HIROSHI MASUOKA* Winner of Dakar Rally 2002 and 2003, UAE Desert Challenge 2004 * Competed in Dakar Rally since 1987 "It has been a quiet year for me in terms of competition since the 2004 Dakar Rally. One of my goals was to win the UAE Desert Challenge and I achieved that at my sixth attempt in October. That was a great result for my confidence. The team have tested the revised car in Morocco and there have been some marked improvements. I am confident that I can take my third Dakar victory this time." Career Highlights: 1987:29th overall, Dakar Rally1990:10th overall, Dakar Rally (1st in T2 category)1992:20th overall, Paris-Le Cap1994:4th overall, Dakar Rally1995:10th overall, Dakar Rally1996:6th overall, Granada-Dakar Rally1997:4th overall, Dakar Rally1998:4th overall, Paris-Granada-Dakar Rally1999:6th overall, Granada-Dakar Rally2000:6th overall, Dakar Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero*2001:2nd overall, Dakar Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero*2002:1st overall, Dakar Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero*2nd overall Rally of Morocco in a Mitsubishi Pajero*2003:1st overall, Dakar Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution1st overall, Baja Italy in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution2004:2nd overall, Dakar Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution1st overall, UAE Desert Challenge in a Mitsubishi Pajero* EvolutionHiroshi Masuoka was born in Japan in March 1960 and now lives in Iruma, Saitama, in Japan with his wife Chiaki and son Shoichiro. He first began off-road racing in 1979 and attempted the Dakar for the first time in 1987. In 1990 he finished first in the T2 category and then took fourth position four years later.Between 1995 and 2000 he finished inside the top 10 on six occasions, the highlight being a pair of fourth places in 1997 and 1998. He made the podium and runners-up spot the following season in a Mitsubishi Pajero*, but his finest hour came in 2002 when he became only the second Japanese driver to win the Dakar Rally with the Mitsubishi Motors team. Hiroshi took a second successive victory in 2003, in addition to a late win in the Baja Italy, and finished runner-up behind team mate Stephane Peterhansel in 2004. After a quiet year, he returned to action in October to win the UAE Desert Challenge for the first time at his sixth attempt. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

ANDREAS SCHULZ* Dakar Rally winning co-driver 2001 and 2002 * Competed in Dakar Rally with Masuoka for the first time in 1994 Career Highlights: 1994:4th overall, Dakar Rally with Hiroshi Masuoka1995:10th overall, Dakar Rally1996:6th overall, Dakar Rally4th overall, UAE Desert Challenge1997:4th overall, Dakar Rally1998:4th overall, Dakar Rally1999:6th overall, Dakar Rally2000:6th overall, Dakar Rally6th overall, UAE Desert Challenge with Jutta Kleinschmidt2001:1st overall, Dakar Rally2002:2nd overall, Dakar Rally2nd overall, Rally of Tunisia with Khalifa Al-Mutaiwi2nd overall, Rally of Morocco with Hiroshi Masuoka2003:1st overall, Dakar Rally5th overall, Rally of Tunisia with Andrea Mayer16th overall, Rally of Morocco2nd overall, Baja Germany5th overall, UAE Desert Challenge2004:5th overall, Dakar Rally10th overall, Rally of Morocco in a Mitsubishi L200 Pick-Up1st overall, UAE Desert Challenge with Hiiroshi MasuokaAndreas Schulz was born in Munich in March 1955 and now resides in Munich and the United Arab Emirates. He is one of the most experienced members of the Mitsubishi Motors team, having worked on numerous long-distance events as a fully-qualified mechanic before making the switch to an international co-driver. After gaining much youthful experience with the Opel World Rally and Dakar Teams in the 1980s, Andreas co-drove for Japan's Hiroshi Masuoka in the 1994 Dakar Rally. The following season the pair finished 10th overall and fourth in the UAE Desert Challenge. Over the next few years the pair achieved several consistent top 10 finishes, but Andreas joined forces with Germany's Jutta Kleinschmidt during 2000 and the pair entered the Dakar Rally together in January 2001 in a Mitsubishi Pajero*. As Jutta entered the history books as the first woman ever to win the Dakar, Andreas was rewarded with the first of his two outright victories. The following season he finished second with Jutta, but again teamed up with Hiroshi Masuoka to take victory in 2003. After a season alongside Andrea Mayer, where the highlight was fifth on the 2004 Dakar and second in the Baja Germany, Schulz was reunited with Masuoka in time to win the UAE Desert Challenge for the first time in October 2004. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

