CYPRUS RALLY SHAKEDOWN/MITSUBISHI MOTORS/2002 WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Communique 2 - Shakedown
Thursday 18 April 2002

MITSUBISHI DRIVERS READY FOR THE CYPRIOT GRAVEL

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart concluded its final preparations for the 30th Cyprus Rally today when François Delecour/Daniel Grataloup, Alister McRae/David Senior and Jani Paasonen/Arto Kapanen ran the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution WRCs for the final time before this evening’s ceremonial start in Limassol.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution WRC
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
F. Delecour / D. Grataloup

The shakedown test, 60 kilometres to the east of the host town, was the culmination in Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart’s preparation for the event, the team having undertaken a four-day test with Delecour and McRae last week. Weather conditions for this year’s event are however very unstable, despite warm temperatures, and rain fell during the second day of the reconnaissance and during today’s final test. Road conditions are also reported to be rougher than last year, the Mediterranean island having suffered a severe winter, rains washing away much of the gravel and leaving a hard base littered with protruding rocks and boulders.

As the series moves to gravel for the first time this season, the team’s four-day test was critical for the set-up of the Lancer Evolution WRC. From a base established by test driver Lasse Lampi, both François and Alister then focused on suspension settings, gear ratios for this low-speed event and ride height, the team already having substantially strengthened the underneath of the car to protect is from the constant battering on the rough and rocky roads. Having completed approximately 450 kilometres, the team is also confident in the reliability of the Lancer Evolution WRC, one of the significant strengths it brings to Cyprus.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution WRC
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
A. McRae / D. Senior

François Delecour and co-driver Daniel Grataloup were both in confident mood by the end of today’s shakedown, the French driver keen to start the first of five consecutive loose surface events. "This is the first rally I have driven the Mitsubishi on gravel and I am happy with the feeling", said François. "We did a lot of work on the specification for the differentials, and the shock absorbers are very very good for these conditions. Michelin has also brought a new tyre that is good, and if the conditions remain dry it should work very well on the cleaner roads".

Team-mates Alister McRae and David Senior are similarly happy with the car’s performance after the test and are looking to capitalise on their start position for Friday’s opening leg. "If the weather stays dry we have more of a chance to exploit our position, especially in the first three stages, because the roads will be cleaner for us", said Alister. "The set-up is good and the tyres are working well, but the conditions are much rougher than last year as much of the dirt has been washed away and rocks have slid off the hillside onto the stages. We’re as confident as we can be on a rally like this, where historically there have been a lot of retirements, but the strength of the Mitsubishi is impressive and our reliability record good".

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution WRC
Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart
J. Paasonen / A. Kapanen

Jani Paasonen and Arto Kapanen are driving the third Lancer Evolution WRC for the second time this year and, despite the Finn driving the car on gravel for the first time today, he was pleased with the results. "Everything is very good and I am happy that the feeling is there. Our start position will be a big benefit on Friday, it is perfect I think, but I have also not done this rally before so we still have much to learn about it".

The Cyprus Rally, round 5 of the FIA World Rally Championship, starts tonight in Limassol but the real action begins when the crews leave the host town at 08:00 hrs on Friday for the opening leg of competition. Tomorrow’s route covers six special stages, three repeated twice, and 96.32 competitive kilometres before returning to the coastal resort for the overnight halt at 17:05 hrs.

2002 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship - Round 3

MITSUBISHI DRIVERS FACE UP TO GRUELLING CYPRUS RALLY

Mitsubishi Motors drivers face their greatest challenge of the season so far on the third round of the Production Car World Rally Championship, the Cyprus Rally. With drivers such as Uruguay’s Gustavo Trelles and Finland’s Kristian Sohlberg in Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions or Mitsubishi Carisma GTs, Mitsubishi has every chance of success, but the opposition is tougher than ever and conditions promise to be particularly demanding.

Flying Finn Kristian Sohlberg shares the World Championship lead and is looking forward to the return to loose-surface stages in his Carisma GT.

"Most of the rallies this year are new to me and I don’t know quite what to expect here. I like driving on gravel, but the stages certainly aren’t like Finland. Reliability is very important and our main aim is to finish", Sohlberg said.

Peru’s Ramon Ferreyros shares the Championship lead after Corsica, but he is making no predictions for Cyprus.

"Everyone knows that this is going to be a tough rally. There are a lot of repeated stages and the roads are going to be pretty bad by the end. You certainly can’t just attack the stages", Ferreyros stated.

Four-times Production World Champion Gustavo Trelles is sure to be amongst the pacesetters in his Lancer Evolution, having learnt his trade on the rough roads of South America.

The rally has attracted the strongest Production Car entry of the year and it is dominated by Mitsubishis, which make up almost half the entry. Potential front runners include Italy’s Alex Fiorio, Giovanni Manfrinato and Luca Baldini, former British Champion Martin Rowe, Argentina’s Marcos Ligato and Bulgarian Dimitar Iliev, all driving Lancer Evolutions or Carisma GTs.