Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports News
Orpi Rally of Morocco, May 31st-June 6th, 2006
2006 FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup, round four
Leg 3: Ain Benimathar ? Erfoud (revised)
Liaison 60 km, Special 175 km, Liaison 55 km, Special 72 km, Liaison 117 km – Total 479 km
Weather conditions: hot and sunny ? 25-30C
For immediate release
Friday, June 2nd, 2006
PETERHANSEL EDGED OUT OF SECOND PLACE BY ONE SECOND AS ROMA SETS FASTEST TIME IN RALLY OF MOROCCO
Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team in third, fifth and sixth places;
Spaniard Roma sets fastest time in fifth selective section
ERFOUD (Morocco) ? Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart drivers St?phane Peterhansel, Joan ?Nani? Roma and Hiroshi Masuoka finished the modified third leg of the Orpi Rally of Morocco between Ain Benimathar and Erfoud in the north-east of the country, in third, fifth and sixth places overall, today (Friday).
Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret were fifth quickest in SS5, a mere seven seconds behind De Villiers, but rival Sainz closed to within 15 seconds of the Frenchman with the second fastest time. After a frantic battle through the shorter second stage, the Spaniard set the fastest time and emerged from the third day of nail-biting action with a mere one second lead over Mitsubishi?s twice winner of the Dakar Rally.
~This morning I tried to push at the maximum, but it was not easy to find a good way and I think that it was easier for the other drivers to follow the lines,~ said Peterhansel. ~This morning was more technical than yesterday, but the result was the same. I pushed again on the small stage and really took some risks in the wadis and over the jumps, but we have still lost some time. Now it is very exciting for tomorrow.~
Spaniard Joan ?Nani? Roma and Andorra-based co-driver Henri Magne signalled their intentions by running fastest on the second stage on Thursday before being held up in Schlesser?s dust. But Roma set the fastest time in today?s 175 km special to move within 10 seconds of Schlesser and fourth place. But the Spaniard lost his chance of overtaking the Frenchman in the shorter second stage, when he sustained a flat tire and dropped 3m 30s behind his rival at the overnight halt.
~I am very pleased to win the first stage, but then we got a flat tire on the second stage,~ said Roma. ~The road book was not good at all and the track was broken. We hit a hole and punctured the tire. Now we have a lot of work to do to catch Schlesser on Saturday.~
Japan?s Hiroshi Masuoka and French co-driver Pascal Maimon began the day in sixth position in the third Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution and set the third quickest time in the opening stage. But they also sustained a flat tire on the shorter second selective and maintained sixth overall, 44s behind their team mates in the overall classification.
~I could not see this hole in the stage and we had a flat tire,~ said Masuoka. ~I was not pushing too hard, but there was no warning in the road book and we have lost our chance to move up the leaderboard.~
The day?s special was similar to the one used as the first African special during this year?s Dakar Rally, but featured several modifications because of recent rainfall. After a 60 km liaison, teams tackled a 175 km stage to Anoual. After a second liaison of 55 km, a 72 km special stage from Talsimt brought crews to the original intended finish at Tazouguert, north of Erfoud. A 117 km liaison returned teams to the bivouac.
Tomorrow (Saturday) features a challenging 280 km special stage between Erfoud and the town of Zagora in the scenic Valley of the Draa. The special was scheduled to start in Rissani and head along the Algerian frontier near the Nouhaouar plateau to the village of Tissemmoumine.
The original intended route heads south to a fort at Zguilma, along the Valley of the Draa to the scenic bivouac near the dunes at Nakhla. Road book amendments could change this stage as a result of the Friday evening organisers? briefing in Erfoud.
Positions on SS5 (175.00 km):
1. Joan Roma (E)/Henri Magne (AND) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 1h 41m 57s
2. Carlos Sainz (E)/Michel P?rin (F) Volkswagen Race Touareg 1h 42m 20s
3. Hiroshi Masuoka (J)/Pascal Maimon (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 1h 42m 47s
4. Giniel de Villiers (ZA)/Dirk Von Zitzewitz (D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 1h 43m 50s
5. St?phane Peterhansel (F)/Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 1h 43m 57s
6. Jean-Louis Schlesser (F)/Francois Borsotto (F) Schlesser-Ford Buggy 1h 44m 04s
Positions on SS6 (72.00 km):
1. Carlos Sainz (E)/Michel P?rin (F) Volkswagen Race Touareg 39m 03s
2. St?phane Peterhansel (F)/Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 39m 19s
3. Giniel de Villiers (ZA)/Dirk Von Zitzewitz (D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 39m 21s
4. Jean-Louis Schlesser (F)/Francois Borsotto (F) Schlesser-Ford Buggy 39m 45s
5. Hiroshi Masuoka (J)/Pascal Maimon (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 41m 35s
6. Joan Roma (E)/Henri Magne (AND) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 42m 55s
Positions at end of leg 3 (unofficial @ 11.45 hrs):
1. Giniel de Villiers (ZA)/Dirk Von Zitzewitz (D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 7h 09m 50s
2. Carlos Sainz (E)/Michel P?rin (F) Volkswagen Race Touareg 7h 16m 56s
3. St?phane Peterhansel (F)/Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 7h 16m 57s
4. Jean-Louis Schlesser (F)/Francois Borsotto (F) Schlesser-Ford Buggy 7h 23m 17s
5. Joan Roma (E)/Henri Magne (AND) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 7h 26m 47s
6. Hiroshi Masuoka (J)/Pascal Maimon (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution 7h 27m 31s
7. Carlos Sousa (P)/Andreas Schulz (D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 7h 45m 51s
Ends
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