Five-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi will compete in next month's Rally New Zealand, having concluded a deal to use a 2005 specification Subaru Impreza.
Although the car will be run by Prodrive, the same outfit which runs the official Subaru World Rally Team cars for Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson, it will
not be an official SWRT entry.
Indeed the car, which is the same one that Atkinson used in Germany back in August, has been entered under the 'Valentino Rossi' banner and will be a privateer effort.
"It is a customer deal, not an official SWRT entry," confirmed a spokesperson for the Subaru WRT to
Crash.net. "Valentino Rossi will use a 2005 spec Impreza, with active differentials. Furthermore while it will be run by Prodrive, it won't be serviced by the SWRT."
Although the deal has been confirmed, several aspects remain uncertain, most noticeably which tyres the Italian will use. Although Subaru use Pirelli tyres, Rossi runs with Michelins in MotoGP, sister brand to BF Goodrich.
Prodrive chairman David Richards, meanwhile, told the official Propecia Rally NZ website that the decision was exciting for the WRC and for New Zealand. He also speculated that Rossi might make the jump to the WRC more full-time in the future.
"In the world of motorised sport, this guy is a super hero," Richards said. "He's got great charisma, great natural ability and it's going to be a great treat for everyone in New Zealand to come and see him in the rally. His involvement will provide a worldwide spotlight on the New Zealand event.
"Valentino has always been interested in rallying. While there's been all the talk about him going to Formula One, he has always said to us that if he was not racing a motorcycle, then he wanted to be in rallying. Who knows in a few more events we might see him in a permanent place in the rally championship."
The organisers of Rally NZ, the penultimate round in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship, which runs from November 17-19, are also delighted by the news: "It will provide additional focus on our country," predicted Rally New Zealand chairman Chris Carr. "And it shows the type of profile that this sport and this event can provide to the world."
