'Ciao a tutti Bruno here,
'Yes, WRC seasons about to start up again and Im back to let you know what Motorsport Italias up to this season, starting with Rallye Monte-Carlo.
'Our first piece of exciting news is that Polish driver Michał Kościuszko and co-driver Maciek Szczepaniak are joining Motorsport Italia this year to tackle the WRC in a MINI John Cooper Works Countryman WRC. Theyve been running with our sister team Ralliart Italy for the last two seasons, but now will compete for Lotos WRC Team on all thirteen events starting in Monte Carlo next week.
'Itll be an interesting step for Michał to move from a Mitsubishi to a MINI. For those of you who dont know, Ill explain a bit better exactly what that challenge means. Then well talk more about the excitement of the legendary challenge that is the Monte in our Event Preview.
'Its a big change from the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X to the MINI, but Michał has an idea what to expect. He competed in a MINI on his home event Rally Poland in 2011, so although its his WRC dbut and is completing a 100km test this Friday in Italy in preparation for the event.
'The main difference between the Mitsubishi and the MINI is how the car must be treated. The MINI is more or less a prototype, while the Group N Mitsubishi is developed from a showroom specification car. The MINI is designed to allow the driver to be more aggressive, whereas it's a driver's job to protect the Mitsubishi, not to make fierce cuts or push the car as hard (try telling that to a driver! ;-))
'Handling either car well takes skill and time to learn, but the principal advantages of the MINI are its weight and strength. Despite only being 1200kg where the Mitsubishi was 1350kg, it is robust, the brakes are good and the driver can really feel the car dig in ready to tackle any surface or environment.
'Michał and Maciek are also making the move from the PWRC to the WRC. This change shouldnt be too hardand well make it as easy as possible. The cars are different and the programme is fuller, but whichever WRC series you are in the level of competition is high and the drivers who you battle for the title are in cars of the same specification as yours.
'It will of course help Michał to keep the same co-driver. He and Maciek have a strong partnership and trust each other, which is essential. There are also lots of familiar faces in the team from their Ralliart Italy days. The only person they havent worked with before is our Chief Engineer Tomo, but as you all know hes very experienced so theyre in the safest of hands with him!
'So, the spotlight will be all for Michał in Monte, butyes, there's a butstay tuned for news on who else might be joining us on upcoming events to complete Motorsport Italia's 2013 programme.
For now my lips are sealed....
'A presto, Bruno'
