Updates from the Rest of the Racing World
Atlas F1 Magazine Writers
Advice: The points tables for most series covered by Elsewhere In Racing are available here. Individual series are linked to their corresponding points table after each report.
Petter Than The Rest
For Solberg, his RAC mission was simple. Win the event. That would guarantee the wildly popular Norwegian the World Championship. One by one his three rivals were removed by circumstance, leaving Solberg alone at the head of the field, and in front of his Welsh navigator Phil Mills' home crowd they became champions of the world.
"I just can'’t believe this," said Solberg after jumping into the crowd to celebrate with his army of blue clad, viking helmeted fans. "It's amazing, absolutely amazing. I haven't been thinking about the championship, just driving my stages and now we're here and we are the champions. The rally has gone so well for us, it really has for the whole team this is a fantastic result."
The four way battle for the championship ended rather anti-climactically. Citroen's Sebastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz both went into the rally on 63 points, just one ahead of Solberg. A win for any of the three would secure the title for them. The fourth man was Peugeot's Mister Consistency, Richard Burns. Having led the championship most of the year without winning, Burns was five points from the lead. If he won and the others were absent from the top four finishers, then the 2001 champion would pull off the most unlikely of upsets.
Solberg and Loeb were immediately at each other once the rally commenced. Solberg won the short first stage before Loeb responded winning the second and third stages jumping out to a four second lead. But elsewhere on Stage 3, Loeb's rally and his championship aspirations had become seriously compromised.
While staging for the start of Stage 2, smoke started spewing from the in-car TV camera rig in Carlos Sainz's Citroen Xsara. Sainz pulled the car out of the control area to inspect the smoke. They lost eleven minutes inspecting the problem, but as the problem was caused by equipment not owned by the team, Sainz would get those minutes back. The set back still applied pressure to the Spaniard, and in the next stage Sainz misheard one of Marc Marti's pace note calls, and slid off a third gear sweeper and down an embankment. The car, while relatively intact, was unrecoverable in terms of returning to the stage. The battle was now between two.
Citroen's team boss and the 1981 World Championship runner up Guy Frequelin spoke to Loeb after Stage 3. Afterwards Loeb said this conversation was 'on his mind' in the two subsequent stages in which Solberg charged past Loeb into a seven second lead. It would become apparent later in the rally that Loeb had or was about to be instructed to drive conservatively. With Sainz out of the event, and McRae strugging early with brake problems, the team decided securing the Manufacturers' title for Citroen was more important than Loeb's title shot. The French press would shortly begin crucifying Citroen's policy.
As the two leaders fought over who would become the new World Champion, a battle royale was developing between two former World Champions for third. Tommi Makinen held an eleven second lead over Colin McRae. It was the last WRC outing for both drivers before retirement, although McRae still has hopes of finding a drive for 2005, and both badly wanted a final podium.
Behind McRae was what Citroen was worried about; Harri Rovanpera was fifth with Freddy Loix back in ninth in the factory Peugeots, but team leader Marcus Gronholm was gone. Gronholm hit a log in Stage 3, demolishing one corner of the car. Gronholm lost 14 minutes in stage limping the car home, but he would not make it back to service as the local constabulary stopped the car and deemed it too dangerous to drive in its damaged condition along the M4 motorway.
Also out of the event was Ford's Markko Martin with a failed engine, and his teammate Mikko Hirvonen who crashed on Stage 3. Francois Duval was seventh in the surviving Focus, behind the Bozian semi-factory Peugeot of Gilles Panizzi.
The rally settled into Leg 2, with Loeb, now under orders not to attack, and Solberg not pushing as hard as he had to. A couple of minutes behind the leading duo McRae, also under orders to drive to finish, pushed as hard as he and his fading brakes dared to try to catch Makinen. The two former champions relishing one last opportunity to fight for a place. The only major retirement was Panizzi in the Bozian Peugeot. A broken prop-shaft claimed the Frenchman on the way to the first Stage of the day.
With just three stages to play on an overcast and wet Sunday, Solberg looked to have the rally in complete control. Loeb was unleashed from his conservative orders for Stage 17 after transmission gremlins halted Rovanpera on Stage 16, securing Citroen's title. By then it was too late, and there was little Loeb could, and perhaps little he could have done regardless. The defending Rally GB champion won the final stage of the rally, and leapt from the car to celebrate with his co-driver Phil Mills, his crew, his teammates Makinen and Kaj Lindstrom, his fans, and anyone with a smile on their face.
Makinen was happy of his own. The ever closing McRae removed himself from the battle on the final stage, after McRae and co-driver Derek Ringer stopped to change a puncture, allowing Makinen a final podium to add to a career which included four successive World Championships in the mid to late 90s. McRae was disappointed, but unlike Makinen, the 1995 World Champion is looking to force his way back into a full time drive for the 2005 season.
Four Peugeots filled the gap between the two Fords, with Loix leading them in the surviving factory car. Manfred Stohl blew out the gap to Bozian driver Kresta on the final stages, with the third Bozian car of Juuso Pykalisto in ninth. The last factory car home was the Skoda Fabia of Didier Auriol after teammate Toni Gardemeister crashed on Stage 16, the first stage of Leg Three.
Amongst the Super 1600s, Suzuki driver Daniel Carlsson won the class, moving up to third in the Junior World Championship. Salvador Canellas had to finish second to take the championship away from the mechanically retired Renault of Brice Tirabassi. Canellas could only finish fourth, behind FIAT's Mirco Baldacci and Suzuki's Ville-Pertti Teuronen. France at least had one driver's title to celebrate.
In a season of close finishes across all categories, the World Rally Championship has had a season to remember. Solberg claimed victories at Cyprus, Australia, Corsica and Britian in a thrilling late season charge, to Loeb's three victories at Monte Carlo, Deustchland and San Remo. The gap between them at season's end was a single point, and the torch was passed from one generation to the next.
It is now only seven weeks to the new season beginning at Monte Carlo.....
Result of World Rally Championship, Round 14 of 14, Wales Rally GB, Great Britain:
Final Standings: Petter Solberg 72, Sebastien Loeb 71, Carlos Sainz 63, Richard Burns 58, Markko Martin 49, Marcus Gronholm 46, Colin McRae 45, Tommi Makinen and Francois Duval 30, Gilles Panizzi 27, Harri Rovanpera 18, Toni Gardemeister 9, Didier Auriol and Freddy Loix 4, Cedric Robert, Alister McRae, Armin Schwarz and Mikko Hirvonen 3, Janne Tuohino and Manfred Stohl 2, Alistair Ginley, Sebastien Lindholm, Philippe Bugalski and Roman Kresta 1
Manufacturers: Citroen 160, Peugeot 145, Subaru 109, Ford 93, Skoda 23, Hyundai 12
Solberg Walking On Air After First Title
By Alan Baldwin
It was a remarkable performance from a driver who started the season-ending rally one point behind Citroen's championship leader Sebastien Loeb. His romp to victory capped a dream season for a man who could easily have been ruled out of the championship altogether last month when he almost careered off a cliff in Corsica while preparing for a rally that he ended up winning.
He was saved by a telegraph pole then and that luck continued in Britain as he suffered a high-speed blowout and a jarring impact with a pothole. Solberg, who once won a dancing competition as a youngster, donned a horned Viking helmet and brandished a flag after clinching the title.
