* Panizzi & Galli contest first North American WRC event in more than 15 years* Strong competition in PWRC and Group N category. 22 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Teams entered in the event.
Trebur (Germany) - The third round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports to México for the first ever World Rally Championship event to be hosted in the country. Gilles and Hervé Panizzi along with team mates "Gigi" Galli and Guido D'Amore will be driving the two registered Mitsubishi Lancer WRC04s.
Rally México has spent the last few years vying for inclusion in the FIA World Rally Championship and 2004 sees its' first running at world status. The sport, at this level, is also returning to North America for the first time in more than 15 years and with such an enormous market in this region, it marks an important addition to the calendar for all the registered manufacturers. The event is based in Léon (380 kilometers to the northwest of México City) the fifth biggest city in the country with 1.2 million inhabitants. It is also the largest city in the State of Guanajuato and boasts a population of 50 million within a 400 kilometer radius.
With the introduction of new regulations, a number of different features will also be seen in México. Reconnaissance will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, there will be a reduction in the number of tires permitted on this first gravel round of the season - from a virtually free quantity to a maximum of 10 tires in two patterns per crew per tire change opportunity - as well as flexi-service in the middle of the day. Tires, in particular, will be critical for the registered manufacturer crews and just 60 will be permitted per car during the three days of the rally.
Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports has no experience of the gravel roads high in the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato mountains. Altitude will also be a big consideration for the engineers, as the highest stage of the rally climbs to a breath-taking 2,737 meters making this run from Ortega to La Esperanza the highest in the entire FIA World Rally Championship.
The team's development work has been intense since Sweden, with a test in Spain involving both Gilles and Gigi behind the wheel. "After Sweden we mainly spent time looking into what was wrong with the transmission," said MMSP Technical Director Mario Fornaris. "I am hoping that México will see more reliability and a small overall step forward. About the new tire regulations for this first gravel rally, we will see what's going to happen. Of course this is all new for everybody, firstly about the regulation and secondly the rally itself. For sure it will be more difficult to predict which is the good tire for this event because nobody really has any experience."
MMSP driver Gilles Panizzi added, "We are really at the beginning. Now we have started with the development and I am happy because the car has progressed and we are going in the right direction. We need time, the engineers and mechanics do a great job and I am very confident. There is a good team-spirit, and that counts for a lot."
For Gigi, gaining experience in the Lancer WRC04 is his primary focus. "The time in the car is most important," he said. "This is a new race for everyone and we don't know the conditions at all, but I hope we can make a good result."
MITSUBISHI PRODUCTION CLASS DRIVERS LOOK FOR SUCESS IN MEXICO
In 2003, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Group N, Marcos Ligato won the Corona Rally México. This year Mitsubishi drivers aim to build on that success the event joins the FIA World Rally Championship for the first time and counts as the second round of the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship. With a host of highly rated drivers in Lancer Evolutions, Mitsubishi has high hopes of repeating its' victory on the first round, the Swedish Rally.
One of the drivers who has a shrewd idea of what to expect isn't a Mexican, but former Junior World Rally Champion Dani Solà, who contested the event in 2003. The Spaniard is also eager to build on his fine result on the Swedish in his Lancer Evolution. "Last year we had a big fight for the lead in México, so I know a little bit about the rally," he said. "I think it will be a fantastic event and I hope my experience helps, but many of the stages are also different this year."
Regular Mitsubishi campaigner Kristian Sohlberg is also back in action in México, although the Finn is not registered for points in the Production Car World Rally Championship."Our first aim is to finish and gain experience, but we want to fight for the win as well, if possible," commented Kristian. "Talking with a few of the other drivers, I think it will be important to get the engine right because of the high altitude, and I understand the roads are quite fast but with some narrow parts with big rocks on the side of the road. I have heard it's quite a nice rally and I am looking forward to it. Hopefully we will have a little freedom to fight, but our priority will be the experience."
There will also be plenty of other Mitsubishi drivers aiming for victory, including the only Mexican registered in the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, Luis Ricardo Triviño. Japan's Fumio Nutahara makes his first appearance this season, while Spaniard Xavier Pons and Poland's Tomasz Kuchar will undoubtedly be out for maximum points too.
As usual, Mitsubishis are a popular choice throughout the Group N production car category, with many local drivers choosing Lancer Evolutions. The Mexicans are naturally looking forward to measuring up against World Championship opposition on home ground and will be represented by a host of former national rally champions, including Alejandro Pimentel (1997), Carlos Izquierdo (2002) - who finished second to Harri Rovanperä in 2002 - and Erwin Richter, the country's reigning title holder. All three will be driving Mitsubishi's Group N machinery.
Corona Rally México kicks off with what is billed to be a spectacular ceremonial start on Thursday March 11 in Guanajuato, 53 kilometers from Léon. This captivating city is designated a UNESCO world heritage site and has traditionally drawn spectators in their thousands into the narrow streets lined with colourful and ancient buildings. Service for all three days of the rally is based at the Poliforum Expo Center in Léon and the opening leg on Friday (108.03 competitive kilometers) takes the crews from here to the first four stages, one of which is repeated. The second leg is the longest and includes 154.34 competitive kilometers run over six stages, 44% of the total distance covered during the day.
Two loops over three stages - all of which are longer than 23 kilometers - will provide a long and arduous day of competition for the crews before they return to Léon for the overnight halt. Sundays' closing leg takes in five stages, two of which are repeated, over a total of 132.06 competitive kilometers. The day also kicks off with the longest stage of the rally (Ibarrilla-Mesa) and this 30.47 kilometer stage will be run a second time as the penultimate stage of the event. In total, the route covers 15 stages, 394.43 competitive kilometers in a total distance of 1,040.67 kilometers before the finish in Léon at 14:30 hrs (GMT -6 hrs).
