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| For immediate publication |
| 2004.12.13 |
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Team Structure
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 Grégoire de Mevius had an excellent end to the season. He joined Team Dessoude in July for the Orient Rally, and immediately claimed a win. A few weeks later, the De Mevius-Dubois tandem set the powder alight in Dubai. A second place overall for the team confirmed their victory in Turkey. Jacky Dubois was delighted…
However, Grégoire remains clear-headed : “The Pickup has made progress, and most importantly, is much more reliable. We have worked hard since July, and that has paid off. Our results bode well for the Dakar, but the Dakar can always hold plenty of surprises. The field is exceptionally good, and we will have to fight hard. We will have some fine team-mates, which is very good to know, especially in the Marathon stages. I think we will have a part to play…”
For Jacky Dubois, the Dakar is a race on its own : “I have certainly had a plenty of luck during these two races with Grégoire. I hope that that the Dakar will be as good for us. It will not be easy. There will be fewer GPS points, and it will be necessary to be even more careful as far as the navigation is concerned. If you add the lack of the automatic tyre inflating-deflating system, and the loss of the parc fermé on the marathon stages, the Dakar will certainly not be a picnic. But that is what makes it such an interesting race…”
 Kenjiro Shinozuka will be joined by Pascal Maimon, with whom he took part in the last Rally of Tunisia. A fine team, both of whom have separately won the Dakar. Kenjiro, still as fast as ever, is extremely motivated. As for Pascal, talent and clear-headed, he is extremely determined. These two are wound up and ready to go…
Kenjiro Shinozuka is very much aware that there is a long way to go : “I am pleased to be back with the Pickup. I know that the whole team has been working hard to make the car as reliable as possible, which is exactly what we needed in order to be successful. Grégoire has proved that. I am also very pleased to be driving with Pascal Maimon. Pascal knows what it takes to win the Dakar, and he is a professional. This Dakar will be simultaneously very open and extremely difficult. The rules changes could bring some surprises. I think it will be important to set the right pace and to be careful early on. More than ever, it will be important to run a team race.”
Pascal Maimon shares his opinion : “This Dakar will place the emphasis firmly on strategy. The competition will be fierce; there are plenty of drivers able to win stages. The difference will come mainly from the marathon stages. I am very pleased to be driving with Kenjiro. He is as quick and motivated as ever. As far as the navigation is concerned, I am very pleased that Thierry is on the team. We get on well, and along with Jacky, we will be able to work together in an intelligent way. I can’t wait to be in Barcelona… I would really like to forget about the 2004 Dakar, and to concentrate on 2005. As for the rest, I am confident…”
 The third Pickup will be in the hands of another leading driver. Carlos Sousa, from Portugal, has recently left Mitsubishi; he will take part in the 2005 Dakar with a 2003 factory-version of the Nissan Pickup, formerly driven by Vatenen; his co-driver will be Thierry Delli Zotti. A recent decision, and a good ‘surprise’ for Team Nissan Dessoude. Carlos Sousa is determined, and appears satisfied with his choice:
“After 11 years with Mitsubishi, it is quite a challenge to take part in the Dakar with a Nissan. This is a new car for me, and a new team. But life is like a book, and the Mitsubishi page has turned. Today, I am pleased to find myself in a new team, where I have been warmly welcomed. Despite the short timeframe, they have made a big effort. This year, the Dakar will be difficult, and with the rule changes, a lot of things can change, including the drivers’ behaviour. It will be interesting to see how things go. The route is not new for the regulars, it could be called a ‘classic’, but the unknown factor is the marathon stages. New car, new team, new navigator … Thierry has plenty of experience, he knows the Dakar well, and knows the traps it can hold in store, but the important thing as far as I am concerned is that he knows the car. We have never driven together, although we have known each other for years on the rally circuit. Our aim for this Dakar is to get a good result at the end, but it will not be easy. As far as the competitors are concerned, I cannot remember having such a high level on this event. I think there are around 18 people who will be aiming for the Top 5…”
Thierry Delli Zotti is very satisfied to see Carlos join the team : “Five years on, here I am back with Team Dessoude. I did the 2000 Dakar with Grégoire de Mevius with a T2 Pathfinder. To have Carlos here is a real gift. I appreciate him as a driver, but also as a man and for the way he approaches the competition. Moreover, he has plenty of experience in rally raids. Compared to the 2005 route, it will not be a very fast rally. The main difficulty will be the marathon stages. More than ever, it will be necessary to manage the race, and to take care of the car’s reliability, as the parc fermé system means that we will have to do two special stages without technical assistance in between. The more difficult things will be, the greater our chances of staying at the front. I am happy and impatient to take the start…”
 As far as the T1 vehicles are concerned, Isabelle Patissier and Benoît Rousselot will have plenty of work. Isabelle’s aim is simple : to win the Production category. In 2004, the Patissier-Irissou duo came close to their objective, finishing second. This year, her rivals will be watching out for the ‘World Champion’ : “The world title will certainly put us under more pressure before the start, but we are clear-headed. The key word will be ‘to manage’. We need to manage everything … the race, the car and our rivals…. As far as rivals are concerned, we have been spoiled this year. The T1 class will be highly competitive, and neither the Toyota nor the Mercedes vehicles will be giving anything away. I expect the rally to be very difficult, but our car is 100% new. The whole team has been working hard throughout the season as well as in preparation for the Dakar. I can’t wait to be in Barcelona and to get underway…”
Alongside Isabelle, in another T1 Pathfinder, a newcomer to rally raids will be making his debut. Benoît Rousselot will be the second Nissan France driver. Although Benoît is a rookie (or almost) in this area of the sport, he is nevertheless an experienced rally driver. French Rally Champion in 2002, he is entering a new phase of his career.
“This is a major turning point in my sporting career, as for the last ten years I have been taking part in ‘traditional’ rallies. At 31, I decided to change direction and to head for rally raids. Just like any new field, it will not be easy, but it very reassuring to join such an experienced team. A team that has been through a lot, which will be very important to support me. The world of Rally Raids is open to the world and to manufacturers, and a professional future looks more open in this area than in traditional rallying. I am also attracted by the endurance side, and the inevitable adventurous aspect. I am quite moved by the prospect of taking the start of the Dakar, because, like so many people, I have always dreamt of the Dakar. I can’t wait… The T1 category is the obligatory learning phase for rally raids. It will be necessary to take care of the vehicle and to be extremely attentive. It will be tricky, but we will build up plenty of experience for the 2005 season if we manage to get to Dakar. That is our aim : clear and straightforward : we want to arrive in Dakar…”
The two Japanese rookies are also ready to take to the tracks. Jun Mitsuhashi has recently won the Shamrock in Morocco, while his team-mate Yoshio Ikemachi, winner of the T1 class of the 2004 Dakar, finished 4th. Jun will be teamed up with a French navigator, Sylvain Poncelet. As for Yoshio, he has chosen a Japanese navigator. Watch this space…
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