MML Sports has conducted the initial test of its new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X on what was a busy weekend for the team born from the ashes of the works Mitsubishi WRC team.

The team completed two days of running at Walters Arena last weekend with the new Evo X, with test driver Lasse Lampi working with damper supplier BOS to develop settings and work on the chassis ahead of further testing set to be carried out by reigning British champion Guy Wilks.

With 200km of running completed, the team will now look to refine its damper settings ahead of the competition debut of the car later this year in Latvia.

On the same weekend, the team also took reigning Hungarian champion Csaba Spitzmuller to victory in the opening round of the 2009 season, taking the win by just under 14 seconds at the wheel of a Lancer WRC05.

“It was a busy few days for us all at MML Sports but ultimately, extremely successful,” MML Sports managing director John Easton said. “The first test of the Group N EvoX went very well and we achieved more than we hoped over the two days.

“This was the first time we have used WRC dampers on a Group N car and the results were excellent. Having BOS in attendance meant that we could be re-valving one set of dampers while another was being tested on the car and then carry out direct comparisons very quickly to arrive at the base set-up.

“I'm also very pleased that Spitzi was able to get his 2009 campaign started with a convincing win. He led from almost the start in the car that he used last year to seal the title, so we're hopeful that he will be able to take his second successive title at the wheel of what we feel is still a competitive world rally car at a national level.

“While things will calm down for us a little this month, it all gets busy again towards May, with another tarmac event for Spitzi before the first of two tests we have planned for Guy in the EvoX to prepare for the Talsi rally. He'll carry out one test here in the UK before a pre-event test in Latvia immediately prior to the start of the event.

“I'm delighted with the outcome of the both the test and the Eger rally; it gives us a huge boost and we are very excited about both the next round of the Hungarian championship and the EvoX's competition debut next month.”