STEPHANE PETERHANSEL* Six times winner of Dakar Rally motorbike category 1991, '92, '93, '95, '97 & '98 * Winner of Dakar Rally overall 2004 and T1 car category 2001 * Winner Tunisia and Morocco Rallies 2004 "We have carried out a lot of testing with the Pajero* Evolution since the last Dakar Rally. I won both the Tunisia and Morocco rallies and we were delighted with the performance of the new MPR11 during the recent competitive test in the UAE Desert Challenge. The revised car is more stable in the dunes and over fast ground, has more torque than the MPR10 and should be more competitive on the upcoming Dakar." Career Highlights: 1991:1st overall, Dakar Rally (motorbikes)1992:1st overall, Paris-Le Cap (motorbikes)1993:1st overall, Dakar Rally (motorbikes)1995:1st overall, Dakar Rally (motorbikes)1996:1st overall, UAE Desert Challenge (motorbikes)1997:1st overall, Dakar Rally (motorbikes)4th overall, UAE Desert Challenge (motorbikes)1998:1st overall, Dakar Rally (motorbikes)1st overall, 24hours of Chamonix1999:7th overall, Dakar Rally in a Nissan2000:2nd overall, Dakar Rally in a Mega2001:1st T1 overall, Dakar Rally in a Nissan2002:1st overall, Rally of Tunisia; 1st overall1st overall,UAE Desert Challenge in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution2003:3rd overall, Dakar Rally2nd overall, Baja Italy1st overall, UAE Desert Challenge, all in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution2004:1st overall, Dakar Rally1st overall, Rally of Tunisia1st overall Rally of Morocco; 8th overall, UAE Desert Challenge, all in a Mitsubishi Pajero* EvolutionStephane Peterhansel was born in France in August 1965 and now lives at Crans Montana in Switzerland. Over the course of the last 15 years he has become the most successful individual in the history of the grueling Dakar Rally, amassing seven outright victories and a win in the car T1 category. He made his debut in a motorcycle event in 1980 and took the first of his six Dakar wins on a Yamaha motorcycle in 1991. He repeated the feat in 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1998, before making the dramatic switch to competing on four-wheels. After several forays into ice racing, he made his Dakar debut in a car in 1999 and finished seventh overall. The following season he finished as runner-up in a Mitsubishi-engined Mega Special and won the T1 category outright in 2001. Peterhansel finished first overall in the 2002 Rally of Tunisia and went on to give the Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution a winning debut in the 2002 UAE Desert Challenge. He repeated the feat in 2003, but eventually finished third in the Dakar after losing a potential victory on the penultimate stage in Egypt. 2004 was his most successful season to date in a car. Stephane won the Dakar Rally for the first time to follow Hubert Auriol into the history books as the second driver to win the race on two and four wheels and he finished first in the Tunisia and Morocco rallies. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

JEAN-PAUL COTTRET* Dakar Rally winning co-driver 2004 * Four Dakar Rally podium finishes * Tunisia and Morocco Rallies winning co-driver 2004 Career Highlights: 1984-1992:Participation in Cross-Country Rallies as service crew1992:9th overall, Rally of Tunisia1993:9th overall, Baja Spain1994:3rd overall, Dakar RallyT2 Cross-Country Rally World Cup title1995:6th overall, 1st in T1, Rally of Tunisia3rd overall, 1st in T2, Baja Portugal1996:3rd overall, 1st in T1, Australian Safari5th overall, 1st in T2, Master Rally1997:3rd overall, 1st in T2, Rally of Morocco3rd overall, 1st in T1, Australian Safari1st overall, Rally Monte Carlo Electric1998:1st overall, Baja Portugal1999:1st overall, Rally Egypt2000:2nd overall, Dakar Rally5th overall, Rally of Morocco4th overall, 1st diesel in Masters Rally8th overall, UAE Desert Challenge2001:1st T1, Dakar Rally2nd overall, Baja Italy, 1st in diesel category2002:1st overall, Rally of Tunisia1st overall, UAE Desert