"I can't get (take) it in yet, it's too much at a time," he gasped at a news conference later. "You know, I haven't done much in my life really.
"I have been driving cars since I was six years old. I haven't done anything else. And now I'm world champion."
He joined Subaru in 2000 and his partnership with four-times World Champion Tommi Makinen, wearing golden boots to mark his final appearance on the world stage, flourished.
"I had a few discussions with Tommi about how to tackle this rally," said Solberg. "He said 'you are going to have a terrible week, you're not going to sleep, you are going to think about the world championship all the time'.
"And it has been quite difficult but I kept the concentration all the time. I have to thank Tommi for his support because these two years with him have been incredible.
"I just want to give him this victory. This is your's Tommi."
Makinen's answer was simple: "You did the work."
The Norwegian, who turns 29 on November 18, can now celebrate down on his farm with the fans. Last year 2,500 turned up to party after his first success. He can expect many more this time.
Solberg, Loeb And Citroen Lead New Generation
By Alan Baldwin
Petter Solberg's coronation as Norway's first World Rally Champion on Sunday sent another blast of fresh air through a sport already swept by the winds of change. So too did Citroen's stunning success in winning the manufacturers' title in their first full season.
Subaru's Solberg and Citroen's French overall runner-up Sebastien Loeb, both still in their 20s, are leaders of a new generation eager to push past the older men who have dominated the past decade.
Neither will be back next year, and Makinen not at all, which is also set to be a farewell for 1990 and 1992 champion Carlos Sainz of Spain. There are even doubts about Richard Burns, the 2001 champion, who will have further medical tests this week after fainting at the wheel before the season-ending rally.
Citroen's success reinforced the sense of a changing of the guard. They ended stablemates Peugeot's bid for a fourth successive title and became the first new champion manufacturer since Mitsubishi in 1998.
"This title that we will celebrate and savour makes us, from now on, a team to be reckoned with," said Citroen motorsport boss Guy Frequelin. "We will start preparations immediately in order to take on this new status."
The French carmaker announced their arrival with a 1-2-3 in Monte Carlo in January and stayed on the boil all season. They ordered Loeb to play safe and put the team first in Wales but he will be a favourite next year.
"What I can regret from this season is that we lost a few points like in Catalunya," he said. "We made a stupid mistake with the tyres and we lost the championship there.
"Next year we will try to do better and try to more concentrated and do a good job with every tyre choice."
It will be a tough battle, with Peugeot determined to recapture the title and Subaru roaring back after a dip in 2002. There are also major uncertainties, with Skoda pulling out of the full 2004 season and Hyundai absent entirely. Ford remain undecided as budgets are tightened.
New rules, limiting teams to two cars each and expanding the calendar to 16 races with Mexico and Japan appearing for the first time, have sparked controversy and hastened some departures.
Makinen said he feared for the future. "They make new regulations and I am very, very worried," he said. "It is starting to be very expensive for manufacturers and that is why they are thinking about what to do.
"They try to push too many rallies, it's hard work."
Makinen Bows Out With One Last Podium
By Alan Baldwin
The usual 'Subaru World Rally Team' sticker on the bonnet of his mud-spattered Subaru was replaced by another declaring: 'Makinen World Rally Legend'. Makinen's final strut in golden boots across a world championship stage that he once commanded was less emotional than Norwegian teammate Petter Solberg securing his first title.
But, with Britain's 1995 champion Colin McRae also departing for at least a year, his retirement marked the end of an era.
"It is one of the best weekends in my life," the Finn said after finishing third in Wales. "My target was to finish my career on the podium and I'm very happy for that."
In a fashion nod towards the disco-dancing Solberg, Makinen's shimmering boots had the years of his titles - 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 - embroidered on them.
The 39-year-old Makinen will miss the adrenaline rush of rallying, his departure hastened by controversial new rules limiting teams to two cars.
"It's been a very, very nice and long career. Such a lot of good friends, people around the world, experience of different places and different rallies. It's a lot of good memories," he said in an interview.
"I'm going to miss all this...it's going to be even more difficult at the beginning of next season when we should be in Monte Carlo to start again," he said.
It took Formula One nearly half a century for Ferrari's Michael Schumacher to equal Juan Manuel Fangio's four titles in a row and it could take an eternity for rallying to catch up with Makinen's achievement.
"I think today it's very, very difficult," Makinen said. "The competition is hard and many teams are very equal. It's impossible to say."
At the height of his powers with Mitsubishi, with whom he won all his crowns, Makinen was a formidable opponent with a strong claim to be the greatest of his era. He won 24 rallies, one off the record held jointly by former champions Carlos Sainz of Spain and McRae, on every surface.
He even won a championship while packing in his hotel bedroom, taking the 1998 crown in Britain when title rival Sainz's Toyota expired within sight of the finish after the Finn had retired from the event.
Honing his skills on tractors on his father's farm near Jyvaskyla, the base for the Rally of Finland, Makinen was Finnish national ploughing champion at the age of 18 and retained the title the next year.
He entered his first rally two years later and had become Finnish champion within two years. Makinen then marked his World Championship debut at home in 1987 when he retired after a spectacular crash.
"It seems to be very difficult for me to drive if you don't really pick the good results and points and have some target," he said.
As Makinen picked his way around the last few stages, fighting a lively battle with McRae, his teammates paid tribute to him.
"He's the most professional driver I've ever worked with," declared Solberg. "Despite being four times world champion, he's a very balanced and nice guy.
"He's always shared his rallying experience with me and I've learnt so much from him over the last couple of years. I never thought he was like that at all before I knew him. I can just look at him to learn."
Team boss David Lapworth hailed a winner. "The statistics of Tommi's hugely successful career speak for themselves and some of the performances he's put in during his time at the top are among the all-time classics," he said.
"The number of wins he's achieved, compared to second and third places, is completely out of proportion to any other driver and that says what Tommi is all about. He's a winner."
Sainz Says Next Season Will Be His Last
"I have been in long enough," the 41-year-old Citroen driver told www.wrc.com after crashing out of the season-ending Rally of Britain on Friday while distracted by earlier problems with smouldering television equipment in his car.
"I am looking forward to doing a good last year. I have been in the championship enough years."
Sainz, who won his 1990 and 1992 titles with Toyota, shares the record for the number of wins - 25 - with Britain's Colin McRae. The Spaniard was joint leader of the championship ahead of the title showdown in Britain.
FIA Cast Doubt On British Event After Police Action
By Alan Baldwin
"Road safety is a matter of the utmost importance to the FIA," a spokesman for the International Automobile Federation said on Tuesday after a magistrates court fined four former champions on Monday.
The targeting of 17 rally drivers, including former champions Colin McRae and Richard Burns of Britain along with Spain's Carlos Sainz and Finland's Tommi Makinen, made front page news in Britain.
"The actions of the police and magistrates seem to indicate that this is an exceptionally dangerous location for a rally," said the FIA spokesman. "The FIA has therefore asked its safety delegate for a report on the suitability of the local public roads for a World Championship event."
The rally, which is due to move from its season-ending November slot to September next year, is sponsored by the Welsh Development Agency for the next three years. The 2003 event finished on Sunday.
The timed special stages in south and central Wales are held on Forestry Commission land but drivers have to use public roads and motorways to get to them from the service park and rally headquarters.
Belgian Freddy Loix was fined 1,750 pounds ($2,925) and banned for six months from driving in Britain after being caught seven times in just one morning. Germany's Armin Schwarz was also banned for six months and fined 1,000 pounds ($1,670) while McRae and Burns were both fined 150 pounds ($250).
