Mitsubishi Motors to Suspend Participation in the FIA World Rally Championship Series

Tokyo Dec 14, 2005; Jun Ota writing for JCN reported that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has announced today that it will suspend participation in the FIA World Rally Championship series from 2006. With the Mitsubishi Motors Revitalization Plan as a basis, MMC has made a solid start toward revitalizing its business operations.

However, to strengthen and build upon this base, MMC realizes that it must focus management resources on the continued promotion of the revitalization plan.

Mitsubishi Motors hopes to return to the WRC Championship series from 2008, after the completion of the revitalization plan, which covers fiscal 2005 to 2007.

This decision however does not extend to MMC's efforts in the Dakar Rally (commonly known as Paris-Dakar). Mitsubishi Motors will continue to compete in this event.

Starting with an overall championship in the Safari Rally in 1974, the Mitsubishi WRC Team has accomplished a spectacular 34 wins in the WRC series. The team won the drivers' title 4 consecutive years from 1996 to 1999, and won the prestigious manufacturers' title in 1998.