Challenge, all in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution2003:3rd overall, Dakar Rally2nd overall, Baja Italy1st overall, UAE Desert Challenge, all in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution2004:1st overall, Dakar Rally1st overall, Rally of Tunisia1st overall, Rally of Morocco8th overall, UAE Desert Challenge, all in a Mitsubishi Pajero* EvolutionFrenchman Jean-Paul Cottret was born in June 1963 and now lives with his wife Sandrine and two children Marine and Charlotte, near Auxerre. Between 1984 and 1992 he was actively involved in cross-country rallies as a member of various service crews, before making the switch to the co-driver's seat. He participated in the 1992 Rally of Tunisia and finished ninth overall, ninth in Spain the following year and then took third overall in the 1994 Dakar Rally and the T2 Cross-Country Rally World Cup title. Numerous top class results followed in events such as Tunisia, the Australian Safari, Morocco and Egypt and he finished second overall with Stephane Peterhansel in the 2000 Paris-Dakar-Cairo Rally. The following season the pair won the T1 category, before joining the Mitsubishi Motors team to take a series of outright wins in Tunisia, Dubai, Morocco and a maiden Dakar Rally triumph in January 2004. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

LUC ALPHAND* Former World Downhill Skiing Champion * 1st overall Baja Spain and Baja Germany 2003 * 4th overall and 1st diesel car Dakar Rally 2004 "Mitsubishi Motors was always the team that I was trying to beat on rounds of the World Cup and the Dakar in the past. I am proud to be a part of the team now and feel confident that I can be one of the front-runners on the Dakar Rally." Career Highlights: 1983:World Junior Champion in the Downhill at Sestrieres1994:7th overall at the Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Downhill and Super-GFirst career win at Val d'Isere1995:Ranked number one in the world in Men's Downhill1996:Bronze medallist at the World ChampionshipsRanked number one in the world in Men's Downhill1994/1997:Member of the French alpine skiing team1997:Winner of the Alpine skiing World CupNumber 1 in the World ranking List, Downhill and Super-G1998:Winner of the pro US tour, Downhill competition1998:First participation in the Dakar Rally1999:Winner of the pro US tour, Downhill competitionWinner of the T1 category in the Dakar Rally2002:7th overall in the Dakar RallyWinner of the T1 Diesel category with a Mitsubishi Pajero*Competes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans2003:9th overall in the Dakar RallyWinner of the category Proto Diesel with BMW 1st overall in the Baja Spain and Baja GermanyCompetes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans2004:4th overall in the Dakar Rally. Winner of 2 stages with BMWJoins the Mitsubishi Motors factory team for the 2005 Dakar Rally16th overall in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche GT3RSLuc 'Lucho' Alphand was born in Briancon, France, in August 1965 and currently lives at Serre-Chevalier. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he became one of the most famous World Downhill skiiers of all time, taking 12 World Cup victories and being crowned Champion of France on nine occasions. Twice a winner of the pro US Tour and a world ranked number one skiier, 'Lucho' switched to four-wheel cross-country rallying in 1998, when he took part in the Dakar Rally for the first time. The following season he won the T1 category and went on to finish seventh overall and first in the T1 diesel section in 2002, in addition to taking part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2003, he finished ninth overall in the Dakar Rally and won the Proto Diesel category, before taking outright victories in a BMW X5 in both the German and Spanish Bajas. Last January he entered the history books by taking the first outright fastest time for a diesel car in the Dakar Rally and finished fourth overall with co-driver Henri Magne. He joined the Mitsubishi Motors team in the summer to test and develop the Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution and will represent the team for the first time in the 2005 Dakar. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

