"It will be interesting for us to go to Germany because it gives us the opportunity to assess our level on Tarmac," commented the team's Technical Director Mario Fornaris. "Since Monte Carlo we have progressed and we know the car is better, but it's important to have a benchmark against our rivals."

Gilles and Hervé Panizzi have contested the event once since its inclusion in the FIA World Rally Championship, finishing 10^th last year.

"I have to say it's not one of my favorite events," said Gilles. "It has very special conditions and is very different to say Corsica or Catalunya and the nature of the roads is very changeable throughout the event. For me I would say it's a treacherous rally, especially in the military area where there are huge concrete blocks on the outside of long and fast corners. We won't have any new parts for this rally so it's difficult to say where we will be, but we will be trying as hard as ever."

Team-mate Dani Solà has clearly got the measure of Rallye Deutschland and the Spaniard, who will be co-driven by Xavier Amigo, not only won the Junior World Rally Championship category in 2002 but also the Production Car World Rally Championship round last year. Solà is now looking forward to a competitive outing in the Lancer WRC04 on one of his most successful events.

"I like the rally because it is Tarmac, but it's a strange and different event; totally different to other asphalt rallies," said Dani. "But for me it is challenging because the surface and weather changes a lot. Sure, I have won the JWRC and PWRC events, but now I am doing WRC and I don't have so much experience of this car on Tarmac, but my plan is to do my job as well as possible. It is difficult to know how we can perform; in Finland the car was improved but we have to wait and see what we can do on Tarmac, especially as there is a very good entry for this rally."

The 2004 Rallye Deutschland, based once again in Trier, kicks off on Friday August 20 when the crews contest the opening leg of competition in the Mosel Valley. These roads are challengingly narrow with a full Tarmac surface requiring a precise driving style. After these first eight stages and 135.02 competitive kilometers, and the overnight halt in Bostalsee, the crews head to the Baumholder ranges on Saturday for another nine stages and 177.66 competitive kilometers. However, the longest day of the rally also takes in stages in the St. Wendel region, where conditions will once again be different to the almost multi-venue stages in Baumholder. The final day covers seven stages and 93.38 competitive kilometers, again essentially around the military ranges with the climax of the event taking the crews to the St Wendel super special stage. In total, Rallye Deutschland takes in 24 special stages and 411.06 competitive kilometers in a total distance of 1,075.77 kilometers.

For daily updates on Rallye Deutschland from the shakedown on August 19 to the final leg on August 22 see:

Daily reports: www.mitsubishi-motors.com/motorsports/e/04wrc/d/index.html

Race photos: www.mitsubishi-motors.com/motorsports/e/04wrc/d/photo.html

Lancer Evolution drivers go for fifth consecutive PWRC victory

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution teams will be aiming to preserve their unbeaten record in the 2004 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship in Germany. While "Dani" Solà is contesting the event in the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC04, "Gigi" Galli will certainly be one of the favorites in his Lancer Evolution. The Italian has driven with growing panache this year and is perfectly in tune with his Lancer after a fine drive to Group N victory in Finland.

"We are used to Tarmac rallies in Italy of course, but the German roads are very different and very difficult," said Gigi. "Baumholder, especially, is tough for the car and there are some very long stages there. Still, I feel very confident with the car and I am looking forward to the rally very much."

The current German Rally Champion, Mitsubishi driver Herman Gassner, is also a candidate for a top position and will be pushing hard against the established PWRC crews.

To Japan's Mitsubishi driver Fumio Nutahara, nearly all the World Championship rounds are new and Tarmac itself is much less familiar. He is keen to learn more in his Lancer Evolution VIII.

"We did the Manx Rally in Britain for practice on Tarmac and that was very interesting. I do not know what the roads in Germany are like, but I have been told to watch for the Hinkelsteins (concrete blocks) on Baumholder," Nutahara said.

New Team Manager

Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports also announced the appointment of Marco Pastorino as Team Manager for WRC events, with immediate effect.

The 38-year-old Italian, who qualified as a mechanical engineer, has a wealth of experience in motorsport and has fulfilled the role of Team Manager for a number of outfits in the FIA European, Portuguese, Middle East, Italian and World Rally Championships. Most recently he managed Mitsubishi Ralliart Italy's assault in the Italian Rally Championship, as well as the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship with Gigi Galli and Dani Solà. Marco has enjoyed global success and four Championship wins with various teams. He has worked on more than 200 international events and will bring vast logistics and management experience to a team he knows well, having worked alongside Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports management in the World and Production Car Championships this year.