Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports News
12th Baja Spain Aragon 2005
FIA International Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, round 3
Leg 1: Liaison 163.66 kms, Special 4.5 kms, Total 168.16 kms
Weather conditions: very hot and sunny – 33-36C
For immediate release
Friday, July 22nd, 2005
MITSUBISHI MOTORS REPSOL TEAM HOLDS FIRST, SECOND AND FOURTH PLACES IN BAJA SPAIN ARAGON
Dakar winner Peterhansel over five seconds faster than team mate Alphand;
Spain’s Roma to start opening stage in fourth position
ZARAGOZA, Spain – The Mitsubishi Motors Repsol Team held first, second and fourth positions in the 12th Baja Spain Aragon after the opening 4.5 kms super special stage at Huesca, 70 kms from Zaragoza, today (Friday).
The French crew of Dakar Rally winners St?phane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret were first into the twisty and dusty stage in the outskirts of Huesca and were nearly six seconds faster than team mates and Tunisia Rally winners Luc Alphand and Gilles Picard.
Spaniard Joan ‘Nani’ Roma and Andorra-based co-driver Henri Magne held fourth position in their MPR10 version of the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution, after stalling near the start and finishing a mere second behind the third-placed Spaniard Marc Blasquez.
~I made one small mistake and lost around a second, but it was a good start,~ said Peterhansel. ~Being first on the road on Saturday has its advantages and disadvantages. If you have no problems and don’t lose your way you can gain a minute and set yourself up for a good lead. But if you have a problem or lose your way it is easy to lose time and lose the race.~
~It is difficult to overtake in the dust on this type of rally, but I will have to do that,~ said Roma. ~I will start fourth on the road, but will have the dust trails of the leading cars to follow. If there is a slight breeze it would clear the dust and work to my advantage.~
The second leg along narrow and twisty farm tracks and through open rural countryside gets underway at 08.40 hrs on Saturday morning and offers two timed special stages in the Aragon Provinces of Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza.
The Mitsubishi Motors Repsol Team will tackle the first of two runs through a 242.12 kms stage at 09.30 hrs, with the special repeated at 15.40 hrs. The third and final leg takes place on Sunday morning. Servicing is centralised at the Recinto Ferial in Zaragoza.
Positions after Super Special stage:
1.St?phane Peterhansel (F)/Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 4m36.6s
2.Luc Alphand (F)/Gilles Picard (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 4m 42.1s
3.Marc Blasquez (E)/Ignacio Salvador (E) Nissan Pick-Up 4m 45.5s
4.Joan ‘Nani’ Roma (E)/Henri Magne (AND) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 4m 46.0s
5.Luis Costa (P)/Carlos Costa (P) Toyota Landcruiser 4m 53.7s
6.Rui Sousa (P)/Carlos Silva (P) Nissan Pick-Up 4m 54.1s
Ends
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