McRae and Ford aim for a fast finish in Sanremo
For FIA World Rally Championship competitors the view of the Italian Riviera and the final rays of sunshine signifying the end of the European summer also indicate that the 14-round series is approaching its climax. For Ford Martini World Rally Team drivers Colin McRae and Simon Jean-Joseph, the Sanremo Rally (11-13 Oct) offers the final opportunity of the year to display the potential of their Ford Focus rally cars on asphalt.
The three-day event, 12th round of the championship, is the third and final rally of the season to be held on pure asphalt. The mountain roads behind the genteel coastal resort have often been the battleground for titanic struggles as the championship contenders scrap for points which can make the difference between glory or disappointment come season end.
McRae and co-driver Nicky Grist's hopes of a world title are over but that has done nothing to dissuade the 31-year-old Scottish driver, twice a winner of the rally, from the belief that his Focus World Rally Car can be a major contender in Italy.
"I think we have to be realistic. After our recent run of non-finishes our primary target has to be to finish the rally," said McRae. "But although we've had a number of retirements, we've also continued to prove the Focus is highly competitive, setting fastest times on virtually every event. We've recorded quickest times on every asphalt rally this season and there's no reason why that can't be the case again.
"Sanremo can be a tricky rally because the second leg is totally different from the first and last days. The stages are very narrow and drivers cutting the corners drag a lot of loose gravel right onto the driving line, which makes it very slippery for those following," added McRae.
Ford Martini team-mates and asphalt experts Jean-Joseph and co-driver Fred Gallagher, driving a Focus for the first time since May's Tour of Corsica, will also be wary of the hazards lying in wait on the mountain roads above Sanremo, tackled during the first and final legs.
"I've not competed on this rally before but I've been told how tricky those stages can be," said the Martinique-based Jean-Joseph. "The leaves are starting to fall from the trees into the road and because the sun doesn't reach some areas you can drive from bone dry asphalt into the shade where damp and slippery leaves can make it very difficult, especially under braking.
"Five months is a long time to go without driving the Focus competitively but I've competed on two rallies during that time in a Ford Puma so it shouldn't take long to get back into my rhythm," added the 30-year-old driver.
Norway's Petter Solberg and co-driver Phil Mills will be behind the wheel of a third Focus, the 24-year-old Scandinavian competing on his first asphalt world championship rally. "This will be another excellent opportunity to gain more experience with a view to the future," said Solberg. "Phil has competed here before so I will be looking towards his knowledge of the rally to help us along."
Technical Talk
The Ford Martini team completed a highly successful three-day test in southern France at the end of last month, completing more than 600km of asphalt driving and trying modifications with both Sanremo and the 2000 season in mind.
Team director Malcolm Wilson said: "It was an excellent three days. Thomas Rådström carried out the driving and we looked at a whole range of issues for next year, including the engine and the transmission.
"As far as Sanremo is concerned, the Focus cars will be using different anti-roll bars and different ride height settings from our last asphalt outing," said Wilson. "The ride height will be 40mm lower which obviously lowers the car's centre of gravity while a revised anti-roll bar set-up will help lessen the roll. As a result of the changes we've re-designed the damper and spring lengths. We tested these modifications in France and there was a noticeable improvement."
Geography
Both the first and final legs of the rally are based around Sanremo itself, competitors racing through the mountains before descending for regular service opportunities in the centre of town, just a few metres from the Mediterranean waves. The middle leg is very different, drivers making the long journey north to the Savona region for stages around the town of Acqui Terme.
The Rally
Traditionally the rally attracts some of the biggest crowds in the World Championship season. It is a common sight to witness spectators camping out alongside the special stages or sleeping in their cars to ensure themselves of a prime viewing location for the following day's action. The rally format is very simple with each of the nine stages run twice to provide competitors with 18 stages covering almost 385km in a total route of 1385km. The second leg is by far the longest with more than 167km of competitive driving but the final day includes the massive 40.61km Colle Langan stage, which is run twice and takes drivers across the backbone of the mountain range.
For more information: Contact Mark Wilford or Alyson Marlow on the Ford Martini World Rally team media desk in Sanremo. Telephone and fax numbers to be confirmed.
SANREMO RALLY
ROUND 12 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP, 11 - 13 OCTOBER 1999
Monday 11 October: Leg 1 Sanremo - Sanremo
Start Sanremo 08.00 SS1 San Romolo 18.50km 08.40 SS2 Monte Ceppo 19.53km 09.07 SS3 Pantasina 9.28km 11.39 SS4 Colle D'Oggia 20.53km 12.26 SS5 San Romolo 18.50km 14.39 SS6 Monte Ceppo 19.53km 15.06 Finish Sanremo 17.15 Totals 105.87km
Tuesday 12 October: Leg 2 Sanremo - Sanremo
Start Sanremo 05.30 SS7 Torre del Vengore 29.50km 08.49 SS8 Loazzolo 7.36km 09.42 SS9 Turpino 24.45km 11.18 SS10 Ponzone 22.68km 12.07 SS11 Torre del Vengore 29.50km 14.14 SS12 Loazzolo 7.36km 15.07 SS13 Turpino 24.45km 16.43 SS14 Ponzone 22.68km 17.32 Finish Sanremo 21.49 Totals 167.98km
Wednesday 13 October: Leg 3 Sanremo - Sanremo
Start Sanremo 07.00 SS15 Colle Langan 40.61km 07.46 SS16 Pantasina 9.28km 10.54 SS17 Colle d'Orggia 20.53km 11.41 SS18 Colle Langan 40.61km 13.55 Finish Sanremo 16.12 Totals 111.03km
Rally total 384.88km
