From rally@vianet.net.au Sat Nov 22 15:28:11 1997
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 11:14:10 +0800
From: Guy Churchill
Reply-To: owner-wrc@vianet.net.au
To: wrc@vianet.net.au
Subject: [WRC] 1997 Network Q RAC Rally - Background Information
54th Rally of Britain (RAC)
Round 14 of the World Rally Championship
21 November - 24 November 1997
The Rally of Great Britain is one of the oldest and most prestigious rounds of the World Rally
Championship. Since the formation of the FIA World Rally Championship in
1973 the event's international reputation has always been strong. As the RAC
is one of the country's major sporting events, many cities and towns including
London, Birmingham, Bath, York, Chester, Cheltenham, Harrogate and Nottingham
are eager to host the rally.
Expect fans to be in excess of two million to watch local favourites like
Colin McRae, who loves nothing better than living on the edge, race for the
RAC win and possibly a championship win as well. But since the event took to
the forests, Scandinavian drivers have dominated, only Britain's Roger Clark
(twice), Carlos Sainz (once) and Colin McRae (twice) have managed to beat the
Finns and Swedes.
The 1997 entry list was extensive with 163 entrants and over 30 reserves.
(The following information was a preview for the 1997 Rally)
The RAC is likely to be a four way fight between motor manufacturing giants
Subaru, Mitsubishi, Ford, and the still unproven Toyota WRC Corolla. But most
interest will be focused on the battle between Colin McRae and Tommi Makinen.
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart is poised to win the crown and Tommi is the odds-on
favourite to become World Rally Champion for the second year in a row.
Makinen has four wins already this year and a near - unbeatable points lead as
he prepares for the RAC. He will be World Champion provided he finishes in
the top six and scores just one point, but if Colin McRae fails to win the
rally, Makinen is automatically champion. With much of the United Kingdom
behind Colin he'll be pushing it all the way.
And according to Colin himself ..... "Just a couple of events ago it was hard
to think we'd be in a position to be fighting for the World Championship on the
final round," said Colin, "but if there was anywhere I'd rather do it, the RAC
Rally is obviously the event that favours me most. It's not going to be easy
though; we've got to win and Tommi (Makinen) has got to be out of the points.
Even then, it would go down to a tie-break on points and we would win by having
five victories over Tommi's four, so I'm under no illusion that a straight
victory will clinch it.
While Tommi's attitude is somewhat different .... "Of course it's going to be
difficult, because the RAC is a tough rally, but I don't think it is going to
be a problem. It is just a question of concentrating and making sure that we
finish," said Makinen. "I have driven a lot in Britain, so I know what to
expect in the forests and, although I haven't had good results on the RAC in
the past, this year is going to be different!"
So while Subaru 555 team has already tied up the manufacturers championship for
the third year in a row with the win in Australia, it's now the individual
drivers championship that has all the focus.
The 386 kilometres of timed special stages of this year's event will test the
drivers, and fittingly, ultimately decide the 1997 FIA World Rally
Championship.
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Conditions Expected:
The weather in Britain in late November is impossible to predict. But it will
almost certainly be bad. The chance of sunshine is minimal and competitors are
more likely to encounter rain, fog, hail, ice and snow. Varying weather
conditions are an integral part of the rally's unique challenge. It will make
forest stages slippery and treacherous, a true test of a drivers nerve, skill
and even luck.
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1996 Network Q RAC Rally
(**Note 1)
Day 1
The weather and accidents eliminated Ari Vatanen, Juha Kankkunen and Jarmo
Kytolehto. Armin Schwarz and Stig Blomqvist took the leads in there categories
which they held to the finish. Masao Kamioka and Krzysztof Holowczyc benefited
from there lower running numbers to finish the day second and forth
respectively while little known backmarkers often gained remarkable stage
times.
Day 2
Gwyndaf Evans and Robbie Head both went off on stage 11 after rolling their
cars in the same place. Organisers had a sleepless night deciding which crews
should be allowed to continue after delays the day before.
Day 3
Skoda's championship hopes were dashed when Sibera retired. SEAT became
champions!
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Final Results of the 1996 Network Q RAC Rally
1 Schwarz/Giraudet Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD 4h46m50s
2 Kamioka/Gormley Subaru Impreza 555 4h54m42s
3 Blomqvist/Melander Skoda Felicia Kit Car 1600 5h02m02s
4 Higgins/Mills Nissan Sunny GTI 5h09m11s
5 de Mevius/Fortin Renault Maxi Megane 5h11m20s
6 Easson/Cook Ford Escort RS Cos 5h13m59s
7 Buckley/Ewing Subaru Impreza WRX-RA 5h16m54s
8 Rovanpera/Repo SEAT Ibiza Kit Car 5h20m40s
9 Webber/Hiemer SEAT Ibiza Kit Car 5h22m24s
10 Baumschlager/Wicha VW Golf Kit Car 5h23m25s
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Previous Winners of the Network Q RAC Rally
1996 Armin Schwarz/Denis Giraudet (D/F) Toyota Celica GT-Four
1995 Colin McRae/Derek Ringer (GB) Subaru Impreza 555
1994 Colin McRae/Derek Ringer (GB) Subaru Impreza 555
1993 Juha Kankkunen/Nicky Grist (FIN/GB) Toyota Celica Turb 4WD
1992 Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (E) Toyota Celica Turb 4WD
1991 Juha Kankkunen/Juha Piironen (FIN) Lancia Delta HF Integ
1990 Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya (E) Toyota Celica GT-Four
1989 Pentti Airikkala/Ronan McNamee (FIN/IRL) Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
1988 Markku Alén/Ilkka Kivimäki (FIN) Lancia Delta HF Integ
1987 Juha Kankkunen/Juha Piironen (FIN) Lancia Delta HF 4WD
1986 Timo Salonen/Seppo Harjanne (FIN) Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
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Note 1
(** source = Pirelli World Rallying 1996-1997,
Martin Holmes Rallying, 1996)
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