GILLES PICARD* Former Husqvarna, Cagiva and Yamaha enduro rider * Dakar Rally winning co-driver 1998 * Dakar Rally 2nd overall co-driver 2003 and 2004 Career Highlights: 1973:Participation in the French Bike Trial and Enduro Championship1973/1992:Took part in cross-country rallies in the bike classOffiicial Husqvarna rider, before joining the Cagiva team with Hubert Auriol and then the factory Yamaha team with Stephane Peterhansel1993-1996:Co-driver for Hubert Auriol and Finland's Ari Vatanen as a member of the Citroen team1998:1st overall in the UAE Desert Challenge with Jean-Pierre Fontenay1st overall in the Dakar Rally with Jean-Pierre Fontenay1999:1st overall in the Baja Italy with Kenjiro Shinozuka2000:3rd overall in the Dakar Rally with Jean-Pierre Fontenay3rd overall in the Rally of Morocco with Jean-Pierre Fontenay3rd overall in the Por Las Pampas Rally with Jean-Pierre Fontenay4th overall in the UAE Desert Challenge with Jean-Pierre Fontenay2002:4th overall in the Dakar Rally with Jean-Pierre Fontenay3rd overall in the Baja Italy with Kenjiro Shinozuka2nd overall in the UAE Desert Challenge with Jean-Pierre Fontenay2003:2nd overall in the Dakar Rally with Jean-Pierre Fontenay1st overall in the Baja Italy with Hiroshi Masuoka2004:2nd overall in the Dakar Rally with Hiroshi MasuokaFrenchman Gilles Picard was born in France in March 1955 and has three children. He first began competing in enduro competition on a motorcycle back in 1973 and took part in numerous rallies on a motorcycle between 1973 and 1992 as a factory rider with Husqvarna, Cagiva and Yamaha. He then made the switch to co-driving and partnered both Hubert Auriol and Ari Vatanen in the factory Citroen team. Gilles then joined Mitsubishi Motors and began a successful association with the French driver Jean-Pierre Fontenay. The pair won the UAE Desert Challenge in 1998 and took a maiden Dakar Rally triumph together the same year. In 2000, they finished third in the Dakar, Morocco and Por Las Pampas rallies and fourth in Dubai. Podium places followed in the 2003 Baja Italy and UAE Desert Challenge and an excellent second overall was the result of the 2003 Dakar program. When Fontenay retired from active competition after the 2003 Dakar, Gilles teamed up with Hiroshi Masuoka to take outright victory in the 2003 Baja Italy and second overall in the Dakar Rally in January 2004. He teams up with Luc Alphand for the 2005 Dakar. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

JOAN ROMA* Winner of Dakar Rally motorbike category 2004 * Former European Enduro Champion "This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me to join Mitsubishi Motors for the Dakar. I have witnessed the successful transition that Stephane Peterhansel and Andrea Mayer have made from motorcycle riding to rallying on four wheels and hope that I can repay the team with a good result." Career Highlights: 1991:2nd overall in Spanish Enduro 125cc Junior Championship1992:Competes in Spanish European Enduro 125cc Championship1993:4th overall in Spanish Enduro Championship1994:European Enduro Champion1995:2nd in Spanish Enduro Championship and 1st overall in Baja Spain1996:Dakar Rally debut on a motorcycle3rd overall in Spanish 4T Enduro Championship2nd overall in World 4T Championship1997:1st overall in Baja Aragon SpainSpanish Enduro ChampionDakar Rally participation and retirement1998:1st overall in Baja Aragon Spain4th overall in Rally TunisiaLed Dakar Rally for four days and later retired1999:1st overall in Baja Aragon Spain1st overall in Baja Italy2nd overall in Rally Egypt2nd overall in UAE Desert Challenge2000:17th overall in Paris-Dakar-Cairo and takes 4 stage wins6th overall in Baja Italy2001:2nd overall in Baja Aragon Spain2002:1st overall in Rally Tunisia1st overall in Baja Aragon SpainLeads Dakar Rally until the final stages and retires2004:1st overall in Dakar Rally with KTMJoins Mitsubishi Motors Team for 2005 Dakar RallyJoan 'Nani' Roma Cararach was born in February 1972 in Spain. He currently lives at Folgueroles. Joan first took part in the Dakar Rally in 1996 and his challenge for honours in 2005 will mark his 10th attempt at the grueling African classic and his first on four wheels. The 1994 European Enduro Champion has also taken a series of victories in the Baja Aragon Spain, during a career as a professional enduro rider with both the BMW and KTM factory teams. A former gold medallist at the ISDE in the United States, Roma has