Mystery Mitsubishi Driver Required To Complete Entry List
To Sports Editors - 9th March 2005
MYSTERY MITSUBISHI DRIVER REQUIRED TO COMPLETE ENTRY LIST
The entry list for Propecia Rally New Zealand has been released today, albeit with one name yet to be added. Mitsubishi
has confirmed Finland’s Harri Rovanperä as their lead driver, as per their season plan to have the Finn contest all 16
rounds of the championship. Rovanperä is lying fifth in the Drivers Championship leading into the Rally of Mexico this
weekend.
The second driver with the works team is up in the air however, with Mitsubishi calling in an obscure ruling whereby
they do not have to name a second driver if the preceding rally is less than five weeks distant from the event being
entered. With the Rally of Mexico being held this weekend, some four weeks prior to New Zealand, Mitsubishi are well
within their rights to delay.
The choice will be between Gilles Panizzi, a renowned tarmac specialist and Italian Gigi Galli. There is some
speculation that the decision is delayed to allow more funds to be generated before committing to a second car in New
Zealand.
Despite a liking for tarmac, Panizzi is favoured to secure the second works drive following his inclusion in Mexico this
week. His form in Mexico may well be a direct influence on the decision. Mexico will also see the team running the
Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05s with its new active center differential for the first time in competition. "We have done a lot
of kilometers of gravel testing with the new active differential system in the last few weeks", said Mario Fornaris, the
team’s Technical Director. "The specification for México is quite basic, but we feel the car is more balanced and I am
happy that in different situations we can optimize its behavior. There is still a lot of work to do because we are at
the beginning of this development, but the drivers’ comments were very positive concerning the overall handling, and the
reliability of the system has so far been good".
Rally New Zealand General Manager Gary Upson can’t remember a team delaying in such a fashion before. “It is unusual but
we have checked and they are well within the laws. It has certainly added to the intrigue as we build to our event. We
will keep a close eye on proceedings in Mexico this week.”
As well as full representation from the works teams contesting the Manufacturers championship, there are other notables
entered, including current Australian champion Cody Crocker (Subaru), reigning New Zealand National Champion Chris West
(Subaru) and a man on the comeback from injury Marty Roestenburg (Mitsubishi). Roestenburg broke his back in the 2003
Far North Rally but has made his way back in steady fashion and will compete with the best in group N.
Also on the start list is top local driver Neil Allport (Mitsubishi) in his Evo 8 and veteran Malcolm Stewart, also
driving a Mitsubishi. Stewart is not eligible however for the NZ National Rally Championship points up for grabs in the
event, with his car not meeting specifications for that championship.
Propecia Rally New Zealand Hair Raising Statistic #3
A cumulative total of 79,946 km of roads will be traveled by the 71 Rally NZ cars, 25, 134 of which will be in special
stages.
PROPECIA RALLY NEW ZEALAND 2005 ENTRY LIST (subject to FIA approval)
CAR
NO
DRIVER NO.1
Nat
DRIVER NO.2
Nat
ENTRANT
VEHICLE
GRP
CLA
PRI
1
M
Sebastien Loeb
F
Daniel Elena
MC
Citroen – Total
Citroen Xsara
A8
1
2
M
Francois Duval
B
Stephane Prevot
B
Citroen – Total
