Mitsubishi's Cross-Country Team Completes Stunning Weekend with Victory in UAE Desert Challenge

16 Nov 2005 - Mitsubishi Motors Repsol Team driver Stéphane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret clinched their third UAE Desert Challenge victory in four years, when they crushed the opposition in the final round of this year's FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup, which finished in Dubai on Monday, November 14th.

Peterhansel had been using the event as a final pre-Dakar Rally skakedown and was fastest on the Prologue and all seven selective sections to take victory by the staggering margin of 3h 02m 29s. His Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution performed reliably throughout, giving the defending Dakar champion and his Mitsubishi team a major confidence boost before the Dakar Rally.

"It was one of the most succesful motorsport weekends for Mitsubishi Motor Sports for many years," added MMSP's President Isao Torii. "The second place on the WRC rally in Australia this weekend, the win here in Dubai and the good performances of our teams is the proof that motorsport is one of our key pillars in the corporate identity. We are confident for the future."

"We started the year with a victory in Dakar and now we have finished the season with another win," said MMSP's Team Director Dominique Serieys. "Nothing is ever easy, but this result proves we did a great job. Now we have to wait until January 15th to see if we can win the Dakar again. I think the team is ready. We have won the last four rallies here in Dubai and won 14 of the last 16 events with the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution.

Team mate Joan 'Nani' Roma completed the opening leg from Abu Dhabi to Moreeb in third position, after losing time in soft sand and with a sudden illness which forced him to stop in the stage on two occasions. His physical condition deteriorated over the next 48 hours and the Spaniard and Andorra-based co-driver Henri Magne were forced to miss the subsequent two legs while Roma recovered from a serious bout of food poisoning.

After incurring substantial time penalties, the pair resumed their pre-Dakar training on the fourth leg and set the second fastest time to move from 22nd to 18th in the overall standings. Roma was then second fastest again on the last two stages to reach the finish of his final pre-Dakar test session in positive spirits.

The event had been extended to six days this year for the first time and crews tackled five legs in the remote UAE deserts after one timed Prologue stage, near Dubai. The Mitsubishi Motors Repsol Team competed against an international field of 61 bikes, nine quads, 28 other cars and three trucks in a total route of 2,260 kms, of which 1,583 kms were competitive.

Final positions after leg 5:
1.Stéphane Peterhansel (F)/Jean-Paul Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution19h 06m 48s
2.José-Luis Monterde (E)/Tiziano Siviero (I) BMW X5 22h 09m 17s
3. Yayha Al-Helai (UAE)/Khaled Al-Kendi (UAE) Chevrolet Pick-Up 22h 51m 24s
4. Vladimir Tchaguine (RUS)/Konopko (RUS)/Niklaev (RUS) Kamaz Truck 25h 29m 16s
5. Joost van Cauwenberge (B)/Didier Espeel (B) Toyota Landcruiser 26h 59m 25s
6. Ronan Chabot (F)/Gilles Pillot (F) Toyota KDJ 120 28h 53m 54s
7. Ahmed Bin Soughat (UAE)/Jassim Al-Balooshi (UAE) Chevrolet Pick-Up 33h 44m 47s