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Sport - Racing : Motor

Battle for top honours intensifies

K. Keerthivasan

JOHOR BAHRU: The FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship has reached the climactic stages.

The sixth and penultimate round of The Ancom Malaysian Rally (MR8), to be held here on Saturday and Sunday, will witness an intense battle for the overall drivers’ title between two of the best in the championship — Cody Crocker (co-driver Ben Atkinson) and Katsuhiko Taguchi (co-driver Mark Stacey).

Representing MRF Tyres Rally Team and driving a Mitbushi Lancer Evo 9, Taguchi is six points (55) ahead of Crocker.

As MRF Tyres will not be taking part in the last round in China, Taguchi will be looking for a perfect finish in the race, which will run through palm-oil plantations.

In the balance

On the other hand, Motor Image Rally Team’s Crocker, driving a Subaru Impreza WRX, has one more chance in China. To put it in perspective, the championship for the drivers’ title hangs in the balance.

“Hopefully, this will be our weekend. If we can do well now and in China, we can get enough points to take the lead. This is Taguchi’s last race for the year, so all things are going well, we will finish strongly,” said Crocker.

In fact, the Subaru driver is on a strong wicket in these conditions as his team has done well in Malaysia for the last three years, winning in 2005, 06 and 07; Crocker won the last two.

Even Crocker knows it will be not easy with an experienced hand like Taguchi competing.

Enormous significance

Having lived and competed in Malaysia for several years, Taguchi’s knowledge of the terrain will carry enormous significance. With rain coming in patches, Taguchi said the track would be very difficult if it gets slippery. “Special Stages three and four are very difficult,” he said.

Driving a Mitsubishi, Gaurav Gill (MRF Tyres) has taken the assistance of a local, Jagdev Singh, as his co-driver.

“Driving under plantation trees, it’s a bit scary. If it rains, you can’t even walk, leave alone drive,” said Gill who is among the 10 shortlisted for the Pirelli Star young driver award.

“I’ll go all out from the first day,” said Gill, who made history by winning the fifth round in Makassar. Arjun Rao (co-driver Musa Sheriff) will be the other Indian to participate in the event.

The Rally comprises 14 competitive stages. The longest is Stage 1 (it will be repeated as Stage 5) and is 28.67km long.

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