The rally is confirmed for 2004. But it has been investigated by the FIA's safety delegate before and was initially listed on the 2003 calendar as provisional pending an observer's report into spectator safety. Thirteen people, mostly volunteer marshals, were hurt when Sainz's car went into the crowd in the 2001 rally.
Finland's Marcus Gronholm also criticised what he saw as heavy-handed policing on this year's event after being forced to retire by officers who would not allow him to continue on public roads in his damaged Peugeot.
"An escort service might have been a better solution," said the 2000 and 2002 World Champion.
Burns To Have More Tests After Mystery Blackout
By Alan Baldwin
Briton Richard Burns will undergo more medical tests next week after a mystery collapse that ruled him out of last weekend's World Rally Championship title showdown.
"What happened to him is something of huge importance from a health point of view," the former champion's Peugeot team boss told a news conference at British Rally headquarters last Thursday.
"Tests have been done on him on Monday and Tuesday which couldn't lead the doctors to find the reason for the symptoms that he had. Other tests will be made on him next week."
The Guardian newspaper reported that Burns, who had a crash in testing last month, also had a series of tests in a London hospital on Wednesday after a brain scan revealed no damage. The Englishman had been fourth overall and five points off the lead as one of four drivers challenging for the title.
Amid speculation that Burns' situation could be an opportunity for out-of-work former champion Colin McRae if Subaru needed a replacement, Provera called for Burns to be allowed some privacy.
"We are sad for him, sad for us but mainly for him," he said. "Sad for the amount of stupid things we heard so far. A human being deserves privacy even though this human being is a public figure.
"When the time comes, it will be for Richard to tell what's happening to him. I only hope on behalf of Peugeot that what is happening to him can be solved."
McRae, who won the title with Subaru in 1995 and has now been dropped by Citroen, is looking for a drive but Subaru boss David Lapworth did not want to be drawn on the speculation.
"He's not a bad substitute, yes you're right," Lapworth told reporters. "But we're not thinking about that yet."
McRae, who shares the record of 25 wins with Spain's Carlos Sainz, has said he will not race next year and last weekend's rally could be his last championship appearance.
"For Richard it must be devastating," said Lapworth.
"He's got a great record on this rally and there's no question he could have won...we can only feel sorry for him and hope he's back in the car as soon as possible.
"I can only listen to what our doctors say and our doctors say there are so many explanations and possibilities that it's not even worth speculating about. We'll see what the tests show."
All reports except Rally GB report provided by Reuters
Yamaha Confirms Rossi
By Nick Mulvenney
World Champion Valentino Rossi will ride for Yamaha in MotoGP next year, the Japanese manufacturer confirmed on Monday. The Italian announced after winning the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix last week that he would not be staying with Honda, with whom he won three straight World Championships. The 24-year-old has signed a two-year deal with Yamaha and will start testing with them after his Honda contract expires on December 31.
Rossi won nine of 16 races this year in MotoGP, the premier class of grand prix motorcycling that replaced the 500cc category from the 2002 season. The five-times World Champion, who won the 125cc and 250cc titles before moving up to the top class in 2000, said he wanted to make the move from Honda because he no longer found winning on their dominant RCV bike a challenge.
"In our discussions with him it is clear that he relishes the challenge achieving our goal in MotoGP as much as we do," Jarvis added. "He is an incredible talent and will make a huge difference.
"This is a very important step in our plan to re-establish Yamaha as a leading force in grand prix racing."
American Wayne Rainey was Yamaha's last world champion in the top class of motorcycling when he won the third of his 500cc titles in 1992.
Rossi's teammate will be Spain's Carlos Checa, who was seventh in the championship last season with a best finish of fourth. Checa's current teammate, Italy's 2002 250cc champion Marco Melandri, will move to the Tech 3 Yamaha team.
Since the team's main sponsors are Gauloises and Fortuna cigarettes, it seems likely that Rossi will race with tobacco sponsorship for the first time, something he previously said he would not do.
With Rossi's departure from Honda after two absolutely dominant seasons, 2004 promises the most open for many years in grand prix racing. It starts with the Africa's Grand Prix at Welkom on April 18.
Report provided by Reuters
Kenseth's Title As Elliott Goes Back To Front
Ryan Newman and Brian Vickers lined up on the front row, while fifth fastest qualifier Bill Elliott started at the back of the field after an engine failure in practice. At the start Newman took the lead, with Vickers initially running second before Jeremy Mayfield took over the place on lap six and closed on leader Newman as Vickers began a slow drift down the top ten. Before the race was 20 laps old Mayfield had caught Newman and raced side-by-side with him as he attempted to wrestle the lead from him, Newman eventually reestablishing himself in the lead but with Mayfield right on his tail.
Lap 25 and Ward Burton took fourth from Vickers as Burton charged forward, before passing his brother Jeff Burton for third about ten laps later. By lap 45 the battle at the front was a battle in three, as Newman, Mayfield and Burton fought for the lead. On lap 47 Burton took second from Mayfield, taking the lead from Newman a lap later with Mayfield taking second from Newman a lap after Burton's pass for the lead. Newman then fell back as he headed a multi-car battle for third place.
Lap 77 and it was caution time as Derrike Cope spun coming off turn two into the inside wall. The field pitted, Mayfield leading Ward Burton, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman off pit road. The race restarted on lap 82 but was back to caution on lap 85 following a chain of incidents. Coming off turn two on lap 83 Newman hit the wall, allowing Gordon to get closer to him. Coming off turn four later that lap Gordon washed wide as he got alongside trying to pass, the two making light contact as Newman just brushed the wall. Newman wasn't happy with this, so he drove hard left into Gordon coming down the straight, causing Gordon's car to wiggle.
The race resumed on lap 90 but it was caution time again on lap 94 after Kurt Busch got squeezed into the wall by Casey Mears off turn four, Mears himself having been squeezed by Dale Jarrett. The leaders stayed out but cars further down the order pitted. Back to green on lap 99 but it was straight back to caution on lap 101 after Jeff Burton spun off turn four as he bounced off Robby Gordon when the pack in front bunched up. The race restarted on lap 106 but two laps later it was yet another caution as Greg Biffle spun coming off turn two, Jamie McMurray then spinning or being spun as Biffle came to rest.
Lap 118 and Mayfield was still the leader through all the cautions, with Ward Burton, Michael Waltrip, Bobby Labonte and Bill Elliott completing the top five as the race restarted. Jimmie Johnson was quickly on the move, moving up to third by lap 140 as Mayfield extended his lead over Burton at the front, before Johnson took second from Burton on lap 145. It was soon caution time again on lap 156 as Kyle Petty spun coming off turn four, though this caution was bad news for some drivers who had just pitted and were now no longer on the lead lap. In came the rest of the field for stops, Mayfield leading Johnson, Elliott, Ward Burton and Waltrip out of the pits.
By lap 200 Newman was back in the top ten after his earlier problems. The battle at the front continued, Johnson taking second back from Mayfield on lap 218, before Mayfield retook the place 14 laps later. Around lap 240 the field, including some of the leaders, made green flag stops. This turned out to be bad timing as Mark Martin blew an engine and brought out the caution on lap 243. With most of the field having pitted, only six cars were left on the lead lap - Elliott, Mayfield, Johnson, Newman, Ken Schrader and Matt Kenseth, with the rest of the field a lap or more down. Matt Kenseth was indeed lucky to still be on the lead lap, as he was heading for the pits when the caution came out, making a last minute dive back on to the track.
