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DJERBA
(Tunisia): Cruel luck again played a hand in depriving Frenchman Stéphane
Peterhansel, the Mitsubishi of an emphatic victory on an international
rally this year. Along with co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret, they began the
final stage of the Optic 2000 Rally of Tunisia, 53m 59s ahead of the defending
World Champion Jean Louis Schlesser.
But the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution / Montero Evolution suddenly caught
fire near the second passage control of the final 215 kms stage between
Nekrif and Djerba this morning (Sunday) and was completely destroyed in
the incident. Peterhansel's worst nightmare had come true: the six-times
former winner of the Dakar on two wheels had lost victory on this year's
Dakar to team mate Hiroshi Masuoka on the final desert stage and history
repeated itself last month in Italia.
Peterhansel had begun the day 53m 59s minutes ahead of the defending World
Champion Jean-Louis Schlesser.
"We both smelt petrol and stopped to see what was happening," said a shattered
Peterhansel. "Jean-Paul got out of the car and shouted to me to get out
quickly. There were flames on my side by the front wheel and we tried
to put them out. We used the extinguishers, but it was not enough. Miki
was following close behind and he stopped to help us and we threw sand
on the fire. But it was not possible to get it under control.
"I cannot believe this can happen. It is like a nightmare for me to lose
a race on the last day three times this year. It is maybe the curse of
a black cat."
"This is the first time we have lost one of our rally cars to a fire since
Jean-Pierre Fontenay's Pajero / Montero was damaged on the 1992 Paris-Cape
Town Rally," admitted team director Dominique Serieys.
Peterhansel had passed his Italian team mates Miki Biasion and Tiziano
Siviero shortly after the start this morning when the Italians pulled
over to wait. They were on the scene of the incident in less than a minute
and tried in vain to put out the flames. Biasion eventually completed
the rally in second place overall - the result was the twice former World
Rally Champion's best ever finish on a round of the FIA World Cup.
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Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero
N. Misslin / J-M. Polato
(Leg 7 - 13 April 2003)
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Frenchman
Nicolas Misslin benefitted from his team mate's misfortune by taking third
position in his Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero. Ralliart France cars filled
fourth, fifth and sixth places overall. Poland's Lukasz Komornicki headed
Germany's Andrea Mayer and Spaniard Jose-Luis Monterde to the finish,
with Misslin, Komornicki and Mayer all taking career-best finishes.
"Of course I am pleased with my result," said Komornicki. "But we all
feel for Stéphane and are thankful that he and Jean-Paul are okay."
"There were no problems for us today," said Mayer's co-driver Andreas
Schulz. "We overtook Monterde yesterday when he had his fuel filter problem
and we are both pleased with our fifth place." Mayer set the second fastest
time today.
The day's stage offered a balance of small dunes, some tricky navigation
and the crossing of a final chott. The finish took place on the beach
at El Kantara, near the holiday resort of Djerba.
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