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- 22.11.1998 klo 20.00 -
RAC-RALLI
Marko Ipatti and Kari Kajula get a great opportunity to compete in Network Q RAC-rally with factory-base rallyvehicle Ford Escort Super Rally Car by Ford Motorsport. Unfortunately their first World Championship rally outside Finland ended all too soon. They had charging problems from the first stage and they had to retire before third stage because car didn`t start anymore. - 11.9.1998 - RALLY OF MANX - Bad luck in Manx Finnish team of Marko Ipatti/Kari Kajula, newly crowned group N champions on the Mobil 1 Championship, had bad luck in final Mobil 1 Championship round. Marko and Kari in the Mitsubishi Carisma GT stopped on Stage 5 half way up a hill with a fractured oil pipe. However team is very pleased with season in British Islands. Marko was practically definite Production Cup champion even before final event. Finally Marko won the title over 30 point difference to David Mann. Finns won four event, were fourth once and retired twice. The victorioius car was sold to Britain after event. Negotiations of next season are just now under way. - 20.8.1998 - NESTE RALLY FINLAND - Supporting Hyundai factory-team in Rally Finland Production Cup winner Marko Ipatti will not compete in Neste Rally Finland this year. However Marko and co-driver Kari Kajula will participate in Hyundai factory team as making gravel notes for them. Another big reason for absence is, that Marko and Kari will take a 100 % effort to win Production Cup in this year´s British Rally Championship series with maximum points. The last event in series is Rally of Manx next month on tarmac-surface. Marko Ipatti ja Kari Kajula became Production Cup champion before final event as winning their own class in Stena Line Ulster Rally - 2.8.1998 - STENA LINE ULSTER RALLY - Championship title confirmed Marko Ipatti and Kari Kajula started Stena Line Ulster Rally very carefully. They drove their first tarmac-rally now in Northern-Ireland. They climbed litle by litle toward top tree in their group. Finns took leadership second day and after that didn’t give up the lead. They were seventh overall When David Mann have to retire with gearbox problems, Marko confirmed championship title before final event. This years target was achieved. Stena Line Ulster Rally homepage - 29.7.1998 - STENA LINE ULSTER RALLY - Ready for tarmac Marko Ipatti and Kari Kajula are looking forward to weekend in Northern-Ireland. Stena Line Ulster Rally will be Marko´s first competion in tarmac. In every case Marko and Kari are ready to fight top-tree position in Production Class category. After Scottish-rally they brought Mitsubishi Carisma GT to Finland to be well prepared to Stena Line Ulster Rally. In measurements in Finland they found out that there were 20 horsepowers missing. As we have seen, missing power was not necessary in Skotland, but in Ulster Rally those will be needed. Top Rally Team has tested their car´s asphalt-settings about 400 kilometers. Marko drove as VIP-car in rallisprint Finnish Championship event and they tested one day in Kemora motor-racing track. Marko also get known to tarmac-surface while taking part in karting Finnish Championship event in Oulu. Click photo to see a larger version
Stena
Line Ulster Rally homepage - 7.6.1998 - RSCA SCOTTISH RALLY - Victory on both legs Marko Ipatti and co-driver Kari Kajula took a big step towards top position in British Rally Championship series in Production Cup category. They were fastest in convincing style on both legs and finished winner in fifth place overall with more than a minute to spare over his nearest Group N rival David Mann in the Proton Persona. Marko is now second in Production Cup standings only four points after David Mann.
On the first leg they had some problems with their Mitsubishi Carisma GT when the turbo pipe came off. Also their car almost went of the road whilst trying to overtake previous car on the stage. They dropped out of first place in their class, but get back to the top at the end of the day. In the first stage on the second day they set fastest time in their own class 20 second faster than next driver. After that they didn’t give up the lead. Marko enjoyed driving Finnish-type forest stages. Without retirement in Rally of Wales Marko would be in good lead in Production Cup standings. Next they will bring car to Finland to be prepared to Stena Line Ulster Rally, the longest competitive round of this years Championship. Results and Championship
standings - 26.4.1998 - PIRELLI INTERNATIONAL RALLY - Victory in the Production Class category Marko Ipatti and co-driver Kari Kajula drove their Mitsubishi Carisma to a brilliant victory in the production Cup category on the Pirelli International Rally at the weekend (Apr 25/26). They were fifth overall At the first day team had some problems with oil cooler that cause 20 second time penalty. They also span couple times during day. Marko set fastest time on Saturday´s last stage four seconds faster than Alister McRae and Janne Tuohino. At the end of the first day Marko and Kari were ninth overall and fifth in group N4.
The second day was competely trouble-free. Marko enjoyed driving long forest stages and speed was competitive. They climbed up to fifth place overall and winner in their own class. Marko Ipatti in now fifth in Production Cup driver standings. Team is very satisfied for this result after retirement in Rally of Wales. As result of the weekend team got good points here and are now in top-five in standings not far away from top. Pirelli-Rally
homepage - 26.3.1998 - VAUXHALL RALLY OF WALES - Retirement while driving in top three Vauxhall Rally of Wales was team´s first competition this year. At the end of the first day Marko and Kari were 8th overall and third in Production Class. Second day Marko get well used to long Wales forest stages and climbed to third position overall and second in his class. The race was going without any problems until at the second last stage car sliped to the ditch and radiator was damaged causing engine to overheat. The race was over after stage 16.
The event was, however, a positive experience. Competition in Production Class was challenging and interesting. Team is looking forward to next event Pirelli Internation Rally. Vauxhall Rally of
Wales homepage - 3.3.1998 - PRESS RELEASE - Finnish Driver Marko Ipatti competes in
Please come back here to read championship event reports |
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RAC-Rally ended on technical failure
