Ice Racing Series: Victory to Gache and Richelmi

The new FIA Series, built on the model of the long-running 24 Hours of Chamonix, but using Group A WRC cars as opposed to the T3F ice prototypes used in the Andros Trophy, was due to be run over five rounds in five countries. However, mild weather in Oschersleben caused the cancellation of the German round, with the Ukraine round also being cancelled. The organisers therefore decided to make the final round, in Finland, a double-header, with six heats on each day.

Gache and Richelmi, runners-up behind Muller, Snobeck and Balas at Chamonix, and winners of the Canadian Sherbrooke round when the Snobeck Seat Cordoba suffered a mechanical failure, came to Kuopio as series leaders.

"We really wanted to win one round out-right, not benefiting from the breakdown of our rivals, or any other circumstances," French all-rounder Philippe Gache said afterwards.

"We managed that on Saturday - it was brilliant."

The fight was close between the Corolla and the Snobeck Seat Cordoba, but Gache and Richelmi, with three wins, a second place and two third places, finished five points ahead. Colard and Zenere, in a Peugeot 206, were third, their new car showing undeniable speed but still suffering from reliability troubles.

On Sunday, Muller and Snobeck were in their most dominant form, but Gache and Richelmi, despite a turbo problem in their Corolla, were not far behind. However, with five heat wins, no one could touch the Snobeck team. Gache and Richelmi were second when they crossed the finish line, but a stewards' enquiry later excluded them from the final heat, as well as the Knapick/Pailler Peugeot 206, due to an incident when Richelmi let Knapick pass him.

This meant a popular result for Sunday's event, with Muller and Snobeck being joined on the podium by three Finns, as Markku Alen and Juha Kankunnen driving a Saab 93 Turbo, were second, while Ari Vatenen and Marco Gatta were third.

Gache and Richelmi, classified fourth on Sunday, took the IRSI series win ahead of Dany Snobeck, with Yvan Muller, who did not score points for his Chamonix win, third. "We're very pleased to have won," Philippe Gache said, "And now we hope that we will find the budget to enter two cars next year. It has been a good season, with some good battles, and it should get better as more people know about it and take part. The WRC cars are familiar and popular, and should help to make it a great success in the future."

However, Gache does not have time to rest and enjoy his victory; he is straight off to Monza with his SMG Courage C60, for two days of tests in preparation for this year's Le Mans. "And then we're planning a 24 Hours simulation. Reliability is our main aim this year - I feel that if we can finish, we'll finish well !"

Gache/Richelmi (Toyota Corolla), 575
Muller/Snobeck (Seat Cordoba), 570
Colard/Zenere (Peugeot 206), 540
Alen/Kankkunen (Saab 93 Turbo), 515

Muller/Snobeck (Seat Cordoba), 600
Alen/Kankkunen (Saab 93 Turbo), 520
Vatenen/Gatta (Peugeot 306), 465
Gache/Richelmi (Toyota Corolla), 450


Gache/Richelmi (Toyota Corolla), 70
Snobeck (Seat Cordoba), 67
Muller (Seat Cordoba), 47
Pailler/Knapick (Peugeot 206), 47
Gatta (Peugeot 306), 46