Citroen Xsara
A8
1
3
M
Toni Gardemeister
FIN
Jakke Honkanen
FIN
BP Ford World Rally Team
Ford Focus RS WRC 04
A8
1
4
M
Roman Kresta
CZ
Jan Mozny
CZ
BP Ford World Rally Team
Ford Focus RS WRC 04
A8
1
5
M
Petter Solberg
N
Philip Mills
GB
Subaru World Rally Team
Subaru Impreza WRC 2005
A8
1
6
M
Chris Atkinson
AUS
Glenn Macneall
AUS
Subaru World Rally Team
Subaru Impreza WRC 2005
A8
1
7
M
Marcus Gronholm
FIN
Timo Rautiainen
FIN
Marlboro Peugeot Total
Peugeot 307 WRC
A8
1
8
M
Markko Martin
EE
Michael Park
GB
Marlboro Peugeot Total
Peugeot 307 WRC
A8
1
9
M
Harri Rovanpera
FIN
Risto Pietilainen
FIN
Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports
Mitsubishi Lancer WR05
A8
1
10
M
NTBA
NTBA
Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports
Mitsubishi Lancer WR05
A8
1
11
M
Armin Schwarz
D
Klaus Wicha
D
Skoda Motorsport
Skoda Fabia WRC
A8
1
12
M
Jani Paasonen
FIN
Jani Vainikka
FIN
Skoda Motorsport
Skoda Fabia WRC
A8
1
14
Manfred Stohl
A
Ilka Minor
A
OMV World Rally Team
Citroen Xsara WRC
a8
2
15
Luis Perez Companc
RA
Jose Maria Volta
RA
BP Ford World Rally Team
Ford Focus RS WRC 04
A8
2
16
Tobias Johansson
S
Ola Floene
N
Rally Team Olspergs
Subaru Impreza WRC
a8
2
17
Antony Warmbold
D
Michael Orr
GB
BP Ford World Rally Team
Ford Focus RS WRC 04
A8
2
31
Toshihiro Arai
J
Tony Sircombe
NZ
Subaru Team Arai
Subaru Impreza WRX
N4
3
32
Xavier Pons
E
Oriol Julia
E
Xavier Pons
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
3
33
Nasser Al-Attiyah
QA
Chris Patterson
GB
Nasser Al-Attiyah
Subaru Impreza
N4
3
34
Fumio Nutahara
J
Satoshi Hayashi
J
ADVAN-PIAA Rally Team
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
3
35
Karamjit Singh
MAL
John Bennie
GB
Team Proton Pert Malaysia
Proton Pert
N4
3
36
Marcos Ligato
RA
Ruben Garcia
RA
Subaru Argentina Rally Team
Subaru Impreza
N4
3
37
Mark Higgins
GB
Trevor Agnew
GB
Mark Higgins
Subaru Impreza STI
N4
3
40
Gabriel Pozzo
RA
Daniel Stillo
RA
Subaru Argentina Rally Team
Subaru Impreza
N4
3
41
Natalie Barratt
GB
Carl Williamson
GB
OMV World Rally Team
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7
N4
3
42
Federico Villagra
RA
Javier Villagra
RA
Federico Villagra
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
3
43
Angelo Medeghini
I
Barbara Capoferri
I
Kome Sport SRL
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
3
44
Sebastian Beltran
RA
Edgardo Galindo
RA
Subaru Argentina Rally Team
Subaru Impreza
N4
3
47
Marcelo Recanate Sbetlier
PY
Nelson Franco
PY
Marcelo Recanate Sbetlier
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6
N4
3
48
Luis Rosselot
RCH
Ricardo Rojas
RCH
Gerardo Rosselot Mujica
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
3
49
Hamed Al Wahaibi
OM
David Senior
GB
Oman World Rally Team
Subaru Impreza WRC STI
N4
3
50
Aki Teiskonen
FIN
Miika Teiskonen
FIN
Syms Rally Team
Subaru Impreza WRC STI
N4
3
51
Brice Tirabassi
F
Jacques Julien Renucci
F
Brice Tirabassi
Subaru Impreza WRX STI
N4
3
61
P-G Andersson
S
Jonas Andersson
S
P-G Andersson
Suzuki Ignis Super 1600
A6
62
Guy Wilks
GB
Phil Pugh
GB
Guy Wilks
Suzuki Ignis Super 1600
A6
63
Dean Herridge
AUS
William Hayes
AUS
Subaru Rally Team Australia
Subaru Impreza
N4
64
Cody Crocker
AUS
Dale Moscatt
AUS
Subaru Rally Team Australia
Subaru Impreza
N4
65
Jari-Matti Latvala
FIN
Miikka Anttila
FIN
Les Walkden Rallying
Subaru Impreza
N4
66
Chris West
NZ
Garry Cowan
NZ
Subaru NZ/ Winger Subaru
Subaru Impreza
N4
67
Mark Tapper
NZ
Jeff Judd
NZ
Ralliart NZ
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7
N4
68
Neil Allport
NZ
Robert Ryan
NZ