As it turned out Kenseth was a little too late, being sent to the tail of the longest line after he crossed the 'commitment' line on the entry to the pits. Those still on the lead lap pitted, with Elliott leading Johnson, Mayfield, Newman and Schrader off pit road. These stops allowed a few cars to get back on the tail end of the lead lap, and these cars were in front of Elliott at the restart on lap 254. On lap 255 Johnson dived past Elliott and took the lead, at the same time putting some of those cars back a lap down as Elliott, Newman and Mayfield battled for second place. Meanwhile Kenseth quickly moved up to fifth.
After opening a lead at the front, Johnson was slowly caught by Elliott as Newman and Mayfield faded away. By lap 305 Elliott was with Johnson. Further back Kenseth continued to move forward, closing in on Mayfield for fourth place before taking the place on lap 311. Up at the front Johnson and Elliott fought for the lead, Elliott taking the top spot on lap 320. Just as car began making green flag stops again, another caution on lap 330 ruined their day (again), Vickers clipped Ricky Rudd, who was sent spinning into Ricky Craven, Rudd and Craven hitting the wall while Vickers escaped unscathed.
In came the leaders once more, Elliott leading Johnson, Newman, Kenseth and Mayfield back onto the track. Newman was forced to come back in however, dropping him to ninth and moving Tony Raines into the top five as the race restarted on lap 374. But not for the first time it was straight back to caution soon after, on lap 376, after Ryan Newman ran into the side of Ken Schrader, sending Schrader into the wall. A few cars at the tail of the lead lap came in but the leaders stayed out.
Back to green on lap 383, Elliott leading the way from Johnson, opening the gap over the closing laps. Meanwhile Kenseth was in third but Mayfield closed in, Mayfield taking the place on lap 387. But fourth would be more than enough for Kenseth to claim the title, and so as Elliott claimed victory ahead of Johnson and Mayfield, Kenseth's fourth place saw him claim his first Winston Cup title, also the first for his team boss Jack Roush.
Result of NASCAR Winston Cup, Round 35 of 36, North Carolina Motor Speedway, United States:
Standings: Matt Kenseth 4988, Jimmie Johnson 4762, Dale Earnhardt Jr 4724, Ryan Newman 4659, Jeff Gordon 4625, Kevin Harvick 4595, Tony Stewart 4398, Bobby Labonte 4197, Bill Elliott 4151, Kurt Busch 4095 etc.
Once, Twice, Three Times For Murphy
The shootout turned into somewhat of a farce, with the first runner Todd Kelly having the driest conditions as he set the fastest time, as rain fell and then stopped several times during the shootout. Garth Tander suffered the worst as he set a time over three seconds slower than Kelly despite going on track only three cars after Kelly. At this point it was clear that the weather was affecting the times, yet the shootout continued, only for the result of the shootout to be later declared null and void as the starting order reverted to qualifying times after it was determined weather had affected proceedings. This meant that it was Greg Murphy and Mark Skaife on the front row, while shootout fastest went from 'polesitter' back to tenth with Marcos Ambrose starting sixth. At least these drivers were racing - Jason Richards's weekend ended after a lazy spin at turn one in Friday practice ended up as a barrel roll after his sliding car tripped over a stack of tyres, the rolls damaging his car beyond immediate repair.
There were three races at Pukekohe, the first race a 100 km event held on Saturday with the other two 150 km long races held on the Sunday, all races featuring a compulsory stop for tyres. The rain which had drizzled in the shootout had turned into a downpour before the start of race one, the track soaked with wet tyres the order of the day. Murphy made a shocking start from pole which saw Skaife and second row starter Max Wilson beat him into turn one, Skaife and Wilson side by side into turn two which ended in contact, both cars spinning but eventually restarting, albeit at the tail of the field. Their cause was helped by an incident further back on the track into turn one where four cars had collided in the spray, bringing out the safety car, Murphy leading Ambrose as most of the field headed to the pits for compulsory stops while still under the safety car.
During these opening laps it was clear that Murphy was quicker than Ambrose if only he could find a way past, and on lap nine he managed to do so heading into the hairpin at the end of the long back straight, Murphy now up to fourth place with those yet to pit less than ten seconds ahead of him. Lap eleven saw Tander repeat Murphy's move on Ambrose, with Bargwanna duplicating the move on Ambrose one lap later with Todd Kelly making the same move on Ambrose on lap fifteen as Ambrose struggled for grip, now down to eighth. Meanwhile, Kelly's teammate Mark Skaife was making inroads through the field and was already back up to fourteenth place, while one of the other title contenders Russell Ingall was well down the order, not helped by a spin at the hairpin where he appeared to receive some help from Paul Morris.
Murphy's charge saw him catch Bright for third place, Murphy taking the place from him on lap 19 into turn one, with Tander, Bargwanna and Kelly closing in on Bright as Ambrose lost another place, this time to Paul Radisich. Lap 24 and 25 saw Lowndes and Bright respectively make their stops, which dropped both of them outside of the top fifteen and moved Murphy back into a clear lead as Tander, Bargwanna and Todd Kelly fought for second place, the trio having bunched up after getting caught behind Bright just before his stop. With the stops completed, Skaife's passes and pace meant that he was now up to eighth, just two places behind Ambrose. Lap 30 saw Kelly finally pass Bargwanna, and once he did so he quickly moved onto Tander's tail, eventually taking the place as they began the 36th and final lap of the event. A little further back Skaife's charge towards Ambrose continued but he ran out of laps to take the place as Murphy took the win ahead of Kelly, Tander, Bargwanna and Radisich.
With most of the field having pitted by lap fourteen, Bright led the race from Paul Morris and Steven Richards while Murphy and the two HRT cars were back inside the top ten, passing some of those yet to pit. Meanwhile Ambrose was in the middle of a hungry pack fighting for position just inside the top twenty. Skaife quickly moved up onto Murphy's tail and made a move on him on lap 22 at the hairpin to lead those who had pitted despite Murphy's best efforts to reclaim the place on the next couple of corners, the pass coming a lap after Skaife attempted the same move and made slight contact with Murphy's rear bumper.
Ingall's bad weekend got worse when, while fighting in the middle of the pack, he came off the hairpin and was turned around into the fence after contact near the rear wheel by Brad Jones. As with the first incident, no penalty was issued. As Ingall was heading down the order Steven Johnson was continuing his upward rise in race two as he challenged Radisich for seventh place. And then his day went up in smoke, a blown engine ending his race, Johnson leaving a trail of oil on the track as he returned to the pits. Skaife lost where the oil went into the hairpin and slid on it into the hairpin, handing the lead back to Murphy. Ambrose pitted on the next lap for a second stop after locking his brakes, dropping him to 25th and a lap down. Bright pitted from the lead on the next lap as Paul Dumbrell spun into the gravel trap at the hairpin after losing control under brakes on the oil.
Jones's flailing bumper fell off but not before he was issued with a 'meatball' mechanical defect flag, just a little bit faster than Skaife was issued with one at Bathurst a month earlier. Despite the offending bumper no longer being attached to the car, Jones was forced to pit, where the officials looked over the car and set it back on its way untouched, dropping Jones from thirteenth to 22nd. On the 54th and final lap Bright took third from Kelly at the hairpin as Murphy made it two wins from two races, heading home Skaife, Bright, Kelly and another top five finish for Bargwanna.
