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RALLY: San Remo Battle Continues

13 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Round 12 (of 14), 1999 FIA World Rally Championship 11-13 October

Forget the battle for the World Championship - the Peugeots lead San Remo 1st, 2nd & 3rd and won every stage of the day! Gilles Panizzi: "What a wonderful car!" And the 3 Peugeots of Delecour, Panizzi and Gronholm are closely followed the the 2-Litre Citroen of Bugalski.

It is also important to note that 3rd placed Marcus Gronholm is competing in his 3rd ever tarmac rally and his 1st San Remo. Jesus Puras was also on the pace but retired with clutch problems while in 4th behind the Peugeots. But despite the excellent performance on the road, it hasn't been all good for Delecour. Rally organisers imposed a time penalty of 2 minutes for breaking the reconaissance rules which apparently involved riding a bicycle into a stage. The Peugeot Sport Team has appealed against the decision and the following results do not take this penalty into account.

World Championship leaders Makinen and Auriol lie in 6th and 7th, but only 3 seconds apart - a battle not so much for outright victory, but for championship points. Auriol: "We will be pushing hard because it is close and we have everything to fight for."

Auriol's team mate, Carlos Sainz has had a big accident on the final stage. 12km into stage, the car left the road and hit a tree - they are ok but the car is completely destroyed and they have retired. ""It was a left-hand corner going into a fast right-hander 12 kilometres into the stage and, under braking from sixth to fourth gear, we hit a patch of gravel on the road," said Carlos. "It was a pretty big accident, we hit a tree and went a long way off the road. It was just not possible to continue. Naturally it is very disappointing for us and the team."

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