Japan : Mitsubishi Motors - Leg 1
The Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports WRC team enjoyed a successful opening day in Rally Japan, the 13th round of the FIA World Rally Championship. While Harri Rovanperä/Risto Pietiläinen lead the team`s assault in fifth position and rounded the day off with a fastest time, team-mates “Gigi” Galli/Guido d`Amore are hot on their heels in sixth and also delighted the team with the Lancer WRC05s first fastest stage time on home soil (SS5). Gilles and Hervé Panizzi continue to ease themselves into the pace and the French rallying brothers hold 13th overnight in their first competitive outing since the Cyprus Rally.
“Harri and Gigi have lots of red motivating fans here and they have done a very good job for us; as we expected,” commented Isao Torii, Head of the Mitsubishi Motor Sports. “Harri has been constant and Gigi`s fastest time was great for the whole team. Everyone has done a good job. Gilles is getting better and better and this morning was trying to get used to the car. I am happy with today`s result and we will see what tomorrow brings.”
Rally Japan kicked off last night with a ceremonial start in Central Obihiro, where a reported 55,000 spectators - including Mr. Osamu Masuko, the President of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation - cheered on their heroes. Today`s opening leg of competition, however, is when the real action began and it was no easy first day for the 90 entrants. The route took the crews north o the town of Rikubetsu and was notable for its two runs over the ultra-long Kunneywa-Niueo forestry stage, as well as two runs through one of the shortest stages, the 2.73 kilometer spectator stage which uses part of the Rikubetsu Circuit. In total, the leg took in nine stages and 163.26 competitive kilometers.
Harri Rovanperä started the event in positive fashion, the Finn fifth and sixth fastest through SS1 and SS2 respectively. In the long 50.06 kilometer stage, Harri was in the leading pack, fifth on the leaderboard to maintain the same position overall back at the Kita Aikoku service park. This afternoon, running through the same stages for the second time, Harri held positions within the top seven and overnights in fifth position after setting fastest time in SS9 in the lead Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05.
“I am happy with today`s performance, our only problem being with the brakes in stage seven,” said Rovanperä. “This morning the conditions were very slippy and although the long 50 kilometer stage was a lot cleaner this afternoon, all the others were very rutted. At the moment we are making good progress for Mitsubishi and I feel very happy with our position. Today`s leg has been long and therefore made tire choices difficult; tomorrow I think will be much easier.”
Gigi Galli has also been on the pace from the outset, the Italian competing on Mitsubishi`s home territory for the first time. He was seventh through the opening stage but upped the pace in SS2 and claimed fourth fastest time in the team`s third unregistered Lancer WRC05. A spin in SS3 lost him some time and a position, but he clawed his way back into seventh by the mid-leg service. However, the Italian set the Japanese soil alight in SS5, claiming Mitsubishi`s first fastest stage time in its home country. During the remaining afternoon stages, Gigi maintained the pace and climbed up the leaderboard into sixth position after setting two fourth and a fifth fastest time.
“Our day has gone to plan, but I must say it`s a very tricky rally with incredibly high speeds on very narrow stages,” said Galli. “In the long one I was lifting off the throttle because it was just too fast; I was in fear of the speed. The rally is harder than I expected, but I`m satisfied with our position. The second pass through the stages is always easier for me and to set a fastest time for the team, while we are in Japan, was very special for everyone.”
Gilles Panizzi is easing himself into the pace, having only undertaken test work for Mitsubishi in the recent months. “Today has not been easy for us and I don`t have the feeling at all,” said Gilles Panizzi. “We softened the car this afternoon which helped me but not enough to make a real difference to our times. My reflexes have come back very quickly, but I am fighting with the car too much; we will have to see what changes we can make to try and improve the set-up for me.”
Adding to the drivers` comments, Yasuo Tanaka, the team`s Technical Director said: “Today was going to be a tough day for tire choices, but everything has been okay for us. Our positions are good at the moment and tomorrow we will try to push harder again. I am very happy with the reliability and performance of the car, and hopefully Gilles - who has been out of the car competitively for some time - will gain more and more confidence stage by stage.”
The second leg of Rally Japan is centered on the town of Ashoro and although shorter, it still covers 12 stages, none of which is longer than 16.25 kilometers.


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