Stephane Peterhansel wins PAX Rally Portugal!!

Stephane Peterhansel wins PAX Rally Portugal!!
Newflash: Stephane Peterhansel [Mitsubishi] maintained a steady push to exert pressure on rally leader Carlos Sainz [Volkswagen] until the very final kilometers of the PAX Rally Portugal. Stephane's victory is also the Mitsubishi Montero MPR13's final victory, as the vehicle will be retired after this rally.Carlos Sainz who was leading by a wide margin, making it almost impossible for Peterhansel to catch up. However the Mitsubishi team pushed hard to maintain pressure on the Volkswagen driver, and pressure finally caught up with Carlos, who rolled his Racing Touareg 2, handing over the victory to Peterhansel.

The PAX Rally Portugal has seen it's purpose being fulfilled. The rally promising intense action from start to finish, which is what exactly happened. The stages being few, the entire rally was fought until the very end. Mitsubishi wins the part 2 of the 2008 Dakar Series, while Volkswagen claimed victory in part 1.

The victory for Mitsubishi is sweeter as they retire a trusted and reliable rally machine, the MPR13. It will be succeeded by the MRX09 Racing Lancer in all future Cross Country Rallies and in the 2009 Dakar in South America.

Pictures and Full press release to follow later.

-= UPDATE =-
Official Press Release from MMSP

DAKAR SERIES
PAX RALLY EM
14 SEPTEMBER 2008
LEG 5

STEPHANE PETERHANSEL TAKES VICTORY IN PORTUGAL FOR REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART TEAM

Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team’s Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) profited from the shortened final stage of the inaugural PAX Rally to clinch a dramatic win this afternoon in Portimao, Portugal. The French crew were fastest on two of the five-day event's six stages and stole victory from the grasp of former WRC champion Carlos Sainz by a margin of 16 seconds after almost 800km of against-the-clock action.

There was further cause for celebration in the Mitsubishi camp thanks to Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France) who came third to round off the Dakar Series event and mark the Montero/Pajero Evolution's last competitive outing with a double podium.

A time-consuming roll on Saturday afternoon put team-mates Joan 'Nani' Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain) out of contention for a top finish, but the Spanish pair's run was rewarded with sixth place overall.

After more than 10 hours of competitive driving through central and southern Portugal since Wednesday morning's start, Peterhansel and Sainz were split by just 31 seconds in the Spaniard's favour going into this morning's stage. When the first half of this test was neutralised because of a nearby forest fire, it looked practically certain that the Frenchman would have to settle for second place, but Sainz went on to make a mistake after the re-start and the Mitsubishi driver pounced on the opportunity to steal first place in a breathtaking finale!

"I know it's a cliché, but an event is never over until the finish line has been crossed, and today's result has shown yet again that nobody should never forget that," beamed Peterhansel after the rally. "Although Carlos made an error, we were in a position to profit from it because we refused to give up trying. We pushed hard all the way and tried to keep the pressure on him as much as possible... It's obviously nice to have won, but I am actually happier with the fact that this victory is an ideal way to mark the end of the career of the Pajero/Montero Evolution. It's been a super car to drive over the years and I owe it so much. This is the best possible way to say thank you for all that!"

"It hasn't been an easy week," added Peterhansel's co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret. "The conditions were very slippery throughout, especially when we were running first on the road. It was vital to stay totally concentrated from start to finish and not make any mistakes"

Osamu Nakayama (Japan), the President of MMSP SAS, was also pleased to see the Pajero/Montero Evolution take its score to 20 cross-country rally wins since its maiden appearance on the 2002 UAE Desert Challenge, a record which includes five straight Dakar wins between 2003 and 2007: "It's the perfect way to send this great car into retirement and hand over to the brand new Racing Lancer’ which is due to makes its official debut in October," he said. "I am very pleased to have included this rally in our programme. It was very well organised and gave Stéphane, Luc and Nani a chance to showcase their ability and commitment with the 2009 Dakar fast approaching. That was the aim of coming here and everyone has fulfilled their mission to the letter."

Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France) join Peterhansel in the top-three after hitting the ground running on Day 1 (Wednesday) to give Mitsubishi an early lead following the opening stage in the mountains near Castelo Branco, northeast of Lisbon. The second leg saw the French crew maintain their advantage from the threat of Carlos Sainz and the two drivers completed Thursday's action exactly level at the top of the provisional leaderboard. The switch to sandier terrain on Friday enabled the former WRC champion to go clear in front, while Peterhansel eased into second spot, but Alphand successfully defended his footing on the podium all the way to the finish, helped on his way by an assertive second quickest time on Saturday's SS5.

"This is a great result for the whole team, and Stéphane did a fantastic job," acknowledged the French driver. "The pace was incredibly fast all week and I am pleased with my performance. We didn't make any mistakes, our Pajero/Montero Evolution ran like clockwork and our reward is a podium finish and three top-three times from six, including victory on Wednesday's stage. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone in the team. They have done a remarkable job."

Despite an eloquent second fastest time on SS2 (Thursday), Joan 'Nani' Roma and Lucas Cruz (Spain) were forced to settle for sixth place following a roll on Saturday afternoon. Their car was undamaged but the incident saw the Spanish pair drop almost 10 minutes which ended their challenge for fourth place. "We pushed as hard as we could all week and I am quite pleased with our performance, although I would obviously have preferred to finish higher up the order," remarked Roma after the finish in Portimao. "We end the event strongly but this is above all a great result for the team and a tremendous morale booster as we put the finishing touches to our preparations for January's Dakar"

The final event on Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team’s 2008 competition programme takes the squad back to Portugal for the Baja Portalegre (Thursday, October 30 - Sunday, November 2). The sixth round of the FIA Cross-Country Baja International Cup will mark the debut of the brand new diesel-powered Racing Lancer’ which is due to spearhead Mitsubishi's assault on the 2009 Dakar in South America. A single car has been entered for Stéphane Peterhansel and his co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret.

"We've won today, and I couldn't have wished for a better way to say 'adieu' to the Montero/Pajero Evolution which has enjoyed an exceptional career," concluded Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Director Dominique Serieys (France). "I think the main lesson to come out of this rally is the fact that our drivers are as mentally and physically strong as ever, and clearly extremely competitive, too. The priority for us now is to use the coming weeks and months to prepare thoroughly for the 2009 Dakar, and our programme includes an important test session with the new Racing Lancer in October before the Baja Portalegre."

Gallery of PAX Rally Portugal Final Leg and Awarding Ceremonies




Podium Positions
1. Stephane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cotrett [Mitsubishi] -Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR13
2. Carlos Sainz/Michel Perin [Volkswagen] -Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
3. Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard [Mitsubishi] -Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR13

PAX Rally Scrutineering

DAKAR SERIES
PAX RALLY EM
09 SEPTEMBER 2008
PRE-START

TEAM REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART PREPARES FOR PAJERO/MONTERO EVOLUTION’S SWANSONG IN PORTUGAL

TEAM REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART

The petrol-powered Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution – which has built up a uniquely successful record in the world of cross-country rallying - will begin its final competitive outing tomorrow (Wednesday) when the 2008 PAX Rally kicks off in Lisbon, Portugal.

It will be an emotional occasion for Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team and its three-driver line-up who have notched up no fewer than 19 wins between them.

The current MPR13 version will pass the baton later in the year to the brand new diesel-engined ’Racing Lancer’ which is due to make its debut on October’s Baja Portugal in the hands of Stéphane Peterhansel (France). Before then, however, Peterhansel and his co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret (France), plus team-mates Juan ’Nani’ Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain) and Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France) will attempt to profit from the second event of the newly-created Dakar Series to end the current car’s career on a high note.

"This rally is essentially an opportunity for the drivers and the team to stay match fit as our 2008 programme draws to an end and the countdown to the 2009 Dakar begins," notes Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Director Dominique Serieys (France). "Apart from the fact that this is the Pajero/Montero Evolution’s final event and we would like to mark the occasion with a top result, there is no pressure on the drivers to bring back development information. They will therefore have a free hand to push as hard as they like, even though we are fully aware that they face some very stiff competition this week."