also taken part in the 24 Hours of Catalunya in a car. But he sprang to prominence in the 2002 Dakar Rally, when he took a slender advantage in to the closing stages through Mauritania and Senegal, only to retire within sight of the finish. After taking numerous stage wins and leading the event on several occasions, he fulfilled his Dakar dream by winning the event for the first time for the Repsol KTM team in January 2004. In October 2004 it was announced that the Spaniard would join the Mitsubishi Motors team for the 2005 Dakar Rally at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution, which he tested for the first time in Dubai after the UAE Desert Challenge. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

HENRI MAGNE* Dakar Rally winning co-driver 1997 and 2000 * FIA World Cup Champion co-driver 2003 * FIA European Baja Cup Champion co-driver 2004 * Competed in the Dakar Rally for the first time in 1982 Career Highlights: 1973:Started his motor sport career at the Magny-Cours Circuit driving school (Formula 3)1982:First participation in the Dakar Rally. 21st overall, 2nd in Diesel category1985:Co-driver of rapid support truck for the official Mitsubishi Ralliart team9th in the Trucks class, 75th overall1988:2nd overall, Dakar Rally, with Kenjiro Shinozuka in a Mitsubishi Pajero*1997:1st overall, Dakar Rally with Kenjiro Shinozuka in a Mitsubishi Pajero*2000:1st overall, Paris-Dakar-Cairo Rally with Jean-Louis Schlesser2002:1st overall, Baja Italy (Jean-Louis Schlesser)1st overall, Rally of Morocco (Jean-Louis Schlesser)1st overall, Masters Rally (Jean-Louis Schlesser)2003:4th overall, Telefonica Dakar Rally (Carlos Sousa) in a Mitsubishi L200 Strakar3rd overall, Baja Italy in a Mitsubishi L200 Strakar1st overall, Baja Portugal in a Mitsubishi L200 Strakar2nd overall, Rally of Morocco in a Mitsubishi L200 Strakar1st overall, Orient d'Cappadoce in a Mitsubishi L200 Strakar2nd overall, Por Las Pampas Rally in a Mitsubishi L200 Strakar1st overall, FIA Cross-Country Rallies World Cup for Co-Drivers in a Mitsubishi L200 Pick-Up2004:4th overall, Telefonica Dakar Rally (Luc Alphand)1st overall, Baja Portugal in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution1st overall, Pennino Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution3rd overall, Rally of Morocco in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution1st overall, Baja Spain in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Evolution2nd overall, Baja Rota Da Serra 5001st overall, European Baja Cup for Co-Drivers ChampionshipHenri Magne was born in France in March 1953 and now lives in Andorra. He began his motorsport career at the Formula 3 Driving School at Magny-Cours in 1973 and had a close association with French motorsport throughout the 1970s. He first took part in the Dakar Rally in 1982 and finished 21st overall and first in the diesel category. In 1985 he co-drove a rapid support truck for the official Mitsubishi Motors team and finished ninth in the Trucks class. His career began to move forward and he and Kenjiro Shinozuka finished second overall in the 1988 Dakar. Henri won the Dakar for the first time with Shinozuka and Mitsubishi Motors in 1997 and repeated the feat on the Paris-Dakar-Cairo in 2000 with Jean-Louis Schlesser. He finished fourth with Carlos Sousa in 2003 and in a similar position with Luc Alphand in 2004. Both he and Sousa also won the 2003 FIA World Cup title and the 2004 European Baja Cup. After taking part in the 2004 UAE Desert Challenge with Andrea Mayer, he joins Joan Roma for the first time in the 2005 Dakar Rally. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

ANDREA MAYER* Former KTM and BMW factory enduro rider * 5th overall Dakar Rally 2004 "This was an excellent learning year for me. I was running as high as fifth overall in the UAE Desert Challenge and have worked with the team throughout the 2004 season. The L200 Pick-Up is a competitive car and I hope to achieve a good result on the Dakar, but I have a crucial support role to play for the team and that is the most important factor." Career Highlights: 1994-2002:Racing in motorbike category1994:1st in Ladies' Cup, Atlas Rally1995:1st in Ladies' Cup, Atlas Rally1996:1st in Ladies' Cup, Atlas RallyDakar Rally and Rally of Tunisia1997:1st in Ladies' Cup, Rally of Tunisia and UAE Desert Challenge1998:1st