PHARAOHS INTERNATIONAL 2005 Preview

The fifth round of the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, the Rally of the Pharaohs, will start from Cairo, ending on October 2nd at the foot of the Gizah pyramids. A majestic finish for the rally, which will have completed some superb stages through the desert in the west of the country, around the Siwa and Baharija oasis. Magical scenery, where the immensity of the desert is punctuated by cathedral-like dunes and many tracks, some rough, some not. A mouth-watering programme for drivers and navigators alike. And moreover, an intense battle in the T2 category, where the leaders of the World Cup are extremely close in the points classification. As for Benoît Rousselot, he is aiming for victory...

Victory in T2 is Team Nissan France Dessoude's aim on this penultimate round of the World Cup. And a good finish for Isabelle Patissier in the overall classification with her Nissan Pathfinder T1, especially as the official Teams are not taking part in this event.

The reason for their absence is that the T1 category title was sealed after the Rally of the Orient, with Bruno Saby and his VW Touareg emerging victorious. However, the Production category is still wide open, meaning that the main rivals are all aiming to fight until the end.

Although Ronan Chabot currently leads by six points, Benoît Rousselot and Serguey Sukhovenko, both with a Nissan Pathfinder and driving for Team Dessoude, are joint second. A strong combination which could work together to undermine Chabot's plans. As long as the battle does not turn into a fratricidal duel...

"My aim for the 2005 season is to progress, while continuing, as always, to learn. To learn to drive at a higher pace, to learn how to draw up race tactics, all those indispensable things in order to give your best. In Production, I learnt to manage my car, to take care of it, but it T1 I will have to be even more cautious, as the speeds are even higher. Our programme for the 2005 season is made up of four races : Tunisia, Morocco, the Rally of the Orient and Egypt. Plenty of variety. It's true that after the Dakar, I was hit by the blues; I was disappointed. That might be why I am more motivated than ever, and ready to get going. Changing categories is a determining factor. I feel as if it's Christmas time, and I will soon be able to play with my new toy..."

According to Team Manager André Dessoude, this Egyptian round could be very interesting: «We know Egypt (and its potential traps) well, having taken part in the event around fifteen times, winning on three occasions with De Mevius, Beccaris and Loubet. It is a magnificent route, with alternating sand and laterite tracks. According to the route, the rally will mainly take place in the west of the country, not far from the Libyan border. This is a desert area, which means there are no villages to go through, no local inhabitants, so safety will be extremely high.

On the sporting front, our aim is simple : to win the T2 World Cup. Benoît and Serguey are joint second, six points behind Ronan Chabot. It is obvious that with two cars we can have better results, but that also prevents either of them, should they win, from pulling well ahead of Chabot. The result in Egypt will be vital for the final classification, and will decide whether we go to Dubai for the final round. I am confident as we are still in the running..

In T1, Isabelle and Thierry can hope for a good finish. The field is slightly reduced after Mitsubishi and VW pulled out, leaving the road clear for the other teams, and making the class very open. We have worked on Isabelle's car since the Rally of the Orient, most notably making a number of improvements to the suspension. The Pathfinder T2 vehicles were not forgotten, and we mainly worked on the reliability. The verdict is due on October 1st!»

As for Benoît Rousselot and Fabian Lurquin, it will also be their first time in Egypt, with so much being at stake for the rest of the season: «Like every event this season, Egypt will be new to us. We are extremely motivated, and determined to claim a good result. The title is still within our grasp. Fabian and I will do all we can to pick up the challenge. If we get a good result in Egypt, we will defend our title hopes in the final round at Dubai. But as well as giving us a chance at the title, Dubai would be extremely good practice in order to gain more time in the sand. We are totally focused, and the will to win is foremost in our minds.»

The Rally of the Pharaohs will get underway on Monday September 26th, with a first leg between Cairo and Baharija. The leg is 360 km long, including 300 km of timed stage.