Dutch driver Mark van Eldik took another dominant win this weekend at the wheel of his MML Sports-prepared Mitsubishi Lancer World Rally Car on the ADMV Lausitz Rallye in Germany. Team-mate Bert de Jong put in another excellent performance, finishing the event in fifth place.
As a round of no less than nine series, including the German national championship, the entry list was huge, with 57 cars in the national class, alongside van Eldik. He and de Jong were facing a brace of world rally cars, including Subarus and Skodas, as well as Super 2000 cars on the event, based in Boxberg, close to the Polish border.
Unfazed by the competition, van Eldik was on superfluous form from the start of the event, which saw two 15Km stages running as dusk fell on Friday evening. He set his stall out early, claiming the win on both to head into Saturday’s six stages as leader.
He carried on where he left off for the second day of the event, claiming the win on each of the six timed tests, to reach the end of the event with a winning margin of almost 40 seconds over Polish driver Leszek Kuzaj.
De Jong was enjoying another good event, third after the first pair of stages but was unable to resist the mounting challenge from the Subaru WRCar of Eric Korda and German and World Rally Championship regular, Herman Gassner Jnr.
He slipped from third to fifth during the second day of the event but was able to defend his top five placing against several charging WRCars behind him.
Commenting, MML Sports Managing Director John Easton said: “I’m really pleased with the results from this weekend. The last time Mark and Bert were out, they both had a difficult rally, so it’s even more impressive that they both bounced back and achieved these results.
“Mark was completely dominant on the event, didn’t put a foot wrong and took a very well deserved win. Bert said he enjoyed himself on the event, which was quite tricky and is very pleased with the result.
“Overall, a great weekend’s rallying.”