SS22, Ponte de Lima - Sul: Makinen wins Portugal

The four-time world champion completed the 11.15km Ponte de Lima - Sul stage in 8m52.3s, a full 8.9s faster than his Ford rival could manage, after Sainz had dramatically snatched lead on the previous stage. The Spaniard had been just 0.4s slower than his rival at the mid-point of the stage, but slid off briefly on some mud before the finish.

Mitsubishi team boss Andrew Cowan was emotional: "I need to hold back the tears," said the Scot. "Tommi was first on the road right from the start and it says a lot for him. If anyone was going to be caught out in these conditions it should have been him. We have been contesting the lead in the last six events we've entered, but this is pretty special on Tommi's 100th world championship rally. When he has to, he can pull out the stops."

Sainz's Ford boss Malcolm Wislon was philosophical. "Obviously I'm disappointed, but for them to go into the last stage just 0.3s apart is an indication of how great this sport is. Obviously you think you've got a chance when you go into the last stage 0.3s ahead, but I'm happy for the team and also the world championship."

Richard Burns set the third fastest time on the stage for Subaru, but Marcus Gronholm's pre-stage advantage was too big to give the Englishman a real shot at the podium. Gronholm's comparatively relaxed pace over the closing kilometres didn't put much of a dent in his overall advantage and the Peugeot man finished in third place overall.

Burns managed to take home three points from fourth place, while Alister McRae made it two Brits in the top six after an encouraging run in the Hyundai. The younger McRae was fifth fastest over the stage, one place behind the man in front of him overall, Ford's Francois Delecour.

Kenneth Eriksson made it a fine day for Hyundai. The Swede came home seventh overall in his Accent and took a single manufacturers' points as Delecour was not one of Ford's nominated drivers.


Tommi Makinen, Mitsubishi, 8m52.3s
Carlos Sainz, Ford, 9m01.2s
Richard Burns, Subaru, 9m08.0s
Francois Delecour, Ford, 9m26.3s
Alister McRae, Hyundai, 9m34.1s
Marcus Gronholm, Peugeot, 9m34.2s


Tommi Makinen, Mitsubishi, 3h46m42.1s
Carlos Sainz, Ford, +0m08.6s
Marcus Gronholm, Peugeot, +2m55.6s
Richard Burns, Subaru, +3m24.3s
Francois Delecour, Ford, +10m06.8s
Alister McRae, Hyundai, +12m08.4s
Kenneth Eriksson, Hyundai, +13m32.5s
Didier Auriol, Peugeot, +16m08.6s
Tapio Laukkanen, Toyota, +16m35.9s
Pasi Hagstrom, Toyota, +19m32.5s