The PAX Rally marks the team’s second visit to Portugal this season following Luc Alphand’s victory earlier in the year on the Rali Transiberico, an event which also saw Nani Roma collect the first stage wins for the diesel-powered Pajero/Montero Evolution MPR14 interim car.

"I led the Transiberico for a short while before hitting mechanical trouble in May, so I will be out for revenge this time," warns Nani Roma. "That said, you only need to look at the entry list to realise that it won’t be easy against our rivals’, but we will keep up the fight all the way to the finish. I’ve competed in Portugal often enough now to have a good feeling for the terrain and I love the stages. I can’t wait to get started…"

Luc Alphand is equally fired up by the prospect of an exciting battle over the next few days: "The rally begins with the longest stage of the week, so it will be vital to hit the ground running and find a strong, quick pace straight away. A good rhythm calls for confidence in your car and the three of us know the Pajero/Montero Evolution by heart. I am clearly familiar with the terrain and that’s obviously a bonus, but then most of the front-runners have been here several times before. The entry list reads like a who’s who of cross-country rallying, so I think we’re in for a tremendous rally."

Like his team-mates, Stéphane Peterhansel is delighted to be back in Portugal and he, too, led the Transiberico early on. "Portugal is ideal territory for cross-country rallying," he observes, "and much of the route will be familiar, although the exact stages are kept secret until just before the start. Those to the north tend to be rocky, but the terrain will become sandier as we head south towards the Algarve region where the Dakar prologue was held two years ago. It’s going to be a technically challenging event, but very enjoyable, too. The weather for the Transiberico was horrible, so let’s hope today’s sunny conditions hold all week."

Competitive action begins tomorrow (Wednesday) and will take crews northeast from the Portuguese capital to Castelo Branco via a 223km stage which covers similar terrain to that seen on the Rali Transiberico. The route will then bring competitors south to Sunday afternoon’s finish in Portimao on the Algarve coast after a total distance of 1,583km, including 829km divided into six stages (one per day, plus two on Friday).

More action for Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team in Pax Rally Portugal

DAKAR SERIES
PAX RALLY EM
05 SEPTEMBER 2008
PREVIEW

MORE 'DAKAR SERIES' ACTION FOR REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART TEAM IN PORTUGAL

Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team's fourth competitive outing of the 2008 season marks a return to the extreme west of the European continent for the inaugural 'Pax Rally em Portugal'.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and its motorsport unit MMSP have entered three Pajero/Montero Evolution MPR13s for Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France), Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) and Joan 'Nani' Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain). They are the same three crews who formed the team's triumphant line-up on last May's Rali Transiberico which was won by Luc Alphand with his co-driver Gilles Picard.

Pax Rally is the second contest to figure in the newly created Dakar Series. It fittingly features a return to Lisbon where entrants had gathered just after the New Year festivities for the start of the 2008 Dakar, only to see the annual African classic cancelled at the last moment.

Shortly after this disappointing blow, the Dakar organisers (ASO) announced plans to introduce a new cross-country rally series which officially kicked off with last April's Central Europe Rally. Mitsubishi's Stéphane Peterhansel led for much of this event through Hungary and Romania, but was dislodged from top spot shortly before the finish of what turned out to be one of the closest cross-country events ever.

The five-day Pax Rally promises to be just as thrilling, with Mitsubishi fielding a trio of Pajero/Montero Evolutions for what will be one of the final participation of the discipline's most successful petrol-engined prototype.

Scrutineering for the Pax Rally will take place in the centre of Lisbon on Tuesday September 9, with competitive action beginning the following morning over mixed terrain similar to that encountered during the Transiberico.
Following an overnight halt in Castelo Branco to the northeast of the country's capital and close to the Spanish border with 230km of selective section, the second stage will bring competitors back to the Lisbon region with 220km, while the third day will take the form of a loop, twice of 100km to the east of the Lisbon. The penultimate leg will see survivors strike south towards the Algarve with 170km of selective section and which takes in some of the territory that hosted the early action of the 2007 Dakar. The event finishes in Portimao on Sunday September 14 following a relatively short loop 65km through the challenging bush and scrubland of Portugal's southern tip. The total distance of the PAX Rally will be 2,144km including 885km competitive section.