in Ladies' Cup, UAE Desert Challenge1999:1st in Ladies' Cup, Dakar Rally, (32nd overall)Rally of Tunisia (21st overall) and Rally of Egypt (7th overall)2000:Factory driver for BMW Motorcycle2001:1st in Ladies' Cup, Dakar Rally, (30th overall)Rally of Tunisia (19th overall) and UAE Desert Challenge (6th overall)2002:1st in Ladies' Cup, 23rd overall, Dakar Rally on a KTM motorcycle2nd overall Baja Germany17th overall, 5th T2 diesel, Rally of Morocco10th overall, 2nd T2 diesel, Rally of Tunisia16th overall, 2nd T2 diesel, Baja Italy, all in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Di-D2003:21st overall, 4th T2 diesel, Dakar Rally5th overall, Rally of Tunisia16th overall, Rally of Morocco all in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Di-D2nd overall, Baja Germany in a Mitsubishi Pajero*5th overall, UAE Desert Challenge in a Mitsubishi Pajero* Di-D2004:5th overall, Dakar Rally in a Mitsubishi Pajero*10th overall, Rally of Morocco in a Mitsubishi L200 Pick-UpAndrea Mayer was born in Kaufbeuren in 1968 and began a racing career on motorcycles in 1989 at the age of 21. Over the next few years she took part in numerous motorcycle events, before winning the Ladies Cup at the Moroccan Atlas Rally in 1994, a feat she repeated in 1995 and 1996. Through the mid-1990s she became one of the leading motorcycle riders in world enduro racing and graduated to the full BMW factory team in 2000. At the start of the 2003 season she made the switch to rallying on four-wheels and took part in the Dakar Rally at the wheel of a Ralliart customer Pajero/Montero. Over the course of the 2003 season she finished fifth overall in Tunisia, runner-up in the Baja Germany and fifth in the UAE Desert Challenge, before joining the full MMSP factory team to take fifth place in the 2004 Dakar Rally. During the 2004 season she rallied for the MMSP team in Morocco and Dubai and carried out test and development work with a Ralliart customer Pajero/Montero in the Middle East in October. She will run as a support driver to the Mitsubishi Motors team in the 2005 Dakar Rally at the wheel of a Mitsubishi L200 Pick-Up. * Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA

JEAN-MICHEL POLATO* Dakar Rally 5th overall co-driver 2001 * Dakar Rally 10th overall co-driver 2003 Career Highlights: 1991/1994:Truck Mechanic Assistance1993/1994:Kart Champion1994/1997:Co-driver of Bruno Gilles, Andre Jorigne, and Joel Pignon in Tunisia and Morocco rallies2000:Co-driver Mitsubishi Truck on Dakar RallyCo-driver of Pierre Lartigue Tunisia and Master Rallies2001:Co-driver for Carlos Sousa, fifth overall in Dakar RallyCo-driver Nicolas Misslin in Tunisia, Morocco, Spain Baja and UAE Desert Challenge2002:Co-driver for Nicolas Misslin, 10th place in Dakar Rally, Morocco, Portugal, Masters and Shamrock rallies2003:Co-driver Nicolas Misslin in Dakar, Italy, Tunisia (3rd place), Portugal, Morocco and Shamrock (Victory) rallies2004:Co-driver for Nicolas Misslin in Dakar RallyJean-Michel Polato was born in 1971 and studied automotive mechanics at college in 1989, before moved on to take further qualifications in automotive bodywork painting the following year. He joined the French Team Le Clerc as a mechanic and body shop worker and worked for the operation between 1991 and 1997. After that seven-year spell he joined Wurth as a technician and remains there to the present day, although his own motorsport career began in 1993, when he entered the world of kart racing. Jean-Michel spent two seasons in karting, in addition to working as a truck mechanic in cross-country rallying between 1991 and 1994. He co-drove the likes of French amateurs Bruno Gilles, Andre Jorigne and Joel Pignon in the Morocco Rally and co-drove a Mitsubishi truck on the Dakar. His first big break came when he teamed up with the former World Champion Pierre Lartigue in 2000 and then co-drove Carlos Sousa to fifth position in the 2001 Dakar. Polato then teamed up with Nicolas Misslin for the 2001 FIA World Cup and partnered the Marseilles driver for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. They finished 10th overall in the 2002 Dakar and third in Tunisia the following year in a factory-built Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero. He and Misslin retired from the 2004 Dakar Rally after a car fire.

* Montero in Spanish-speaking countries and USA