Race three began with Murphy's second bad start of the weekend, Skaife and Bright both leaping past soon after the line. Meanwhile Jamie Whincup
suffered brake failure into the hairpin and slammed into the tyres, eventually limping the car back to the pits. Skaife began to move away at the front as Bright had Murphy and Kelly right behind him. Kelly was the first to pit on lap seven, Murphy following a lap later and Skaife a lap after Murphy, the trio resuming in the same order they pitted in with Murphy put under heavy pressure from Todd Kelly, as Bright took over the lead, running a long first stint as in race two, with other drivers also going further into the race before making their compulsory stop.
The move paid immediate dividends, the duo taking Seton two laps later. Meanwhile Bright had pitted on lap 35 from the lead, and was able to rejoin the race in fourth place, having run consistently fast while in the lead. More worrying for those at the front was he now had fresher tyres than them, so he could be a threat for their positions. Lap 36 saw Ingall pass Wilson early in the lap, with Ambrose passing Wilson into the hairpin, though at the same time as Ambrose gained this place he lost one as Tander made an absolute banzai move and took both Ambrose and Wilson. Ambrose repassed Tander three laps later as he moved up to fifteenth place. Bright meanwhile had caught Kelly for third, taking the place from him at the hairpin on lap 39 and then repeating the dose on Murphy a lap later to take second place as he chased down the ten-plus second gap to the leader.
Ingall and Ambrose continued to move forward, moving past Dean Canto, Steve Ellery, Paul Weel, David Besnard and Jason Bargwanna between laps 41 and 49 to move into ninth and tenth. Meanwhile at the front Bright was getting closer and closer to Skaife but probably not close enough, while Kelly closed back in on Murphy for third place. Bright got close but ran out of laps to get to Skaife, Skaife taking the win ahead of Bright, Murphy just holding off Kelly for third place with the other Kelly, Rick, coming home in fifth place. Further back in the top ten Ingall let Ambrose back through to take ninth place.
Result of V8 Supercar Championship Series, Round 12 of 13, Pukekohe Park, New Zealand:
Standings (after Pukekohe): Marcos Ambrose 1989, Greg Murphy 1983, Mark Skaife 1859, Russell Ingall 1771, Craig Lowndes 1646, Rick Kelly 1636, Jason Bright 1584, Steven Richards 1571, Todd Kelly 1538, Paul Radisich 1477 etc.
Standings (after worst round dropped): Marcos Ambrose 1893, Greg Murphy 1869, Mark Skaife 1823, Russell Ingall 1689, Craig Lowndes 1588, Jason Bright 1584, Rick Kelly 1582, Steven Richards 1571, Todd Kelly 1538, Paul Radisich 1477 etc.
Damage Limitation
It has not been unusual to see a Stone Brothers Racing Falcon dominate a race meeting in the V8 Supercar championship this season. But it was the other car doing the damage, with Russell Ingall, the street fighter of old, racing to a pair of victories while Marcos Ambrose limped home with a engine firing on somewhat less than the full complement of cylinders.
Into the Top Ten session and tenth fastest Todd Kelly set a scorching time first up that no-one would match. Last man out, Skaife came closest, getting withing a tenth and a half to make for an all Holden Racing Team front row. In the reshuffle Ingall moved to third fastest, ahead of Bright, Murphy and Jason Richards, Team Dynamik returning to the pace they had shown at Sandown but had been absent at Bathurst. Steven Ellery would line up seventh, continuing his recent form to line up beside Wilson.
Kelly launched well while Skaife was slow off the line, allowing Ingall, who got a holeshot start, to get a run up the inside prior to the first chicane. Murphy, Bright, Jason Richards and Ellery followed with Steven Richards getting past Wilson. Further back in the pack, Simon Wills had a coming together with Dean Canto, putting Canto into the wall. The Triple 8 Falcon driver limped slowly back to the pits but the car cried enough in pit lane entry.
The Safety Car was dispatched and cars flooded towards pitlane to get their compulsory stop in early. Skaife stayed out, but Kelly led Ingall, Murphy, Ellery, both of the Richards, and the majority of the field into the pits. The K-Mart crew serviced Murphy's car quickest and the reigning Bathurst champ charged for pit lane exit. Ahead of him was the Stone Brothers pits, just completing the stop for Ingall's Falcon. Ingall launched himself into pitlane directly in front of Murphy and there was a very light touch between the pair. Murphy would be fuming over the incident later, but no harm was done and he would quickly get over it after the stewards tossed out the protest after the race.
As Bargwanna pitted, Ingall took up the lead from Murphy, Skaife, Ellery and Ambrose. Ambrose however overshot the first chicane and pulled up to 'self-correct' his error, dropping to seventh behind Bright and Rick Kelly. From there the race order stabilised with the only change to the top order when Ellery's engine stopped with four laps to go. Steven Richards also had stopped during the race with engine dramas, along with Jason Richards.
For race two, Ingall led the way towards Lexmark Chicane with Murphy, Bright and Skaife following with Ambrose next, but the series leader would soon strike trouble. Trouble found Bright first, clouting the outside of the Lexmark Chicane on the exit. The car slowed and dropped from the leading group. Further back Johnson and Besnard had coming together, dropping the Shell Ford a few places.
When the pit lane opened on lap three Murphy dived in first, along with Johnson and Todd Kelly. HRT performed a perfect stop and Kelly resumed ahead of Murphy and Johnson. Two laps later and Ambrose followed Skaife in, and as good as HRT's stop for Todd Kelly had been, the Stones were better and Ambrose resumed in front of the Holden. Ingall stopped next time around and emerged leading the pit stop group but was quickly taken by Ambrose. As the field was serviced Team Dynamik found themselves in an unlikely 1-2 position until they pitted. Anthony Tratt was third, while the pitters started from fourth, Ambrose leading teammate Ingall, Murphy, Skaife, Seton and Wilson.
The yellows re-emerged and Ambrose cheered inside his helmet. At least two, possibly three cylinders were dead in the Falcon now, but the yellows kept him in fifth place. The race restarted with one green lap to go. Ingall held up the queue as long as possible, before accelerating. Murphy chased but with only one flying lap, there was no opportunity to set something up. The Holden driver needed a mistake from the Ford driver, but he didn't get it. Skaife took third place. Behind them, Wills had his gearbox fail on the final lap heading up the back straight. The ill Ambrose, Seton, Paul Radisich, Rick Kelly, Johnson, Lowndes and Bowe all swept past. Paul Weel should have been one of them, but the second Team Brock car dropped down the order dramatically on that last lap as well.
The points chase closed slightly, but there was little real change. With only two rounds to go, Ambrose continues to hold just over a hundred points lead over Murphy with Skaife and Ingall clustered behind Murphy in the points. While the Gold Coast is home to the Stones, Greg Murphy is a New Zealander and is undefeated at Pukekohe in visits there. Home soil beckons and the wildly enthusiastic Murphy Army is ready to cheer their hero into the series lead if Ambrose should stumble.
