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Ex-Champ backs Burns

Former World Rally champion Carlos Sainz believes that Richard Burns will triumph in this year's World Rally Championship

The Englishman, who leads the drivers' points standings for Subaru, has overtaken four-times WRC champion Tommi Makinen by six points, after the latter's Mitsubishi retired from the recent Rally Portugal.

Burns won the event despite power steering failure on the first leg.

"Richard will win the title," said Carlos Sainz, currently driving for Ford, after Burns's victory.

"We knew that the Subaru was going to be very fast, and it will be hard work for every team to reach their level," commented Sainz, referring to the 2000 model Subaru Impreza that made its debut in Portugal.

For the new car to win first time out sends strong messages to Subaru's rivals. Sainz admitted that it may be hard for the other WRC teams to match Subaru's pace of development.

Burns himself remains bullish about his chances: "I want to become the first Englishman to win the World Championship," he claimed.

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