Mitsubishi's Racing Lancer.- Contributed

Tokyo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and its motor sport unit, the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team, in association with its partners, Repsol, Valeo and BFGoodrich, will enter the new, turbodiesel 'Racing Lancer' in next year's Dakar Rally.

The rally is scheduled to take competitors through Argentina and Chile from Saturday, January 3 until Sunday, January 18, 2009.

The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team is poised to kick off its first full season using turbocharged diesel power with a four-car entry on the 2009 Dakar.

The team's bid will be spearheaded by its latest cross-country rally car, the new Racing Lancer.

Same team

The four-car driver line-up is the same as that which has represented the team on this annual cross-country rally since 2005, namely Stephane Peterhansel (France), Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan), Luc Alphand (France), and Joan 'Nani' Roma (Spain).

The 31st Dakar Rally will see the event switching to fresh territory in South America where the Mitsubishi's foursome will be looking to secure not only its first-ever victory with a diesel-powered car, but also the company's 13th success - including a run of seven successive wins since 2001.

Cars on display

The Racing Lancer will be officially unveiled on Thursday October 2, at the 2008 Paris Motor Show (Paris Expo, Paris, France) which opens to the public from Saturday, October 4 until Sunday, October 19.

It will be displayed alongside the 'Lancer Sportback' upon which it is based, and which is due to go on sale across Europe this autumn.

Change of venue

Following deterioration in the security situation in West Africa, which has traditionally served as backdrop to the Dakar, the event organisers have chosen to switch to the South American continent for next year's event.

The 2009 rally is due to start in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires on Saturday, January 3, before striking south to the South Atlantic resort of Puerto Madrine.

The route will then head west over the dusty trails up and over the Andes Mountains.

Competitors will benefit from a rest day in the historic Chilean Pacific port of Valparaiso on Saturday, January 10, with competition resuming the following day.

This will take them north to the Atacama Desert, then back across the Andes and into Argentina again. After a stopover in Argentina's second-biggest city, Cordoba, the 9,000km loop will end with the official finish in Buenos Aires on Sunday, January 18.

Although precise details of the itinerary have yet to be released, the total stage distance is expected to amount to approximately 6,000km, with non-paved surfaces - including sand - accounting for 90 per cent of this figure.

The maximum number of entries has been set at 560, including 275 motorbikes and quads, 200 cars and 85 trucks.

The Team

The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team is directed by Dominique Serieys (France), himself a previous Dakar winner with the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero as a co-driver in 1993.

The technical side of the operation is directed by Thierry Viardot (France) with the support of engineers from Mitsubishi Motors.

Efficient organisation can make the difference between victory and defeat on the Dakar. The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team's logistical operation - which includes looking after the movements and needs of the team's 15 vehicles and 65 staff members - is the responsibility of David Serieys (France).

Two T4 6x6 vehicles carrying mechanics, tyres, and spare parts, plus equipment, will follow the same itinerary as the competitors, ready to intervene should one of the four Racing Lancers encounter a problem.

In addition to the race trucks, the team's fleet consists of eight SUVs for the transport of personnel and management staff, five T5 trucks also carrying tyres, spare parts and equipment. These vehicles follow via an alternative route.

Two of these SUVs will be cross-country 'Pajero Sport' models, which is due to go on sale, this autumn, across the ASEAN nations, the Middle East, Central America, Oceania, and Russia.

The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team's line-up for the 2009 Dakar is Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France), Hiroshi Masuoka/Pascal Maimon (Japan/France), Stephane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) and Joan 'Nani' Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain).