COMMUNIQUE 1 1 January 2001 Paris - Narbonne Liaison 910 km - SS 6 km - Total 916 km

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Team Nisseki Mitsubishi Ralliart K. Shinozuka / F. Gallagher

With 10,000 km in Africa ahead of them, the competitors in the Dakar 2001 Rally were hardly interested in the result of the six kilometre first stage of the event that was held today at La Chatre, France, en route between Paris and Narbonne. But thousands of spectators braved the cold and rain to watch the action as Mitsubishis, buggies, Nissans and more skated and jumped over the bumpy, sweeping gravel tracks. Thankfully, despite the weather, the track was relatively dry and not the seemingly traditional mud bath that greets Dakar competitors each year. Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Team Nisseki Mitsubishi Ralliart K. Shinozuka / F. Gallagher On such a long event, a six kilometre special stage can have little bearing on the results, but stars such as Kenjiro Shinozuka of Japan, driving a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, were very aware that a silly mistake could cost them the event, and drove extremely cautiously over the short gravel special stage. Said Shinozuka: "It was very good, many jumps, but not big jumps. It was OK". Fortunately for Japan’s most successful rally driver, the day passed without incident and both he and the rest of the leading Mitsubishi drivers were able to continue on their 950 km journey to Narbonne, relieved that the short, sharp test had been completed satisfactorily. Another leading Mitsubishi driver, Jean-Pierre Fontenay had a small fright when he had trouble selecting first gear to start the special stage, but still managed joint fifth fastest with fellow Mitsubishi driver, German lady driver Jutta Kleinschmidt. They finished the stage just three seconds behind Shinozuka who was joint third with yet another Mitsubishi star, Japan’s Hiroshi Masuoka. Just eight seconds covered the top six drivers, with Jose Maria Servia first and Jean-Louis Schlesser second in their buggies. Giles Picard, Fontenay’s co-driver, reported: "He (Jean-Pierre) forgot to put the car in first gear at the start of the special, but otherwise it was a very good day, no mud and the car is very good." The fastest Mitsubishi driver, Masuoka, added: "Today was very good. The special was very twisty and very jumpy, but I like because it is very sideways. A good warm up for me." Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Team Mitsubishi Germany J. Kleinschmidt / A. Schulz And arguably the world’s fastest female off-road driver and Mitusbishi pilot Jutta Kleinschmidt said: "It was nice. A little bit short, only 6 km, but to wake up, not bad. The car is very good. No problem with the car - I hope it stays like that. The jumps are a little bit sharp and we took care not to land on the nose." Another of the Mitsubishi leading lights, Portugal’s Carlos Sousa commented: : "I think the car is good, I like it, the circuit is OK. We have a little problem with the fuel because we have not much fuel in a big tank and on the long sweeping corners the car was spluttering a little". Tomorrow, January 2, the Dakar heads further south from Narbonne and to another relatively short super special at Chateau Lastours that will be 35 km long. Again, winning the stage will not be as important as simply getting through it without incident, since the real rallying doesn’t start until they reach Morocco in two days time.

Times on Special Stage 1 and Overall Classification after Leg 1 Leg 1 - Paris - Narbonne SS 1 - 6.00 km - Monday 1 January

	Driver	Co-driver	Nat.	Car	Time
1	J.M. Servia	J.M. Lurquin	E/F	Schlesser Buggy Renault Megane	3.43
2	J.L. Schlesser	H. Magne	F	Schlesser Buggy Renault Megane	3.45
=3	K. Shinozuka	F. Gallagher	J/GB	Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero	3.48
=3	H. Masuoka	P. Maimon	J/F	Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero	3.48
=5	J.P. Fontenay	G. Picard	F	Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero	3.51
=5	J. Kleinschmidt	A. Schulz	D	Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero	3.51
=7	C. Sousa	J.M. Polato	P/E	Mitsubishi L200	3.52
=7	G. de Mevius	A. Guehennec	B/F	Nissan Terrano	3.52
9	L. Alphand	A. Debron	F	Schlesser  Renault Kangoo	3.57
=10	P. Wambergue	P. Rey	F	Ford Ranger Protruck	3.58
=10	B. Saby	T. Delli-Zotti	F	Ford Ranger Protruck	3.58
12	M. Prieto	A. Velhinho	E	Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero	4.00
16	K. Kolberg	B. Cattarelli	BR/F	Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero	4.09
25	S. Quandt	P. Tiefenbach	D	Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero	4.28
etc...