Hat-trick hero Makinen: points better than records

After taking the title in four straight seasons from 1996 to 1999, the Finn finished only fifth in last year's title race, with questions even being asked about his motivation. But a maximum 10 points in the 2001 season-opener have set the 36-year-old on course for a record-breaking fifth title.

Makinen won the Monte by exactly one minute from Ford's Carlos Sainz, following the retirement of overnight leader Colin McRae after the final day's opening stage. The Mitsubishi ace becomes the third driver after Sandro Munari (1975-77) and Walter Rohrl (1982-84) to take a hat-trick on the classic event.

"Of course it's a good feeling to join them," said Makinen, "and it's nice to have some part of the records, but right now it's much more important to me to have the victory and the 10 points at the start of the season."

The WRC reconvenes in Sweden in just under three weeks and ominously for his rivals, Makinen says that he feels in his element on the snow-covered stages of the Swedish Rally.

"The next rally is one of my favourites," he said. "We've made some improvements to the car and it now feels more comfortable and even easier to drive in those conditions. We had a very good test there."

Ford holds second and third in the drivers' standings, and both Sainz and the third-placed Francois Delecour believe the Blue Oval can take the fight to Mitsubishi and Makinen in Sweden. Ford has recently switched from Michelin to Pirelli, with Monte its first event since the switch, but for new signing Delecour it was also his first rally in a Focus after his parting of the ways with Peugeot.

"This was a good result for Ford," said Delecour. "There were a lot of new things, including the tyres, but for me and [co-driver] Daniel [Grataloup], the car was new too, so it was a difficult start, but a good one. From now on, I just want to be on the podium all the time.

"I have a little bit better feeling in the Focus than I did in the Peugeot," he added. "The seating position is better, so on fast roads, I'm more comfortable with it."

Sweden is one of the fastest events on the World Rally Championship calendar, and it is also the only true winter rally on the schedule, making tyre choice absolutely critical.

"Today was useful, because we could learn a little more about the Pirelli tyres," said Sainz. "We were in much better shape at the end of the rally than at the beginning."

Asked whether it would have been possible to catch Makinen on the final day, Sainz said: "I knew that in four stages, it was too much unless Tommi made a mistake. But second is okay."

The Swedish International Rally begins on February 9 and finishes on February 11.