Neil Allport Motorsport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
69
Giovanni Manfrinato
I
Claudia Condotta
I
Giovanni Manfrinato
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7
N4
70
Sam Murray
NZ
Stuart Jenkinson
NZ
Peter Day Motors
Subaru Impreza
N4
71
Tom Pritchard
GB
Paul Fallon
NZ
Ralliart NZ
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
72
Glenn Smith
NZ
Colin Smith
NZ
P.A.S. Motorsport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
73
Marty Roestenburg
NZ
Greg Horne
NZ
Reece Jones Rallysport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
74
Dean Sumner
NZ
Jeff Cress
NZ
Sumner Motorsport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
75
Hiroshi Yanagisawa
J
Tadashi Misaizu
J
Cusco Racing
Subaru Impreza
N4
76
Brian Stokes
NZ
Shayne O’Hagan
NZ
Brian Stokes
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
77
Lorna Smith
GB
Stewart Merry
GB
Rally Drive NZ
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6
N4
78
Emma Gilmour
NZ
Chris Randell
AUS
Emma Gilmour
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6
N4
79
Malcolm Stewart
NZ
Mike Fletcher
NZ
M Stewart
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6.5
A8
80
Kevin Shaw
IRL
Brian Price
AUS
Neil Allport Motorsport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7
N4
81
Brett Martin
NZ
Raymond Bennett
NZ
Team Total Lubricants
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
82
Dylan Turner
NZ
Sandeep Bansal
NZ
Turner Motorsport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6
n4
83
Kevin Honiss
NZ
Malcolm Peden
NZ
Rally Drive NZ
Subaru Impreza
A8
84
Nakajima Masahiro
J
Numao Takayuki
J
Nakajima Masahiro
Subaru Impreza
N4
85
Grant Barber
NZ
Bede O’ Connor
NZ
Barber Motorsport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
86
Jeremy Cassells
NZ
Mike Catty
NZ
Turner Motorsport
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 5
N4
87
Darryl Jones
NZ
Ian MacDougall
NZ
styleweb
Subaru Impreza
N4
88
Brent Taylor
NZ
Chris Ramsay
NZ
Rally Drive NZ
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6
N4
89
Lee-Anne Barns
NZ
Erin Kyle
NZ
Priceright Parts
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
90
Tony Burrowes
NZ
Brian Rowe
NZ
Burrst Racing
Subaru Impreza
N4
91
Dave Strong
NZ
Bruce McKenzie
NZ
Dave Strong
Honda Civic Type R
A7
92
Dermott Malley
NZ
Fleur Pedersen
GB
M Rally Team
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
A8
93
Michiaki Horikome
J
Yoko Horikome
J
Fumi Aki Takahashi
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8
N4
94
Hideaki Ito
J
Nobuyosi Hara
J
Team Teraoka Auto Door
Subaru Impreza
N4
95
Junji Shimizu
J
Yoshinori Kuwahara
J
Team Teraoka Auto Door
Subaru Impreza
A8
96
Nick Marshall
NZ
Ray Baker
AUS
Marshall Motorsport
Peugeot 106 VK
A6
97
Julien Lenglet
F
Ross Ishiwata
AUS
Ray Wilson
Honda Integra Type-R
A7
98
Tatsuyuki Kanno
J
Motoharu Kaseya
J
Tatsuyuki Kanno
Toyota Starlet
N1
M - Manufacturer Championship Entry 1 - Driver FIA 1st Priority 2 - Driver FIA 2nd Priority 3 – Driver FIA 3rd Priority
MAKES
COUNTRIES
CLASSES
Citroen
3
Argentina (RA)
5
A8
20
Ford
4
Australia (AUS)
3
A7
2
Honda
2
Austria (A)
1
A6
3
Mitsubishi
29
Belgium (B)
1
N4
45
Peugeot
3
Chile (RCH)
1
N1
1
Proton
1
Czech Republic (CZ)
1
TOTAL
71
Skoda
2
Estonia (EE)
1
Subaru
24
Finland (FIN)
6
Suzuki
2
France (F)
3
GROUPS
Toyota
1
Germany (D)
2
A
25
Great Britain (GB)
5
N
46
TOTAL (10)
71
Italy (I)
2
TOTAL
71
Ireland (IRL)
1
Japan (J)
8
Malaysia (MAL)
1
New Zealand (NZ)
22
Norway (N)
1
Oman (OM)
1
Paraguay (PY)
1
Qatar (QA)
1
Spain (E)
1
Sweden (S)
2
TOTAL (22)
70
(plus Car 10)