Markko Märtin has announced his desire not to compete in the last three rounds of the 2005 season.

In his absence, it is the FFSA Equipe de France driver Nicolas Bernardi (with Jean Marc Fortin as codriver) who has been nominated to drive the second 307 WRC in the two remaining asphalt rounds of this year's World Rally Championship, namely the Rallye de France/Tour of Corsica and the Catalonia Rally.

Nicolas Bernardi has worked his way up through the ranks of Peugeot Sport's driver promotion scheme, beginning with France's nationwide Rallye Jeunes talent-spotting operation in which he was a finalist in 1995. He went on to claim the Volant Peugeot 206 series in 2000 before becoming a works driver in 2001 contesting the FIA Super 1600 Championship with a 206. After switching to a rival marque for 2003 and 2004, he finished 2nd in the 2004 FIA Super 1600 World Championship.

Back again in the Peugeot Sport fold for 2005, Nicolas currently leads the French Rally Championship driving a 206 WRC.