Subaru 1:51:35,9 3 Kankkunen Subaru 1:52:25,5 4 Liatti Seat 1:52:25,9 5 Thiry Subaru 1:52:56,8 6 McRae Ford 1:53:05,8 7 Delecour Ford 1:53:32,2 8 Auriol Toyota 1:55:00,5 9 Rovanpera Seat 1:55:02,7 10 Burns Subaru 1:55:33,8 Formula 2: 1 Gardemeister Seat Ibiza 1:59:58,5 Group N: Note: difficulty in getting Group N and F2 results Stage Winners: SS1 - Makinen (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI) SS2 - Thiry (Subaru Impreza WRC) SS3 - Panizzi (Subaru Impreza WRC - privately entered) SS4 - McRae (Ford Focus WRC) SS5 - McRae (Ford Focus WRC) SS 1 Plan de Vitrolles - Faye 48,28km Stage Pos/ Driver/ Car/ Stage Time: 1 Makinen Mitsubishi 34:36,4 2 Panizzi Subaru 35:13,9 3 Liatti Seat 35:50,0 4 Kankkunen Subaru 35:54,4 5 Thiry Subaru 36:01,8 SS 2 L'Epine - Rosans 31,15km Stage Pos/ Driver/ Car/ Stage Time: 1 Thiry Subaru 19:59,6 2 Makinen Mitsubishi 20:00,2 3 Kankkunen Subaru 20:00,9 4 Liatti Seat 20:04,1 5 Auriol Toyota 20:06,1 SS 3 Eygalayes - Ruissas 27,56km Stage Pos/ Driver/ Car/ Stage Time: 1 Panizzi Subaru 18:50,0 2 Rovanpera Seat 19:07,0 3 Auriol Toyota 19:21,2 4 Makinen Mitsubishi 19:23,7 5 McRae Ford 19:24,5 SS 4 Prunieres - Embrun 33,82km Stage Pos/ Driver/ Car/ Stage Time: 1 McRae Ford 20:50,3 2 Auriol Toyota 21:17,7 3 Delecour Ford 21:18,1 4 Jean-Joseph Ford 21:19,0 5 Kankkunen Subaru 21:26,2 SS 5 Saint Clement - St Sauveur 20,35km Stage Pos/ Driver/ Car/ Stage Time: 1 McRae Ford 13:58,0 2 Auriol Toyota 14:42,5 3 Burns Subaru 14:47,0 4 Makinen Mitsubishi 14:54,8 5 Delecour Ford 14:59,5