Result of V8 Supercar Championship Series, Round 11 of 13, Surfer's Paradise, Australia:
Points (after Surfer's Paradise): Marcos Ambrose 1867, Greg Murphy 1795, Russell Ingall 1703, Mark Skaife 1681, Craig Lowndes 1540, Rick Kelly 1515, Jason Bright 1438, Steven Richards 1437, Todd Kelly 1360, Paul Radisich 1319 etc
V8 Supercar points distribution
Goh Audi Goh!
Kristensen started well as steady rain kept the circuit awash, to gradually race away from the battling Lammers and Sarrazin. Jamie Campbell-Walter continued the promising development of Lister's prototype, until spearing off from a competitive fourth place. Just off the leading P900s was the Intersport Lola-MG, until the latest JPX-powered Courage moved into what became fourth overall before half distance.
The Pescarolo Courage left the Dutch Dome behind as they tried to pursue the fleeing Japanese Audi. As the circuit dried, after half distance the Audi secured Seiji Ara a lap record, racign at a pace Bourdais could not match. At race's end the Audi had pulled out a three lap lead, gainign for Team Goh an entry into the 2004 Le Mans 24 Hour. The pre-qualified entry was also given to Pescarolo Sport for their efforts, a prize limited to the first two finishers. Andy Wallace in the Dome was just a lap behind the Courage.
Seven laps behind was the factory Courage. Roman Rusinov, Win Eyckmans and Enrico Muscioni raced the LMP675 Courage hard all race to collect an excellent fourth outright. After battling with Courage for first half of the race, Intersport Racing faded as the race went on, and Jon Field, Duncan Dayton and Larry Connor finished six laps down in seventh place. Third in class was the WR Peugeot of Yojiro Terada, Richard Balandras and Olivier Porta in fifteenth outright.
The GT class saw an awesome battle as FIA N-GT champions Fresinger Motorsport tried and failed to fend off the challenge of PK Sport. Jean-Philippe Belloc had a late race puncture in the Porsche 996. They pitted and resumed in third place, and the class lead passed on to Cirtek Motorsport. Cirtek, for a long time a Porsche competitor, was having their first international run with their new Ferrari 360 Modena, and Cirtek quickly joined what previously only JMB Racing has done this year and upset the N-GT champions, Freisinger. Andrea Montermini, Klaus Engelhorn and Philip Peter led home Stephane Ortelli, Stephane Daoudi and Alexei Vasiliev by just 14 seconds. Belloc and Robin Liddell finished twelfth outright, just behind the Freisinger Porsche.
Result of Le Mans 1000, Le Mans Bugatti, France:
Wakisaka Takes Nippon Finale
With Team Impul having already wrapped up a championship 1-2, the interest was just who would take third place in the championship. Winning the race allowed Juichi Wakisaka to take third place in the championship for Nakajima Racing.
When the race restarted, Wakisaka built up a gap with Takashi Kogure holding down second. Motoyama moved back through the field to challenge the leaders but was unable to get past Kogure, the dice eventually ending after a light collision between the pair. The Safety Car and the rain returned to the track after Andre Lotterer crashed.
Motoyama had again closed on Kogure behind the Safety Car and was again unable to pass the Nakajima racer. Takeshi Tsuchiya held fourth for most of the race with Yuji Ide getting past Ryo Michigami at the restart for fifth. Up front though, Wakisaka held on for his second victory of the season, thus successfully ending any challenge Andre Lotterer and Toshihiro Kaneishi, neither of whom finished, made for third in the championship. The season, and six of the season's ten victories belong to Team Impul with Motoyama and Treluyer collecting the majority of the season's spoils.
Result of All-Japan Formula Nippon Championship, Round 10 of 10; Suzuka, Japan
Final Standings: Satoshi Motoyama 60, Benoit Treluyer 35, Juichi Wakisaka 33, Andre Lotterer and Toshihiro Kaneishi 24, Yuji Ide 23, Richard Lyons 22, Takeshi Tsuchiya 20, Ryo Michigami and Takeshi Kogure 15, Tsugio Matsuda 9, Naoki Hattori 7, James Courtney 5, Dominik Schwager and Hiroki Kato 2, Hideki Noda, Ryo Fukuda and Yuji Tachikawa 1
Formula Nippon points distribution
Injured Brack Completes Successful Surgery
Swedish driver Kenny Brack, who suffered multiple fractures in a crash at the Texas 500 Indy Racing League (IRL) event last month, has successfully completed surgery, his doctors said last Wednesday.
Brack had a fusion to stabilise his spine and a bone graft in the right ankle at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Dr. Henry Bock, the director of medical services for the IRL, said in a statement. Dr. Terry Trammel, an orthopaedist well known to Indy car drivers, oversaw the spinal surgery.
"Everything went very well, and we were able to further strengthen Kenny's spine," Trammell said. "This shouldn't slow down his rehabilitation process at all."
Dr. Bock added that Brack, the 1998 IRL champion and 1999 Indy 500 winner, is expected to return to the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana to recuperate, a process that could take up to six months.
Brack crashed on lap 188 of a 200 lap race in Fort Worth on October 12. He locked wheels with South African Tomas Scheckter, the son of ex-Formula One world champion Jody, on the back straight heading for turn three and his Team Rahal car was flipped into the air.
Brack crashed into the catch fencing, tearing the fence, before bouncing back on to the track where his car spun on its side before stopping. The Swedish driver sustained fractures of his breast bone, right thigh bone, lower back and both ankles.
Manning To Replace Renna At Ganassi
"When I heard about the opportunity, I had to jump at it," said Manning, a BAR Formula One test driver from 2000 to 2002.
The Briton made his Indy Car debut in the rival CART series earlier this year, driving for Walker Racing. His best finish was second at Surfer's Paradise in Australia last month.
Manning will team up at Ganassi with New Zealand's Scott Dixon, who clinched the series championship last month at the IRL finale in Fort Worth.
Reports provided by Reuters
Rally
With three tarmac rallies towards the end of the season, Subaru's Pirelli-shod Imprezas looked vulnerable. The Pirelli tarmac slick was not up to the standard of its Michelin counterpart. Rain on two of the three events, including a stunning come from behind victory in Corsica, kept Petter Solberg in the fight through Pirelli's excellent tarmac wet weather tarmac tyre.
But Burns did not take the start of the rally. Burns mysteriously collapsed at the wheel of his personal car prior to the recce in the week leading up to the rally, and had to be rescued by passenger Markko Martin. Peugeot, concerned for Burns' health, quickly substituted the hospital-bound Burns with Freddy Loix, who has not rallied since Hyundai pulled out of the WRC.
But Solberg knew none of this, he just knew he had to beat Loeb and unlike at San Remo, Corsica or Catalunya, he had a car capable of tackling the Citroen head on. Loeb won Stage 6, pulling Solberg's lead back to six seconds, but it had blown out to eight again after Stage 7 for the final stage of the First Leg.
Solberg hit a pothole during the day, bending his steering in Stage 14. Solberg was concerned for his lead, and drove the wounded Impreza hard, hard enough to further increase his lead. With a service following, Solberg was quickly back in action and ended the day over forty seconds clear. Third was still a battle with McRae just six seconds behind Makinen. Rovanpera was in a lonely middle ground in fifth, a minute ahead of Duval. Loix was next while less than a second split Manfred Stohl from the Bozian Peugeot of former Skoda driver Roman Kresta.
Francois Duval was the first car home not painted Subaru Blue or Citroen Red. The Ford driver did not have the pace to match the front runners, but he out drove and/or outlasted the many gathered Peugeots. Jari-Matti Latvala brought Ford fourth car home in tenth place.
