20 April 2002
SummaryThe 2002 Cyprus Rally resumed this morning at 0600hrs when 47 cars left the overnight parc ferme on the promenade at Limassol. With a total of 146 competitive kilometres and eight stages, Leg two was the longest of the event.
It had rained overnight and the first two stages were damp and slightly muddy. The sun made an appearance to dry the remainder of the morning's roads but the rain returned for SS11 and was torrential on SS12. Temperatures in the woods around the first three stages were slightly cooler than yesterday at around 15ºC - but inside the cars crews were coping with temperatures of more than 50ºC.
In a thrilling day of rallying, leg two saw numerous battles erupt throughout the top fifteen places. At the head of the field, Colin McRae and Marcus Gronholm were both anxious to claim their first victory of the season. But pushing hard in third was 555 Subaru World Rally Team driver Tommi Makinen who continued to make an impressive gravel debut in the Impreza WRC and set the fastest time on SS9.
Tommi's young Norwegian team-mate Petter Solberg put in an excellent performance despite running second on the road, and acting as road-sweeper for the remaining cars. He was second on stage nine, then won on ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen. By the end of the day he had climbed eight places, holds eighth overnight and is pushing hard for a points finish - a remarkable recovery considering he was 28th after SS3. The day saw five works-team retirements, four of which occured on a perilous SS12. Alister McRae, Roman Kresta, Freddy Loix and Bruno Thiry all retired when heavy rain turned the road into a river. The same stage was due to be repeated in the afternoon as SS14 but faced with a wash-out organisers decided to cancel it.
Tommi Makinen"Not so bad really, with every stage I'm getting more experience of the car and tyres and we're moving in a positive direction with the set up. We came close to catching Gronholm but the rain on stage twelve was just unbelievable, I couldn't see a thing when I broke the wheel. I've driven on many many rallies and I've never seen rain that extreme before - it was like being in a lake. For sure there is still plenty more improvement to come but for tomorrow I want to keep pushing and try to get the best podium finish."
Petter Solberg
"Today has been quite good - I would have preferred one like this yesterday! The car has been working better and better all day, and we have made a big step in our set up for these conditions. There is a noticeable improvement in traction especially. We've made some good progress from 28th yesterday to eighth now and it now seems there is a chance for some points after all, so I will keep trying and do my best for tomorrow."
Stage Reports
SS7 07:12 Prastio - Pachna (10.92km)
The first challenge of leg two was a fast and technical 11 kilometre section. Carlos Sainz left his troubles of yesterday behind to take the stage win. Marcus Gronholm finished second ahead of Colin McRae - further closing the gap on McRae's lead to just 5.3 seconds. The Peugeots of Richard Burns and Harri Rovanpera tied fourth place. Petter Solberg was sixth - he lost time when he slid off the road, while Tommi Makinen was eighth. But a miserable start for Mitsubishi - their highest placed driver, Jani Paasonen, retired after hitting a rock and breaking the steering on his car.
Fastest Time : Sainz (Ford) 6:29.0
SS8 08:15 Platres - Saittas (11.25km)Another fastest time for Carlos Sainz on Platres, which featured a muddy surface with fast bends for the first six kilometres and then shifted downhill to a fast section with hairpins. Colin McRae was second and re-opened the gap again between himself and Marcus Gronholm, who was fifth. Harri Rovanpera was third and Richard Burns fourth. Petter Solberg, running second on the road, was sixth, 1.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Tommi Makinen. Things just got worse for Mitsubishi when Alister McRae rolled his Lancer, but he was able to continue.
Fastest Time : Sainz (Ford) 9:21.2
SS9 08:58 Kourdali - Spilia (30.62km)
The longest stage of the event and a emphatic Subaru 1-2 finish. Tommi Makinen took the victory, seven seconds ahead of Petter Solberg. The results promoted Tommi from fifth to third on the overall leaderboard and Petter from 15th to 13th. Elsewhere the battle intensified between Colin McRae and Marcus Gronholm who, after finishing fifth and seventh respectively, were separated on the leaderboard by just 1.9 seconds. Gabriel Pozzo, who was running first on the road, lost his car's power steering on the previous stage and limped through Kourdali, eventually forfeiting around nine minutes. Disappointment for fourth placed Francois Duval, he retired when his Ford lost oil pressure. In the wars too Francois Delecour - his car broke a drive shaft, the second of the event.
Fastest Time : Makinen (Subaru) 29:21.8
SS10 11:48 Prastio - Pachna 2 (10.92km)
The action continued to hot up on the second trip through Prastio, where crews found a drier, clearer road. Petter Solberg took the stage win, continuing his admirable form and closing in on Janne Tuohino in 12th. Harri Rovanpera was second, creeping up on Markko Martin's overall fourth place, just 8.7 seconds behind him. Tommi Makinen sustained his efforts by finishing joint third with Richard Burns and taking more time from Colin McRae and Marcus Gronholm, who finished sixth and seventh. After SS10 Tommi was just 24 seconds off the lead.
Fastest Time : Solberg (Subaru) 6:14.3
SS11 12:51 Platres - Saittas 2 (11.25km) A repeat of SS8 saw rain after the first three cars and another brilliant performance from the 555 Subaru duo. Tommi Makinen proved he was really back in the game by taking yet more time from Marcus Gronholm and reducing the deficit to his fellow Finn to just 19 seconds. Petter Solberg claimed a remarkable win on the 11.25km test by finishing a full 17 seconds ahead of his nearest rival and found himself promoted to tenth overall. Colin McRae finished second, extending his overall lead to 10 seconds. Delecour was third and Richard Burns fourth Tommi was close behind in fifth. Harri Rovanpera rolled his Peugeot but managed to restart relatively quickly. He lost around half a minute and his overall fifth place to Richard Burns.
Fastest Time : Solberg (Subaru) 9:02.7
SS12 13:26 Foini - Koilinia (29.88km)
Foini should have had a twisty and narrow start before progressing to open bends and a fast sweeping finish, but the weather played the biggest part in the action with stormy conditions and torrential rain hammering down on the road and making it incident filled. Francois Delecour had to stop in the stage twice when his windscreen wipers failed. Freddy Loix retired when a gearbox selector problem prevented him from going uphill. Alister McRae's miserable run of luck finally ended in retirement with a transmission problem. While at Skoda, Roman Kresta crashed out in his Octavia WRC. It was, however, another brilliant run and stage win for Petter Solberg, who by now was in ninth overall position. Marcus Gronholm finished second and opened the gap on Tommi Makinen to over a minute after Tommi hit something 20kms in and damaged the right hand rear wheel rim. He finished the stage slowly and finished ninth. Colin McRae was second, Armin Schwarz fourth and Richard Burns fifth.
Fastest Time : Solberg (Subaru) 29:31.3
SS13 16:56 Platres - Saittas 3 (11.25km) The third run through of Platres turned out to be the final test of the day and was a repeat of SS8 and SS11. Petter Solberg won his fourth stage in a row and his fifth of the event, his time earning him another notch up the leaderboard to eighth overall. Tommi Makinen finished ninth to keep hold of his third place overall. Richard Burns was second with Peugeot comrade Harri Rovanpera third. Carlos Sainz was fourth followed by Colin McRae.
Fastest Time : Solberg (Subaru) 9:24.6
SS14 17:31 Foini - Koilinia 2 (29.88km)
The repeated Foini stage was cancelled by event organisers due to the serious deterioration of the road caused by the wet weather conditions.
Fastest Time : n/a