3 Race Touareg to start in Portugal's PAX Rally 2008

Dakar Series: Three Volkswagen Race Touareg to start in Portugal
By fielding three Race Touareg vehicles, Volkswagen is tackling another new challenge in cross-country rally racing while preparing for the 2009 Dakar Rally: The second rally of the Dakar series, which will lead through Portugal from 09 to 14 September, will be contested by the factory duos of Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (RSA/D) and Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) with the diesel prototype that has already been victorious twice in 2008.

The rally from Lisbon to Portimão will feature approximately 1,000 timed kilometres on five competition days. In April 2008, the Volkswagen Duo Sainz/Périn had won the first rally of the Dakar series, the Central Europe Rally through Hungary and Romania. The German duo Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk in its first event in the Race Touareg had finished the rally in third place. Seven of the seven possible stage victories went to the Race Touareg powered by a 280-hg TDI diesel engine.

"The first round of the Dakar Series was marked by extremely fierce competition, exemplary organisation and challenging terrain,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "We’re pleased to accept the challenge of this second new competition run by the ‘Dakar’ organiser ASO, which again promises to deliver first-class cross-country rally racing. What’s more, before the 2009 ‘Dakar’ in South America this rally offers another opportunity to match our capabilities with our main rivals, Mitsubishi and X-Raid BMW, in toughest competitive conditions. We’re looking forward to this comparison because we’ve won four of our five past rallies and want to add another victory to this tally.”

Preparation for the 2009 Dakar Rally in South America

After winning the Central Europe Rally with Sainz/Périn in April and the exploit clinched by Villiers/Zitzewitz at the Rallye dos Sertões in Brazil, the rally in Portugal marks the third competition in the 2008 season for Volkswagen and another step in preparing for the next Dakar Rally, which will lead through Argentina and Chile in January 2009, offering truly new terrain to the contenders.

"The motto, ‘expect the unexpected’, is a crucial aspect of marathon rally racing,” says Kris Nissen. "Drivers, co-drivers, engineers, logisticians and mechanics must adjust to new conditions on a daily basis. Like the Central Europe Rally and particularly the Rallye dos Sertões, the upcoming rally is an acid test for the entire team. In Portugal, under high pressure from our rivals, we will again have to prove that we’re ready for the next ‘Dakar’.”

2008 Dakar Series Rd. 2: PAX Rally of Portugal

2008 Dakar Series Rd. 2: PAX Rally of Portugal

Last January, auto sports in general and all the Portuguese lived the frustration of the early end of the Euromilhões Lisboa-Dakar 2008. But while most people accepted this end with their heads down, others immediately draw plans to light up the flame of the adventure the puts man and machines face to the challenge of overcoming the biggest adversities, on a struggle that excites the planet since 30 years.

With the experience and success showed in past editions, it was inevitable that João Lagos Sports seek to bring again to Portugal the best of the world in cross-country rally.

So it’s with joy that we are here today presenting the result of this idea. The work was hard in the last months so that João Jagos Sports, with the support of Escuderia Castelo Branco – with 44 years of experience organizing cross county events – could draw the PAX RALLY, which will be held between 10 and 14 of September, connecting Lisbon to Portimão.

The PAX RALLY 2008 will host the national and international elite of cross country drivers, along with amateurs from different origins and sensibilities that wish to be present in a competition where challenge and demanding are trade marks.

The PAX RALLY is a cross country rally open to cars, motorbikes and quads.

Mitsubishi ready to tackle the 1st edition on Central Europe Rally

DAKAR SERIES 2008
CENTRAL EUROPE RALLY
20-26 APRIL 2008
PREVIEW

REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART READY FOR EXCITING NEW CHALLENGE WITH DIESEL POWER IN 2008

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR14

Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart is pleased to announce the cross-country rally debut of the new, diesel-powered version of the Pajero/Montero Evolution, code-named MPR14.

