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RALLY: Mitsubishi Pushes for World Rally Championship Double Title in Great Britain

20 November 1998

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart is aiming to conclude its most successful season ever with a victory on the Rally of Great Britain that could clinch the 1998 World Rally Championship for Drivers and Manufacturers.

Tommi Makinen and fellow Finn Risto Mannisenmaki start the rally as favourites for the World Championship, which is a tribute to the remarkable quality of Mitsubishi engineering and the abilities of the crew in the most competitive season in rallying history. Makinen has five wins this season, but no longer needs to win the rally, as beating his only rival Carlos Sainz will secure the championship.

However, he is in no danger of underestimating the challenge ahead. "The RAC Rally is always difficult. If it is held in bad weather like last year, anything can happen. It is not necessary to win, but you never know what Carlos will do and we need to keep close to him", Makinen said. Team-mates Richard Burns and co-driver Robert Reid are running on home ground and could play a key role in making Mitsubishi world champion. Recent testing and careful work with Michelin has made the Carisma GT highly competitive and Burns is anxious to achieve a victory that would greatly reduce Sainz's chances of beating Makinen for the world title. "I'm really confident after Mitsubishi's win in Australia. The car is really quick and reliable at the moment, and I want to win my home rally more than ever. There is a lot of competition, but I think we have an extremely good chance", Burns predicted.