A potential new FIA European Rally Championship challenger has taken to the Tarmac stages for the first time – the Mitsubishi R5.
The initial loop of four stages went well, with Weng driving cautiously in order to get used to the conditions and gather information that could be fed back at the first service halt. Öhlins engineer Patrick Karlsson, who doubled-up as co-driver, adjusted the suspension settings before the second loop of the same four stages and immediately, the difference in performance became apparent.
It was a similar story for the final four stages, with the car setting stage times that were comparable with competitors running at the front of the field. Although unofficial, the times provided very satisfying reading for the team, as Mpart team owner Tomas Weng explains:
“We went to this event looking to gather data and information about the car’s performance on asphalt in real rally conditions. As it turned out, we came away with more than that. It is clear the car is competitive and, if it had been entered in the rally, there is no doubt it would have been capable of achieving a top position. This was an extremely satisfying outcome for all of us involved with the project.”
The team now heads to the UK to carry out further testing on gravel, with a run on Rally North Wales. Martin Bergland, who carried out most of the development driving duties on snow, will drive, with Sweden’s Sofie Lundmark co-driving.