After winning the Asia-Pacific championship
The second weekend of December gathered all international motorsport people to glamorous Monaco. In traditional ways they were given trophies for the most successful drivers of the season.
Four Flying Finns were invited to be rewarded of their success; WRC bronze were given to two time World Champion Marcus Grönholm and his co-driver Timo Rautiainen. Asia-Pacific Champions Jussi Välimäki and his co-driver Jarkko Kalliolepo were awarded with APRC winners trophy.

“The season was excellent for me and in Monaco it was crowned by the FIA trophy. It was great to stand between two great Champions, Sebastien Loeb and Michael Schumacher. I and my co-driver Jarkko Kalliolepo were two of the four awarded Finnish rally drivers this season,” said Välimäki.

Rally driver not the worlds` easiest job
It is now time to make decisions for the forthcoming season. Jussi Välimäki has intensively negotiated for his 2006 rally season. At the moment it looks like that there are more than 12 less seats available in WRC. It means that only few rally drivers will get their living from driving a rally car and the rest of the drivers will have to pay a lot to get a rally car. This is the method which Välimäki nor several other rally drivers have not accepted in a while.

“The FIA has deliberately run WRC to become more and more a commercial event. It has become a playground of manufacturer teams and rich rally hobbyists. If your wallet is not big enough and you`re not a manufacturer driver, there`s no place for you! It is also true, that more privateer teams are wanted in WRC and naturally privateer rally drivers to rally points places with 1-3 years old modeled world rally cars. To the driver this is a wonderful, but very expensive offer to show his skills behind the steering wheel. Why everyone else excepts the driver and co-driver gets paid while the hard working rally driver has to pay the bill?” asked Välimäki and continued, “Would the FIA consider this question as well now that there seems to be only two manufacturer teams for the 2006 Championship?”

Välimäki sorry to see Mitsubishi leave
Without a doubt it can be said that WRC is in deep crisis. Mitsubishi joining Citroen, Peugeot and Skoda in retiring teams is a deep setback for the whole WRC. Only Ford and Subaru stays in the series. Like Jussi Välimäki, everyone else must think what`s the future of WRC? Jussi feels deeply sorry for Mitsubishi Motors and their staff.

“The 2006 season starts in a month and there are only two manufacturer teams entering the series, while a year ago there were six teams. The FIA has now to re-think its WRC direction, so that it does not collapse. Thank god Mitsubishi`s retirement has no effect of my season 2006 plans, however I feel deeply sorry for Mitsubishi Motors Motorsports chief Isao Torii. He made a fantastic job by rising Mitsubishi again on its feet into a competitive rally team. I`m sad that it all ends so suddenly,” mentioned Välimäki.

Jussi wishes a Merry Christmas and a successful new season!
In one week it comes again! Christmas shows how successful Jussi Välimäki has been this season. If his kindness would be measured in accomplished success, Jussi would be drowned into gifts - that`s how successful his 2005 season has been.

“In the bottom of my heart I want to wish Merry Christmas and even more successful 2006 season for all my fans, rival competitors and especially for my sponsors and partners. Let`s continue together on the same speedy path and collect the trophies from the 2006 season,” whished Välimäki.

Tags: asia-pacific, valimaki, monaco, gala,