In the World Rally Championship
The 2005 season has proved immensely successful for Michelin in terms of new records and results. After the Formula One and MotoGP world crowns ensured last weekend by Fernando Alonso (Renault- Michelin) and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha- Michelin) respectively, Michelin claimed its 37th world title since the creation of the WRC in 1973 thanks to Sébastien Loeb (Citroën -Michelin) who made sure of his second consecutive Drivers` title in Japan.
With a total score of eight wins from the thirteen rounds contested since last January, the combination of Loeb + Citroën + Michelin has incontestably dominated the 2005 World Rally Championship, triumphing over a broad spectrum of surfaces, from the asphalt of the Monte Carlo Rally to the gravel of New Zealand, the rough tracks of Cyprus, the mud of Turkey, the searing heat of Greece and the frozen ground encountered in Argentina.
The Michelin Z BTO tyre, the development of which began in the summer of 2004 prior to its competition debut in New Zealand last April, has played a decisive role in the way the 2005 World Rally Championship has unfolded. For not only did this new product help Sébastien Loeb to six consecutive loose surface wins between April and July to establish a new outright record, but it also permitted Toni Gardemeister (Ford- Michelin, 3 podiums), François Duval (Citroën -Michelin, 2 podiums) and even Carlos Sainz (Citroën -Michelin, 3rd in Greece) to clinch some top results and score valuable points for their respective teams.
Following in the footsteps of Miki Biasion (Lancia-Michelin, 1988 and 89), Tommi Mäkinen (Mitsubishi-Michelin, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 99), France`s Sébastien Loeb (Citroën -Michelin) is only the third driver in WRC history to take the Drivers` crowns in successive years.
Up to Rally Japan, the 2004 champ has taken his Michelin-shod Citroën Xsara WRC to eight victories from the thirteen rounds contested since the current season kicked off in Monte Carlo last January.
Fernando Alonso - Valentino Rossi - Sébastien Loeb : three 2005 World Champions on Michelin tyres
The asphalt stages of the Monte Carlo Rally saw Sébastien Loeb and his Monaco- born co- driver Daniel Elena secure their third consecutive success on the legendary event, but two weeks later the Citroën -Michelin pair was sidelined in Sweden by mechanical problems two stages from home. Shortly afterwards, after being delayed by early mechanical trouble in Mexico, Loeb and Elena staged one of the most spectacular come-backs of the year to clinch 4th place at the flag.
Sébastien Loeb `s 2005 season really took off in New Zealand where, thanks to the brand new Michelin Z BTO (BTO for `Braking & Traction Optimisation`), he picked up his first ever win in the southern hemisphere round, close to a minute clear of all the event`s established experts. In quick succession, the Frenchman then went on to win on the loose in Sardinia, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece and Argentina. A number of different versions of the Michelin Z BTO were used during this successful, gravel phase of the championship: a medium compound, a hard compound, a wide version and a soft compound…
When the series returned to asphalt in August, the Frenchman took his fourth consecutive win in the Deutschland Rally running on the Michelin N FP (FP for `Fort Potentiel`) which has gone practically unbeaten since its launch in 1998. Three weeks later, in Wales, Sébastien purposely took a time penalty so as not to win Rally GB which would have meant sewing up the title in very tragic circumstances. In the end, it was in Japan, Round 13 of the 16-round 2005 WRC calendar, that the Frenchman finally made sure of winning his second world crown in a row thanks to his tenth successive podium finish, another record!

(*) Subject to official confirmation of the results by the FIA

Sébastien Loeb, 2004 & 2005 World Rally Champion
"Tyres were a capital part of this year`s championship and clearly played a major role in helping me secure my second world title, especially the new Michelin Z BTO. I had in fact sensed before the start of 2005 that I would be competitive this season on all the gravel events after feeling a real step forward during winter testing. The new tyre gave more grip and cornering stability. It also radically improved the handling of my Citroën Xsara which helped me feel totally confident in the car.
"The Michelin Z BTO was especially decisive in my wins in New Zealand and in the season`s three rough fixtures: Cyprus, Turkey and Greece. It allowed me to stay level with my rivals first time through the stages when I was first on the road and then, second time through, the hard compound BTO gave me a clear edge over my rivals and enabled me to pull out a sizeable gap by the end of the first day.
"The BTO tyre represented a gain across its full range, from the soft and very soft compound versions to the very hardest compound option. And the range has continued to evolve throughout the year. On asphalt, Michelin`s N and TA tyres have been as competitive and consistent as ever, both on the dry and in the trickier conditions of the sort we encountered during the first loop of stages in the Deutschland Rally.
"I want to say a very big thank you to Michelin and everyone who works on its rallies programme for all the excellent work they have put in."
Aimé Chatard, Rallies Programme Manager
"Development of the Michelin BTO began in the middle of 2004. This tyre stands out through both its new construction and its new compound and marks a key landmark in Michelin`s presence in the World Rally Championship since the creation of the series in 1973. Its importance is comparable to the launch of the ATS system in 1987 and the `FP` generation asphalt tyre which was introduced in 1998.
"Ever since the Michelin BTO`s debut in New Zealand last April, and also thanks of course to the test programme organised by the Citroën team, the BTO has continuously evolved with a view to developing versions for all the different types of dirt encountered in the course of the season, from the rocky Mediterranean events to the softer ground of Argentina and Wales. The success of the Michelin BTO cannot be dissociated though from the reliability of the Citroën Xsara WRC and the huge talent of Sébastien Loeb who has a gift for an alysing tyre performance and knowing when and where to use which product."


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