The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Finnish flavour in Team MRF

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Friday, Apr 08, 2005

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Sport - Racing : Motor

Finnish flavour in Team MRF

By Our Principal Correspondent

KOCHI, APRIL 7. Finland's Jussi Valimaki and his co-driver Jarkko Kalliplepo are the new MRF drivers for this season's Asia Pacific Rally Championship. They will join former APRC champion Katsuhiko Taguchi (Japan) and co-driver Mark Stacey (Australia) in this year's eight-round championship which begins with Australia's Rally of Canberra on April 22.

Known for his high-speed driving, the young Jussi was a test driver for the Hyundai World Rally Championship team in 2003. Taguchi, who won the Chinese leg of the APRC and finished second overall last season, is expected to be a serious contender for the title this year.

The MRF drivers will be participating in Mitsubishi Lancer Evo-8 cars with new medium-compound MRF tyres. Team MRF will be co-sponsored by Mitsubishi Ralliart, the motor sport subsidiary of Mitsubishi Motors.

The APRC was a six-round affair last year, but two more legs have been included by FIA, motor sport's world body, this year. However, only the six best performances will count for the championship.

It is compulsory to participate in two rounds of the Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia) and three rounds of the Asian area.

Team MRF is currently committed to six rounds, said Mr. Antony Rodricks, the tyre major's GM (Advertising).

India does not figure in the 2005 APRC circuit but is likely to make a return to the championship early next year.

After the opening round in Canberra (April 22-24), the APRC will run through New Caledonia (May 22-24), New Zealand (June 17-19), Japan (July 22-24), Malaysia (August 19-21), Indonesia (September 9-11), Thailand (October 21-23) before winding up in China (November 16-18).

The APRC events were two-day rounds last year but the FIA has gone back to the three-day format this year.

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