Motorsports Coverage 2005 WRC: TEAMS & DRIVERS NEWS
By Jacob Isaac-Lowry
Jan 21, 2005, 02:10
Markko Martin joins Marcus Gronholm at Peugeot to provide the team with the most successful line-up of 2005. Between them they have 25 wins, comfortably more than any of the other teams and they now pose the biggest threat to Citroens efforts to take a third manufacturers title. Peugeot have also decided to run on Pirelli tyres in 2005 instead of Michelin.
Citroen has drafted Francois Duval into the seat previously occupied by Carlos Sainz. The Belgian driver is no only filling some big shoes, but he also has reigning champion Sebastien Loeb as a team mate. It will be great to see how Duval fares this season now that he's flown the nest from Ford where he's been comfortably resting for the past couple of years.
Subaru has an exciting season ahead with former F1 driver Stephane Sarrazin (for eight rounds) and) Australian Chris Atkinson (from Sweden onwards) joining Petter Solberg in the team.
Ford's new team leader, Toni Gardemister, has a lot to prove. He's been on the cusp for a while but now that he has a Focus RSWRC 04 at his disposal there's no excuse for the Finn not to make his way to the top of the pack.
Mitsubishi and Skoda are both back for a full campaign this season. Harri Rovanpera has switched from Peugeot to lead the Mitsubishi charge. His experience of refining cars for gravel will be invaluable for the team this time around, as will Gilles Panizzi on asphalt - Panizzi and Gigi Galli will share the second Mitsubishi Lancer.
Armin Schwarz remains team leader at Skoda and the German has high hopes of a successful season, particularly given the promise the Fabia WRC was showing on occasion in the second half of 2004. Schwarz is joined by Finns Janne Tuohino and Jani Paasonen and rising French star Alex Bengue.
