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RALLY: 84 Competitors running in Telstra Rally Australia

5 November 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

The traditional prelude of Telstra Rally Australia, the 2.20 kms superspecial stage in Perth's Langley Park , attracted tonight no less than 15,000 spectators to witness the spectacular floodlit action beside the Swan River.

The 84 competitors which started the thirteenth round of the FIA World Rally Championship, raced in pairs side-by-side on a gravel circuit, constructed specifically for the event, allowing the public to view rallying close-up, without having to go out to the forests.

First blood was taken by Scot Colin McRae (Ford) with Frenchman Didier Auriol (Toyota) second by a mere 0.4 seconds and Finn Tommi Mkinen (Mitsubishi) third, only one tenth of a second behind. The competition has been so hot that the first six cars are covered by just one second.

Today's stage was just an appetiser: the tough part of the rally will start tomorrow morning at 07.00 local time and competitors will tackle ten more stages to the east of Perth, in the Mundaring and York areas, totalling 132.79km of competitive driving, before returning to Perth for an overnight halt at 20h13.

Mitsubishi

Tommi Makinen settled into third place, just one tenth of a second behind his main championship rival, Toyota's Didier Auriol. It was alright. It was a short stage, but quite slippery, with no grip at all in some places, so we were careful. It was very close with Didier (Auriol). We will see what happens tomorrow, Makinen said.

Belgian Freddy Loix holds fifth place in his Mitsubishi Carisma GT, less than a second behind the leader. It was perfect, much easier than two or three days ago," said Loix. "This new surface is completely different to last year and very slippery in places. You need to be careful and you cannot drive too aggressively.

Subaru

"It was good," said seventh placed Richard Burns. Finn Juha Kankkunen, fourth overall, did not comment his result.

Ford

Colin McRae was satisfied for this first success and declared himself confident for the remainder of the event. "I'm looking forward to the rally for several reasons. I always enjoy Australia and I think the Ford Focus should be quite suited to those stages. It has proved very stable on the fast sections during the year and in Australia there are many sections like that," added the Scot, winner of the rally in 1994 and 1997. Team-mate Thomas Radstrom was ninth, the Swede being cautious over the slippery test.

Immediately before the start of the rally, Ford Martini team director Malcolm Wilson announced the signing of Carlos Sainz to drive for Ford in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2000 and 2001.

Toyota

"The Langley Park stage is fantastic for the crowds," said Frenchman Didier Auriol, "but it is still a stage in the rally were mistakes can be made and therefore I'm happy with my result."

Despite losing some time, sliding wide in a bend, Carlos Sainz did not complain about his 13th place. "It does not really matter," said the Spaniard. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow and to the first of the real Rally Australia stage."

Seat

Although the real competition starts tomorrow," said Harri Rovanpera, sixth overall,"I'm pleased with tonight's time. But further than that, I'm looking forward to Leg 2, which is by far the hardest. The surface is rock hard and the roads are very twisty and technical, and in the Australian heat the 45 kilometre Wellington Dam stage will be a real challenge. If we end Leg 2 in good shape I'm sure we will score a good result because the final leg takes place in the Bunnings region and I like those forests very much."

"I have a lot to learn," said fellow Finn and team-mate Toni Gardemeister, who topped the first ten. "My plan is to start cautiously and speed up when I become more at home on these new roads.

Peugeot

Frenchman Franois Delecour and Finn Marcus Gronholm made a cautious start to place respectively 11th and 12th, 2 seconds behind the leader.

Other Teams

Local hero Neal Bates, in a Corolla entered by Toyota Team Australia, ended joint seventh with Subaru's Briton Richard Burns.

New Asia-Pacific Rally Champion, Japanese Katsuhiko Taguchi, 19th overall, was first of Group N on his Mitsubishi. Finn Tapio Laukkanen, 28th overall, took his Renault Maxi Megane in the lead of FIA 2-Litre World Cup.

Frenchman Frederic Dor, 17th overall, leads for French team F. Dor the FIA Team's Cup category in a Subaru Impreza WRC.

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.