2002 Dakar / Daily Report

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero
Team Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Ralliart
H. Masuoka / P. Maimon
(3 January 2002)

Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero driver Hiroshi Masuoka of Japan tightened his grip on the lead of the Arras-Madrid-Dakar Rally today by winning the first part of a two-day Marathon stage. His unofficial lead at the halfway point of the Marathon section now stands at 3m25s from second-placed fellow Japanese rally ace Kenjiro Shinozuka, also driving a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero.

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero
Team Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Ralliart
K. Shinozuka / T. Delli-Zotti
(3 January 2002)

After three days in Africa, Mitsubishis are now beginning to dominate the Dakar as expected, holding the top two places in addition to fourth, sixth and seventh places. However, Belgium’s Gregoire De Mevius is still giving them a run for their money in his Nissan, completing the 351 km competitive section to Tan-Tan just 14 seconds behind Masuoka to hang on to third place. It looks like the battle between Mitsubishi and Nissan could well rage on for several days to come.

The fast, bumpy and occasionally twisty stage today, held in relatively warm weather in southern Morocco, formed the first part of a two-leg Marathon section. After eight hours’ compulsory rest at Tan-Tan, the remaining competitors will continue through the night for another 739 km to Zouerat in Mauritania. No servicing or assistance is allowed, so car reliability is at a premium.

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart
J. Kleinschmidt / A. Schulz
(3 January 2002)

Rally leader Masuoka said at Tan-Tan: "I am very pleased with everything. The car is OK and we are going well. Mauritania will be a challenge. I am happy with my pace and I will keep up this speed. Tonight will be tough. I must start again at two o’clock in the morning".

Shinozuka admitted: "We had the same power steering problem as yesterday, this time 80 km from the end of the stage. It meant I could not push hard".

Jutta Kleinschmidt of Germany remains in fourth place in her Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, after losing time with a driveshaft problem. She reported: "We were going well until the driveshaft broke. We stopped and removed the driveshaft and continued on, but we lost around 15 minutes".

Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart
J.P. Fontenay / G. Picard
(3 January 2002)

Frenchman Jean-Pierre Fontenay is sixth in his similar Mitsubishi, while Qatar’s Saeed Al-Hajri is very pleased with his progress in seventh place, driving an L200. "We’re taking it sensibly for now", said Al-Hajri. "My best stages are yet to come - the desert is my home!" Sadly, Spaniard Miguel Prieto retired at Ouarzazate in his Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero after showing such promise with second fastest on the opening stage. He had suffered mechanical problems throughout the Moroccan legs.

The stage continues tonight through Mauritania to the iron ore-mining town of Zouerat in the heart of the Sahara Desert, the competitive section comprising 370 km in an overall route of 739 km.

Times on SS 6
1	H.MASUOKA P.MAIMON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	3.13.23.0
2	G.DE MEVIUS A.GUEHENNEC	NISSAN PICK UP	3.13.37.0	+14.0
3	K.SHINOZUKA T.DELLI-ZOTTI	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	3.14.44.0	+1.21.0
4	J-M.SERVIA E.OLLER CARBO	RENAULT KANGOO	3.20.58.0	+7.35.0
5	J.KLEINSCHMIDT A.SCHULZ	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	3.30.15.0	+16.52.0
6	S.AL-HAJRI M.STEVENSON	MITSUBISHI L 200	3.39.07.0	+25.44.0
7	N.BARKAT E.BARKAT	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	3.48.59.0	+35.36.0
8	L.ALPHAND A.DEBRON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	3.52.02.0	+38.39.0
9	J-P.FONTENAY G.PICARD	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	3.53.30.0	+40.07.0
10	M.PLAZA PEREZ I.SALVADOR IBANEZ	NISSAN NAVARA	3.54.16.0	+40.53.0
11	D.HOUSIEAUX M.DOMINELLA	NISSAN NAVARA	3.55.40.0	+42.17.0
12	S.PETERHANSEL J.P.COTTRET	NISSAN PICK UP	3.57.37.0	+44.14.0
13	F.GIL R.TORNABELL	SEAT DAKAR	3.58.01.0	+44.38.0
14	T.DELAVERGNE J.DUBOIS	NISSAN TERRANO	4.02.19.0	+48.56.0
15	K.KOLBERG P.LARROQUE	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	4.02.53.0	+49.30.0
16	J-M.SALINERO L. CRUZ SENRA	NISSAN NAVARA	4.05.48.0	+52.25.0
17	G.LORA LAMIA R.DI PERSIO	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	4.08.48.0	+55.25.0
18	C.SOUSA V.JESUS	MITSUBISHI L 200	4.10.03.0	+56.40.0
19	B.LHOTELLERIE B.LEHERON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	4.14.03.0	+1.00.40.0
20	J-P.STRUGO B.CATTARELLI	MERCEDES ML 430	4.18.05.0	+1.04.42.0
21	N.MISSLIN J-M.POLATO	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	4.20.19.0	+1.06.56.0
26	T.ANDRETTA M.SIMONI	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	4.27.33.0	+1.14.10.0

Overall after SS 6
1	H.MASUOKA P.MAIMON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	8.03.39.0
2	K.SHINOZUKA T.DELLI-ZOTTI	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	8.07.04.0	+3.25.0
3	G.DE MEVIUS A.GUEHENNEC	NISSAN PICK UP	8.07.40.0	+4.01.0
4	J.KLEINSCHMIDT A.SCHULZ	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	8.25.06.0	+21.27.0
5	J-M.SERVIA E.OLLER CARBO	RENAULT KANGOO	8.35.37.0	+31.58.0
6	J-P.FONTENAY G.PICARD	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	8.53.53.0	+50.14.0
7	S.AL-HAJRI M.STEVENSON	MITSUBISHI L 200	9.01.30.0	+57.51.0
8	S.PETERHANSEL J.P.COTTRET	NISSAN PICK UP	9.01.57.0	+58.18.0
9	L.ALPHAND A.DEBRON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	9.18.49.0	+1.15.10.0
10	C.SOUSA V.JESUS	MITSUBISHI L 200	9.25.42.0	+1.22.03.0
11	N.BARKAT E.BARKAT	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	9.44.40.0	+1.41.01.0
12	M.PLAZA PEREZ I.SALVADOR IBANEZ	NISSAN NAVARA	9.51.50.0	+1.48.11.0
13	K.KOLBERG P.LARROQUE	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	9.55.16.0	+1.51.37.0
14	T.DELAVERGNE J.DUBOIS	NISSAN TERRANO	10.07.18.0	+2.03.39.0
15	F.GIL R.TORNABELL	SEAT DAKAR	10.12.53.0	+2.09.14.0
16	J-M.SALINERO L. CRUZ SENRA	NISSAN NAVARA	10.20.23.0	+2.16.44.0
17	D.HOUSIEAUX M.DOMINELLA	NISSAN NAVARA	10.24.11.0	+2.20.32.0
18	B.LHOTELLERIE B.LEHERON	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	10.30.04.0	+2.26.25.0
19	J-P.STRUGO B.CATTARELLI	MERCEDES ML 430	10.38.28.0	+2.34.49.0
20	N.MISSLIN J-M.POLATO	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	10.48.44.0	+2.45.05.0
21	G.LORA LAMIA R.DI PERSIO	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	11.37.34.0	+3.33.55.0
22	T.ANDRETTA M.SIMONI	MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO	11.45.10.0	+3.41.31.0