Pos Driver/Co-driver Car
1. Petter Solberg/Phillip Mills Subaru Impreza WRC2003
2. Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena Citroen Xsara WRC
3. Tommi Makinen/Kaj Lindstrom Subaru Impreza WRC2003
4. Colin McRae/Derek Ringer Citroen Xsara WRC
5. Francois Duval/Stephan Prevot Ford Focus RS WRC 03
6. Freddy Loix/Sven Smeets Peugeot 206 WRC
7. Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor Peugeot 206 WRC
8. Roman Kresta/Jan Tomanek Peugeot 206 WRC
9. Juuso Pykalisto/Risto Mannisenmaki Peugeot 206 WRC
10. Jari-Matti Latvala/Mikka Antilla Ford Focus RS WRC 02
Disco-dancing Norwegian Petter Solberg was walking on air on Sunday after becoming his country's first World Rally Champion. One year on from celebrating his first World Rally championship success in Britain, the Subaru driver blasted through the Welsh forests to repeat the feat and claim his first title.
Solberg grew up driving around the field on his parents' farm near Oslo and, too young to compete in rallies, took his first title as a 13-year-old - winning the Norwegian radio-controlled car championship.
As they staged a private duel in the Welsh forests to finish first and second, they were tailed home by departing champions Tommi Makinen and Colin McRae. Between them McRae and Makinen dominated the 1990s, the Scot champion in 1995 and Makinen in 1996-1999.
Finland's Tommi Makinen, the only rally driver to win four successive World Championships, went out in style. Four words said it all on Sunday as the former tractor driver staged one last muddy charge through the Welsh forest fog to take a final Rally of Britain podium place before heading into retirement.
"I'm not sure it's the right decision but it's coming sooner or later anyway," he added. "I have done nine years and it's been a long time. It was my decision two years ago when I went to Subaru and agreed a two-year contract."
Since leaving Mitsubishi, he has struggled to remain motivated when faced with repeated retirements and he acknowledged that it was time to go.
Spain's twice World Champion Carlos Sainz plans to retire at the end of next season, the official world rally championship website reported.
Motorsport's world governing body has questioned the Rally of Britain's future after top drivers were fined for speeding on public roads during last year's event.
"The area where these offences happened is particularly dangerous for people to exceed the speed limit under any circumstances," British media quoted magistrates chairman Cliff Jones as saying.
Burns, who is due to return to his former team Subaru for 2004, fainted while driving his Porsche on the motorway to Wales last Sunday week with Estonian friend and rival Markko Martin as a passenger. He was taken to hospital and told to rest at home for the remainder of the week after being released on Tuesday.
MotoGP
"We are all extremely happy that Valentino will be joining Yamaha in 2004," said Lin Jarvis, managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing.
NASCAR
Bill Elliott had a great day at Rockingham but so did Matt Kenseth. While Elliott won the race after starting the race at the back of the field, Kenseth clinched his and team boss Jack Roush's first Winston Cup title by finishing fourth. Kenseth's season-long consistent results, and the odd piece of good luck, finally paid dividends as another top five result meant that Matt Kenseth couldn't be beaten for the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup title. Kenseth's win means the battle for second will be the battle to be decided at the final round at Homestead, five drivers in a mathematical position to finish there but Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr 4724 the most likely runner-up.
Now Gordon wasn't happy, so when they ran through turn one and two and Gordon washed wide, spinning Newman around, it didn't look good. NASCAR agreed, holding Gordon for a lap in the pits as a penalty for spinning Newman. This dropped Gordon to 32nd, while Newman was down to 25th after the spin, a place ahead of Matt Kenseth who pitted after Tony Stewart hit him in the rear after not slowing down quickly enough when the caution came out.
The race resumed on lap 161, Dale Earnhardt Jr's strong run continuing as he moved into fifth place seven laps later, taking fourth from Waltrip two laps later on lap 170. Lap 174 and we had a new leader as Johnson passed Mayfield for the top spot, Elliott passing Mayfield for second two laps later. Elliott then took the lead from Johnson on lap 186, his run from the very back to the very front now complete (at least for the moment). A couple of laps after Elliott took the lead, Mayfield passed Johnson for second place.
Those that hadn't pitted came in, with Elliott leading Johnson, Newman, Kenseth and Mayfield out of the pits. Back to green on lap 337 of the 393 lap event, Elliott continuing to lead as Kenseth lost fourth to Mayfield soon after the restart, Mayfield then closing in on Newman ten laps later, Newman and Mayfield then recreating their earlier battle for the lead, this time for third place. Before the battle could be resolved it was caution time once more when Tony Stewart hit a slow Larry Foyt going into turn one, both drivers spinning on to the apron.
Pos Driver Car
1. Bill Elliott Dodge Intrepid
2. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
3. Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Intrepid
4. Matt Kenseth Ford Taurus
5. Ryan Newman Dodge Intrepid
6. Tony Raines Chevrolet Monte Carlo
7. Jeff Burton Ford Taurus
8. Bobby Labonte Chevrolet Monte Carlo
9. Tony Stewart Chevrolet Monte Carlo
10. Sterling Marlin Dodge Intrepid
V8 Supercar
Three times the V8 Supercar series has visited Pukekohe for a round of the championship, and three times the winner of the round has been Kiwi Greg Murphy. Two wins and a third place saw him the clear round winner as his charge towards the title continues to gather pace, fellow Holden runner Mark Skaife having a good weekend as well including winning the final race while Marcos Ambrose struggled. The points standings see Ambrose lead Murphy by just six points, with Skaife a further 124 points further back. However, the final standings will see each driver drop a round, and the points standings with one round dropped sees Ambrose extend his lead to 24 points over Murphy, with Skaife only 46 points further behind. One round to go and the title is up for grabs at Eastern Creek.
Ambrose moved ahead thanks to Murphy getting baulked exiting his pit bay as he restarted seventh, six cars choosing not to pit at this point and lead the pack, Jason Bright leading Craig Lowndes as the race restarted in very murky conditions on lap six though it didn't last for long, Lowndes taking the lead three turns after the restart as Steven Richards moved on to Bright's tail as further back Ambrose and Murphy made up two places on the first flying lap, before Richards passed Bright for second on lap seven. Lap eight saw Ambrose and Murphy take another place each as Mark Noske had a huge crash heading into turn one, hitting the outside wall very hard.
After Saturday's rain, Sunday was dry, if a little overcast. Race two began with most of the leading runners holding position in the early laps, Skaife losing a couple of positions on lap one following a failed attempt to pass Ambrose. Skaife was one of the first to make his compulsory stop, coming in on lap four, Ambrose following suit on lap six, Radisich lap seven and Murphy and Kelly on lap eight. The upshot of all this was that of those who had stopped, Murphy was still best placed but it was now Skaife who was second best, Kelly next best while a slow stop for Ambrose dropped him to the middle of those who had pitted.
This brought out the safety car on lap 37 as leader Steven Richards made his stop, only dropping to sixth thanks to the safety car period. The race restarted on lap 40 but was back under the safety car two laps later after the lapped David Thexton spun and collected Garth Tander, ending Tander's race. Back to racing on lap 47, with Brad Jones suffering damage to his rear bumper soon after as it flailed around. On lap 49 things went crazy at turn one as Radisich and Ellery fought for fourth place and the same piece of track, with both drivers losing out as Bargwanna and Bright snuck through before Radisich recovered while the spun Ellery dropped from fifth to 22nd, while on the next lap Bright took fourth from Bargwanna.
