Burns, Subaru & Pirelli close points gap

Richard Burns (Subaru Impreza WRC2000) has moved into second place in the World Rally Championship with three events to go following a gritty drive to fourth place in Corsica. On mainly dry stages today Burns set two fastest times using the RP5 slick tyre to defeat the challenge from Marcus Gronholm and cut the Finn's lead to just two points over the Subaru-Pirelli driver.

The ever-changing conditions often made accurate tyre choice an impossible task and frequently drivers found themselves with an unsuitable choice when the weather changed between stages. Nevertheless, Pirelli's latest evolution versions of the PZero asphalt range gave both Subaru and SEAT the best possible options and ensured that these teams can go to Pirelli's 'home' event in San Remo with renewed confidence of maintaining this improvement on asphalt stages.

Just five points cover the top four drivers in this year's World Championship and with Australia and Britain concluding the series on gravel, Pirelli is confident it can give Burns the best possible chance of his first World Championship title.

Manfred Stohl's Group N victory over fellow Mitsubishi-Pirelli driver Gustavo Trelles extends the Austrian's championship lead while Hamed Al Wahaibi (Subaru-Pirelli) took maximum points in the FIA Teams Cup competition.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Panizzi (Peugeot), 4h02m14.2; 2. Delecour (Peugeot) +33.5; 3. Sainz (Ford), +1m12.6; 4. Burns (Subaru-Pirelli) +1m30.9; 5. Gronholm (Peugeot) +1m57.1; 6. Liatti (Ford) +2m53.8; 7. Jean-Joseph (Subaru-Pirelli) +3m09.5; 8. Auriol (SEAT-Pirelli) +3m30.7; . . .; 11. Gardemeister (SEAT-Pirelli) +7m20.5

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (after 11 of 14 events)

Drivers:
1. Gronholm pt. 46; 2. Burns 44; 3. McRae 42; 4. Sainz 41; 5. Makinen 28; 6. Kankkunen 18; 7. Delecour 13; 8. Panizzi 11; 9. Rovanpera 7; 9. Solberg 6; 10. Auriol, Loix and Arai 4; 13. Gardemeister and Radstrom 3; . . .

Manufacturers: 1. Ford pt. 83; 2. Peugeot 74; 3. Subaru-Pirelli 69; 4. Mitsubishi 35; 5. Skoda and SEAT-Pirelli 8; 7. Hyundai 5

Group N: 1. Stohl pt. 58; 2. Trelles 48; 3. Pozzo 22; 4. Paasonen 21; 5. Menzi 13;. . .

NEXT EVENT:
Sanremo (tarmac), 19-22 October

Ajaccio (Corse), October 1, 2000