Mitsubishi announce plans to help private teams.

Mitsubishi have announced that they will support a number of private entries in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2006 following their decision to quit the series and pull the plug on their factory operation.

As such Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports and MMSP Ltd will continue to operate in the WRC through 'business gained from customers, private teams and driver entries'.

This format will start at the Rallye Monte Carlo and continue with the Swedish Rally and will see Gigi Galli drive a privately entered Lancer WRC 05 in co-operation with the Italian based Mitsubishi Ralliart Italy team. MMSP Ltd, based in Rugby, will provide the fully prepared car and the technical support. The operations will be held in co-operation with Ralliart Italy under the guidance of Ralliart team director, Mario Stagni.

"Our aim is to keep the Mitsubishi brand alive in several rounds of the World Rally Championship," said Mitsubishi boss, Isao Torri. "On the first two events of the season we are able to achieve this with the support of Ralliart Italy.

"Our team, MMSP Ltd., is well equipped with highly experienced personnel, the technical and engineering backup and mechanical expertise as well as strong management, so we are able to offer packages or private team initiatives for the appropriate fees."

The Lancer WRC05 that Galli will drive in the Monte Carlo and Swedish rallies is based on the homologation allowing privateers to compete under FIA regulations for 2006 and is a similar technical specification to the WRC05 car that he drove last season.