Of those who had stopped, Skaife was best placed as he pulled further away from the fighting Murphy and Kelly. Ambrose was one of those to wait until later in the race, pitting from third on lap 25, dropping to eighteenth after losing a couple of seconds as he stalled exiting his pit stop, coming out right behind Glenn Seton and just ahead of teammate Ingall. For eight laps Ambrose tried his hardest to pass Seton while not taking any risks, but he couldn't do it, so he let his teammate Ingall past to see if he could do better, Ingall not under the same pressure championship wise to avoid risk.
Race One
Pos Driver Car
1. Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY
2. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY
3. Garth Tander Holden Commodore VY
4. Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA
5. Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA
6. Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA
7. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY
8. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VX
9. Steve Ellery Ford Falcon BA
10. Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA
Race Two
Pos Driver Car
1. Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY
2. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY
3. Jason Bright Holden Commodore VX
4. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY
5. Jason Bargwanna Ford Falcon BA
6. Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY
7. Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA
8. Simon Wills Holden Commodore VY
9. Glenn Seton Ford Falcon BA
10. John Bowe Ford Falcon BA
Race Three
Pos Driver Car
1. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY
2. Jason Bright Holden Commodore VX
3. Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY
4. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY
5. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VX
6. Steven Richards Holden Commodore VY
7. Simon Wills Holden Commodore VY
8. Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA
9. Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA
10. Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA
Sharing the event program on the Gold Coast street circuit with the visiting CART series, qualifying was held on Friday. Mark Skaife was the fastest initially in the Holden Racing Team Commodore while second fastest was a surprise. Max Wilson, perhaps inspired by the presence of his former CART colleagues put the Dick Johnson Racing Falcon second fastest ahead of Jason Bright, Greg Murphy and Ingall.
Skaife now led from Bright, Rick Kelly, Steven Johnson and Glenn Seton. Ambrose held sixth for a while, before pitting just as the race went green again. Skaife would pit on lap 9, along with Steven Johnson. As Skaife emerged from the pits, Ingall and Murphy roared past. Bright now led from Jason Bargwanna ahead of the Ingall group. By lap 14 Bright and Bargwanna had stopped and it was a straight fight to the finish. By this stage Brad Jones was out with oil pressure problems and Garth Tander spun on the circuit.
Ambrose then started to lose cylinders, quickly dropping behind Ingall, Murphy and Skaife. A retirement was prolonged when the yellows flew after Ellery belted the wall. Wills jumped into fourth after making his pitstop perfectly timed to the safety car. The race went green with four laps to go, but all hell broke loose at turn three with Todd Kelly touching Max Wilson into a spin, with David Besnard, Steven and Jason Richards all involved.
Race One
Pos Driver Car
1. Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA
2. Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY
3. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY
4. Jason Bright Holden Commodore VX
5. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VX
6. Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA
7. David Besnard Ford Falcon BA
8. Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA
9. Max Wilson Ford Falcon BA
10. Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VY
Race Two
Pos Driver Car
1. Russell Ingall Ford Falcon BA
2. Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VY
3. Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VY
4. Marcos Ambrose Ford Falcon BA
5. Glenn Seton Ford Falcon BA
6. Paul Radisich Ford Falcon BA
7. Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VX
8. Steven Johnson Ford Falcon BA
9. Craig Lowndes Ford Falcon BA
10. John Bowe Ford Falcon BA
Sportscars
Following on from their Spa 1000 victory, Tom Kristensen and Seiji Ara took their Team Goh Audi R8 to win the Le Mans 1000 held on the short version of the classic French sports car circuit, leading home the Pescarolo Sport Courage-Peugeot of Stephane Sarrazin, Franck Lagorce, and 2003 CART Rookie of the Year Sebastien Bourdais. Third place was taken by the Racing For Holland Dome-Judd of Jan Lammers and Andy Wallace.
GTS saw the cream of the Prodrive Veloqx Care Racing Ferrari Maranellos rise to the surface as they have throughout the second half of the year in the American Le Mans Series, leaving the FIA-GT teams behind. Their only consistent opposition, the venerable Larbre Competition Viper. The two Ferraris claimed a 1-2 victory on the same weekend that Prodrive was celebrating their WRC championship in Wales with Jamie Davies and Darren Turner finishing a lap ahead of Peter Kox and Tim Sugden in fifth and sixth outright, snapping at the heels of the prototypes. The Larbre Viper of Christophe Bouchut, Vincent Vosse and Sebastien Dumez was a further four laps adrift in third in class, and eighth outright.
Pos Driver/Co-driver Car
1. Seiji Ara/Tom Kristensen Team Goh Audi R8
2. Stephane Sarrazin/Franck Lagorce/ Pescarolo Sport Courage
Sebastien Bourdais C60 Peugeot
3. Jan Lammers/Andy Wallace Racing For Holland Dome
S101 Judd
4. Roman Rusinov/Win Eyckmans/ Courage Competition Courage
Enrico Muscioni C65 JPX (1st LMP675)
5. Jamie Davies/Darren Turner Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari
550 Maranello (1st GTS)
6. Peter Kox/Tim Sugden Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari
550 Maranello (2nd GTS)
7. Jon Field/Duncan Dayton/ Intersport Racing Lola EX257 MG
Larry Connor (2nd LMP675)
8. Christophe Bouchut/Vincent Vosse/ Larbre Competition Chrysler
Sebastien Dumez Viper GTS-R (3rd GTS)
9. Phil Andrews/Justin Keen/ Taurus Sports Racing Lola
Giovanni Lavaggi B2K/10B Judd (2nd LMP675)
10. Andrea Montermini/Klaus Engelhorn/ Cirtek Motorsport Ferrari
Philip Peter 360 Modena (1st GT)
Formula Nippon
The rain-plagued series could hardly bow out for 2003 without a wet start, and so it proved with Wakisaka getting the best of the start while polesitter and champion elect Satoshi Motoyama was slow away, having to fend off Yuji Ide. As the rain took hold, it spat series runner-up Benoit Treluyer, Motoyama and Toshihiro Kaneishi off track. Only Motoyama recovered, and was immediately back on the pace as Kaneishi's retirement brought out the Safety car.
Pos Driver Car
1. Juichi Wakisaka Team 22
2. Takashi Kogure PIAA Nakajima Racing
3. Satoshi Motoyama Team Impul
4. Takashi Tsuchiya Team Le Mans
5. Yuji Ide Team Cerumo
6. Ryo Michigami Team 5Zigen
7. Hiroki Kato Team Nova
8. Dominik Schwager Olympic Kondo
9. Richard Lyons DoCoMo Dandelion
10. Hideki Noda Team Mohn
IRL
Britain's Darren Manning was named on Wednesday as Tony Renna's successor at Target Chip Ganassi Racing in the Indy Racing League. Renna was killed last month during a test run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, becoming the first Indy driver to die since Greg Moore in a CART race in 1999.
Upcoming Events Calendar
Please Contact Us for permission to republish this or any other material from Atlas F1.
 Email to Friend
Volume 9, Issue 46
Atlas F1 Special
Interview with David Coulthard
Season in the Sun
2004 Countdown Facts & Stats
Columns
On the Road
Elsewhere in Racing
The Weekly Grapevine
> Homepage |
