Team MRF opt for lighter cars

OBIHIRO (Japan): Rally Hokkaido, the fifth and penultimate leg of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship could throw up the overall winner but Team MRF are keenly focussed on winning this leg even if it is only a consolation.
Team MRF's Gaurav Gill is third, 46 adrift of leader Chris Atkinson (Proton Motortsports). Gill's teammate Katsuhiko Taguchi is further down the order but both are eager on putting their best foot forward and winning the Japan leg.
After the Super Special Stage (SS 1, 1.20km) held in the suburb of this quiet and remote town of Obihiro on Friday, Gill signalled his intentions.He was trailing Atkinson by a slender 0.2 seconds. The next two days (Saturday & Sunday) will test driver and car and calls for a degree of skill and smartness to overcome the stiff challenges laid out through mountainous and forest areas.