The team has also taken significant measures to make its competition programme even more environmentally aware thanks to the introduction of a range of Mitsubishi Technology initiatives involving close collaboration with its partners Repsol, Valeo and BFGoodrich.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and its motor sports unit MMSP have established the team's objectives for the coming season, as well as for the 2009 ‘Dakar’, which breaks new ground with a start, and finish in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a rest-day in Valparaiso on Chile's Pacific coast.

Meanwhile, the major new feature of the team's 2008 programme is the introduction of a turbo-diesel version of the highly successful Pajero/Montero Evolution, cross-country rallying's most successful car with a record 12 Dakar wins to its name since 1985. The new 2,997cc V6 powerplant benefits from Mitsubishi's longstanding expertise in the field of advanced diesel technologies, ranging from low compression ratios to high-pressure fuel injection. Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart has also decided to take a lead by enhancing its environmentally responsible approach to its competition activities in association with its key partners, Repsol, Valeo and BFGoodrich, all of whom stand out as pioneers in their specific domains when it comes to protecting the planet. "Now, our motor sports activity has taken a step up to establish the environmentally-friendly engineering strategy of Mitsubishi Motors" underlines MMSP SAS's new president, Osamu Nakayama.

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR14

Repsol sees the arrival of diesel power for the Pajero/Montero Evolution MPR14 as an ideal opportunity to bring its latest research developments into efficient fuels in general and non-food sourced biodiesel in particular to the table. Indeed, the Spanish-based oil and gas firm's efforts in this field contributed to its recent nomination as a 'Gold Class' company in the Sustainability Yearbook 2008 compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sustainable Asset Management (SAM), an independent company tasked with conducting the annual assessments for the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

And the Michelin Group – which owns the BFGoodrich brand – has always stressed that the transfer of technology between its motor sports activities and road tires is by no means unilateral, and cites its ongoing research into low rolling resistance as one area in which production tires have benefited the competition programmes of partners such as Mitsubishi. The 1990s saw the Michelin Group take a valuable lead in this domain with the launch of the first green car and truck tire range which has gone on to see the advent of products such as the current award-winning Michelin Energy Saver tire.

MPR14 Crew for 08 CER: Hiroshi Masouka and Pascal Maimon

Last but by no means least, Valeo's long experience of automotive systems and electronics proved invaluable during the development of the new diesel-powered Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution MPR14. Its contribution essentially concerned the specific cooling system using the UltimateCooling™ architecture. Valeo's input also concerns the advanced low energy LED front and rear lighting systems used on the car and which further contribute to achieving appreciable fuel savings.

Dakar Series Part 1: Central Europe Rally

The Central Europe Rally: First rally of the A.S.O. "Dakar Series "

Budapest (HUNGARY)-Amaury Sport Organisation announces the creation of the Central Europe Rally. This new rally organised under the " Dakar Series " certification will take place from April 20th to the 26th in Hungary and Romania. Scrutineering and administrative checks will take place on 19th of April in Budapest.

The 2008 Central Europe Rally course

The Central Europe Rally, between Budapest and Lake Balaton in Hungary, crossing Romania, will consist of an extremely varied and technical route. Nearly half of the total distance, 3000kms, will be run in special stages. The opening of entries is planned on 11th of February. A.S.O has already received the support of all the major teams. BMW, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Schlesser and KTM have already shown a great interest for this new event, image of the development that A.S.O. wishes to bring to the sport.

The Central Europe Rally will be the first event to be run under the "Dakar Series" certification. This certification will be given to other races that offer the same high organisation and safety standards, strong participation and media attention as the legendary Dakar. With the Central Europe Rally (*), the aim of A.S.O. is to enable the competitors of the Dakar, which was cancelled on 2008, to enter a new rally with some extremely advantageous conditions and offer their sponsors exposure in a major international event.

The "Dakar Series", which was planned to start in 2009, is a project that A.S.O. has been working on for a long time. It will begin one year ahead of schedule. This first Central Europe Rally is a milestone of a series of new events intended to expand besides the Dakar Rally. The 2009 Dakar edition will be announced in the weeks to come.

-ASO