The Hindu : Sport : Bad day for Team MRF

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 11, 2007
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Sport

Sport

Bad day for Team MRF

G. Prasad

LONGYOU (China): Misfortune struck Team MRF drivers on Saturday, as they had to pull out of the final round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) 2007 here owing to various technical reasons.

Jussi Valimaki, who is currently second in the overall standings, had been experiencing problems from Friday and had to retire with a blown engine midway through the ninth stage. Indian driver Gaurav Gill also had to withdraw because of an electronic control system failure. Lane Heenin, Technical Director, MRF, attributed the problems to a suspected case of contaminated fuel. Meanwhile, Japan’s Katsuhiko Taguchi, who went off the road in the eighth stage, is a doubtful starter on Sunday.

“The engine of his car can be retuned and made ready for action. But since there is a possibility of an engine collapse we may advise him to refrain from taking part,” said Mr. Heenin.

On the other hand, Australia’s Cody Crocker of Motor Image Rally Team was in no mood to relax, even after clinching the APRC title, as he led the rally at the end of Stage 10.

Later on Saturday evening, it was confirmed that only two cars — Crocker’s Subaru and Brian Edwin Green’s Mitsubishi are in the fray for action on Sunday. Technical snags have been cited as reason for the withdrawal of other cars.

The results (after leg 1): 1.Cody Crocker (co-driver Ben Atkinson) Motor Image Rally Team 1:54:42.5s; 2. Brian Edwin Green (Fluer Louise Pedersen) Mitsubishi Lancer Team 2:02:51.7s. Did not finish: (DNF): Katsuhiko Taguchi (Mark Stacey) Team MRF; Jussi Valimaki (Jarkko Kalliolepo) Team MRF; Gaurav Gill (Glen Macneall) Team MRF; Hiroshi Yanagisawa (Yoshimasa Nakahara) CUSCO Racing; Rifat Sungkar (Herkusuma Mohamad) Motor Image Rally Team.

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