COMMUNIQUE 5 29 December 2001 Chateauroux - Narbonne Liaison 82 km - SS 6 km - Liaison 510 km - Total 598 km

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Team Mitsubishi Ralliart J. Kleinschmidt / A. Schulz (29 December 2001)

Despite the appalling weather conditions, with cold rain and sleet whipped up by an icy wind, thousands of spectators turned out at the Croisière Activity Parc in La Souterraine to witness the opening special stage of the 24th Total Arras-Madrid-Dakar Rally, 2002. Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Team Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Ralliart An happy Kenjiro Shinozuka (29 December 2001) The Mitsubishi drivers played their cards very carefully on the extremely short, but very twisty and muddy 6km parkland stage, preferring to avoid embarrassing mistakes rather than bid for glory. Fernando Gil of Spain in a Seat Cordoba won the stage, but the result will have hardly any bearing by the time the competitors reach Dakar. Last year’s winner, Jutta Kleinschmidt, finished eighth in her Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, while the fastest Mitsubishi driver was Spaniard Miguel Prieto in his similar car. With Stephane Peterhansel third in his Nissan Pickup, the fastest works Team Mitsubishi Ralliart driver was Kenjiro Shinozuka in fourth in his Pajero/Montero. Carlos Sousa of Portugal was fifth in his Mitsubishi L200. Hiroshi Masuoka and Jean-Pierre Fontenay were fifth and sixth respectively in their Team Mitsubishi Ralliart machines on identical times, and less than a minute separated the top 10. Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Team Mitsubishi Ralliart J.P. Fontenay / G. Picard (29 December 2001) With the main objective of getting through the opening test unscathed completed, the survivors of the 118 cars, 170 motorbikes, and 35 trucks that started the event continued on their long grind through central France on a 592km drive to Narbonne, close to the border with Spain, through driving winds and torrential rain. The weather made the whole experience rather unpleasant, if not difficult for the drivers. Said Shinozuka: "No problem today. The stage was particularly suited to four-wheel drive cars. It was quite slippery and we took no chances". Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Team Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Ralliart H. Masuoka / P. Maimon (29 December 2001) Kleinschmidt agreed: "The weather was awful. But we took no risks and had no problems. These small stages can catch you out if you don’t concentrate. It’s a matter of taking it easy". With nearly all the top competitors safely through the first test and now resting in Narbonne, they can now look forward to hopefully better weather in Spain. After another brief stage at Chateau Lastours in France tomorrow morning, a longer 35km test through vineyards and scrubland, they head onto Madrid, 870 km further south.

Times on SS 1 1 F.GIL R.TORNABELL SEAT DAKAR 6.43.0   2 M.PRIETO J.VIDARTE MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.09.0 +26.0 3 S.PETERHANSEL J.P.COTTRET NISSAN PICK UP 7.12.0 +29.0 4 K.SHINOZUKA T.DELLI-ZOTTI MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.26.0 +43.0 5 C.SOUSA V.JESUS MITSUBISHI L 200 7.27.0 +44.0 =6 H.MASUOKA P.MAIMON MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.30.0 +47.0 =6 J.P.FONTENAY G.PICARD MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.30.0 +47.0 8 J.KLEINSCHMIDT A.SCHULZ MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.37.0 +54.0 9 G.DE MEVIUS A.GUEHENNEC NISSAN PICK UP 7.41.0 +58.0 10 C.ARNOUX J.L.LAPEYRE BUGGY PROTO 7.45.0 +1.02.0 11 A.LEKAVICIUS V.VALIUKEVICIUS TOYOTA 8.08.0 +1.25.0 12 J.M.SERVIA E.OLLER CARBO RENAULT KANGOO 8.18.0 +1.35.0 =13 K.KOLBERG P.LARROQUE MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 8.19.0 +1.36.0 =13 F.PICCO C.DAL ZOTTO TOYOTA HDJ 80 8.19.0 +1.36.0 15 S.BARBRY S.MARTINAGE LAND-ROVER 8.20.0 +1.37.0 =16 L.ALPHAND A.DEBRON MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 8.25.0 +1.42.0 =16 S.AL HAJRI M.STEVENSON MITSUBISHI L 200 8.25.0 +1.42.0 18 M.SALVATORE J.C.GILLONNIER TOYOTA 8.30.0 +1.47.0 19 E.SMULEVICI J.KOHUT NISSAN NAVARA 8.33.0 +1.50.0 20 J.J.RATET J.P.GARCIN TOYOTA 8.41.0 +1.58.0 29 B.SABY J.BOUSSIER FORD RANGER 9.10.0 +2.27.0 33 T.DELAVERGNE J.DUBOIS NISSAN TERRANO 9.16.0 +2.33.0 68 J.L.SCHLESSER H.MAGNE RENAULT KANGOO DCI 10.32.0 +3.49.0 93 S.HENRARD J.M.LURQUIN RENAULT KANGOO DCI 13.47.0 +7.04.0

Overall after SS 1 1 F.GIL R.TORNABELL SEAT DAKAR 6.43.0   2 M.PRIETO J.VIDARTE MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.09.0 +26.0 3 S.PETERHANSEL J.P.COTTRET NISSAN PICK UP 7.12.0 +29.0 4 K.SHINOZUKA T.DELLI-ZOTTI MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.26.0 +43.0 5 C.SOUSA V.JESUS MITSUBISHI L 200 7.27.0 +44.0 =6 H.MASUOKA P.MAIMON MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.30.0 +47.0 =6 J.P.FONTENAY G.PICARD MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.30.0 +47.0 8 J.KLEINSCHMIDT A.SCHULZ MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 7.37.0 +54.0 9 G.DE MEVIUS A.GUEHENNEC NISSAN PICK UP 7.41.0 +58.0 10 C.ARNOUX J.L.LAPEYRE BUGGY PROTO 7.45.0 +1.02.0 11 A.LEKAVICIUS V.VALIUKEVICIUS TOYOTA 8.08.0 +1.25.0 12 J.M.SERVIA E.OLLER CARBO RENAULT KANGOO 8.18.0 +1.35.0 =13 K.KOLBERG P.LARROQUE MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 8.19.0 +1.36.0 =13 F.PICCO C.DAL ZOTTO TOYOTA HDJ 80 8.19.0 +1.36.0 15 S.BARBRY S.MARTINAGE LAND-ROVER 8.20.0 +1.37.0 =16 L.ALPHAND A.DEBRON MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO 8.25.0 +1.42.0 =16 S.AL HAJRI M.STEVENSON MITSUBISHI L 200 8.25.0 +1.42.0 18 M.SALVATORE J.C.GILLONNIER TOYOTA 8.30.0 +1.47.0 19 E.SMULEVICI J.KOHUT NISSAN NAVARA 8.33.0 +1.50.0 20 J.J.RATET J.P.GARCIN TOYOTA 8.41.0 +1.58.0 29 B.SABY J.BOUSSIER FORD RANGER 9.10.0 +2.27.0 33 T.DELAVERGNE J.DUBOIS NISSAN TERRANO 9.16.0 +2.33.0 68 J.L.SCHLESSER H.MAGNE RENAULT KANGOO DCI 10.32.0 +3.49.0 93 S.HENRARD J.M.LURQUIN RENAULT KANGOO DCI 13.47.0 +7.04.0