Bangkok--Jan 7--Asatsu Thailand
SMARA-Western Sahara - Brazilians Klever Kolberg and Rouldan Lourival finished the day’s stage in 18th position and were the fastest of the Mitsubishi Ralliart teams, but team mates Dominique Housieaux and Loic Fagot were classified 19th on the stage into Smara and will lead the Ralliart teams into Mauritania on Wednesday. They lead their teammates by 1m 24s.
Brazilians Klever Kolberg and Rouldan Lourival finished the day’s stage in 18th position and were the fastest of the Mitsubishi Ralliart teams, but team mates Dominique Housieaux and Loic Fagot were classified 19th on the stage into Smara and will lead the Ralliart teams into Mauritania on Wednesday. They lead their teammates by 1m 24s.
Krzysztof Holowczyc and Belgian co-driver Jean-Marc Fortin began today’s stage in 19th position in their Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, although the former European rally champion felt that his car needed a sixth gear to give it higher gearing for overtaking. The Pole was delayed with mechanical problems near the end of the stage.
"I came from the WRC and am obviouisly used to a powerful rally car," said the Pole. "A six-speed gearbox would be nice. Maybe the team can fly one into Atar. I am quite happy with everything at this stage. It is so different to the WRC. Speeds are slower and you have plenty of time to turn into corners. Today’s stage was the longest of my life. It was incredible when you compare it say to a 60 kms special on Rally GB!"
Chinese driver Guan Yuang Men enjoyed his run through today’s stage, despite being held up by a train for six minutes on the special stage into Agadir.
"We met a train in the stage," said Men. "Yes it was incredible. Maybe the train only passes this way once a year, but it came straight in front of us and we had to stop. After that it was narrow and rocky and we caught some cars but were not able to pass them in the dust. The delay cost us maybe 20 places in the stage. Today was a case of taking no risks and making sure we gained a little time back. I prefer the gravel stages to driving in the dunes. It is so different."
Thailand’s Siriwattanakun Pornsawan lost over 10 minutes in the stage into Agadir when he was forced to stop in the dust of a slower competitor. But the Mitsubishi Truck Evolution driver’s luck turned even worse when he complained of severe back pain at the team’s hotel in Agadir on Monday evening and was forced to withdraw from the event with a possible slipped disc.
Dutchman Toni van Deijne was enjoying his first experience of the Dakar in a Ralliart Pajero/Montero. "The team has made some good work with the car," said Van Deijne. "It is fine so far. I plan to drive carefully until the rest day in Atar and then maybe we can push a little and move up the leaderboard."
Overall classification after SS4:
1. Colin McRae (GB)/Tina Th๖rner (S) Nissan Pick-Up
5h 07m 24s
2. Giniel de Villiers (ZA)/Jean-Marie Lurquin (B) Nissan Pick-Up
5h 12m 52s
3. Luc Alphand (F)/Gilles Picard (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution
5h 13m 25s
4. Jutta Kleinschmidt (D)/Fabrizia Pons (I) Volkswagen Touareg
5h 13m 28s
5. Bruno Saby (F)/Michel Prin (F) Volkswagen Touareg
5h 14m 36s
6. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Alain Guehennec (F) BMW X5
5h 15m 01s
14. Stphane Peterhansel (F)/Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi
Pajero/Montero Evolution 5h 29m 21s
17. Joan Roma (E)/Henri Magne (AND) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero
Evolution 5h 38m 25s
19. Andrea Mayer (D)/Jean-Michel Polato (F) Mitsubishi L200 Pick-Up
5h 42m 39s
20. Dominique Housieaux (F)/Loic Fagot (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero
5h 43m 39s
21. Klever Kolberg (BR)/Roldan Lourival (BR) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero
5h 45m 03s
23. Alexey Berkut (RUS)/Anton Nikolaev (RUS) Mitsubishi L200 Pick-Up
5h 51m 40s
TBA. Krzysztof Holowczyc (PL)/Jean-Marc Fortin (B) Mitsubishi
Pajero/Montero 6h 08m 56s
TBA. Guan Yuang Men (CN)/Serge Henninot (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero
TBA. Toni van Deijne (NL)/Francisco Zutven (NL) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero
TBA. Arnold Meier (CH)/Sarah Meier (CH) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero
For Motor Sports Thai fans who want to send goodwill and cheer up to both Pornsawan and Pornthep during the race of ‘Telefonica Barcelona-Dakar 2005’, please follow up a review programme from Television of Thailand Channel 11 (TV 11) on 01.00 — 01.30am every night from now until January 16th, 2005. Furthermore, every free television channel is going to broadcast a short report on Daily Sports News (TV 3, 5, 7, 9, and iTV), and/or www.dakar.com, www.mitsubishi-motors.co.th/
Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net End.