SS7: Makinen attacks; Sainz bides his time?

Makinen's Mitsubishi scorched through the test, described as '75% snow-covered' by gravel crews, in 17m31.1s, with McRae's Ford second quickest ahead of Armin Schwarz's Skoda.

Most works crews opted for half studs as their tyre option, but with the daunting Sisteron stage (SS8) run on the same set of tyres, Ford duo Carlos Sainz and Francois Delecour have taken a gamble that just might pay off.

The Spaniard has gone for half-stud with an extra cut, while the Frenchman has opted for full studs. Six kms of Sisteron is covered in snow, but overnight ploughing and local traffic has compacted the surface into virtual ice - perfect for full studs...

Delecour was fourth fastest on SS7, with Sainz taking it easy, according to the Ford team, en route to fifth, some 28.3s slower than Makinen.

As happened on the morning of day one, later starters have managed to exploit the clearer conditions after early starters 'snow-ploughed' the road, and Group N Mitsubishis are appearing in the lower reaches of the top 10.

After SS8, Sisteron, the cars will service at Digne les Bains, before three more stages this afternoon which promise to supply less snow and ice and more dry tarmac. With Makinen unsure of his Mitsubishi's potency on full racing slicks, watch out for another charge on SS8.


1 Tommi Makinen (Mitsubishi), 17m31.1s
2 Colin McRae (Ford), 17m39.1s
3 Armin Schwarz (Skoda), 17m43.6s
4 Francois Delecour (Ford), 17m52.5s
5 Carlos Sainz (Ford), 17m59.4s
6 Alister McRae (Hyundai), 18m02.2s


1 Colin McRae (Ford), 2h10m25.2s
2 Tommi Makinen (Mitsubishi), 2h10m47.8s
3 Carlos Sainz (Ford), 2h11m19.4s
4 Armin Schwarz (Skoda), 2h12m19.0s
5 Francois Delecour (Ford), 2h12m28.1
6 Alister McRae (Hyundai), 2h13m28.3
7 Freddy Loix (Mitsubishi), 2h13m38.0
8 Toni Gardemeister (Peugeot), 2h14m16.4
9 Olivier Burri (Toyota), 2h14m31.8s
10 Manfred Stohl (Mitsubishi - GpN) 2h17m03.7