Galli: Mitsubishi`s decision to quit a big pity.

by Rob Wilkins.

Gigi Galli reckons that Mitsubishi could have done very well this year, if they hadn't canned their factory programme.

The Italian, who was left high and dry following their last minute decision in December last year to join the likes of Skoda and Peugeot, by pulling out of the FIA World Rally Championship, pointed to the form of the Lancer WRC in Sweden as proof the car had real potential to do well. Indeed Jussi Valimaki's form with it more recently in Sardinia, when he finished fifth, also suggests that the car could have been set for some significant results had it had works support.

Speaking exclusively to Crash.net Radio Galli added it was a shame they didn't stay with it.

"I have to say obviously it was a big pity what happened to Mitsubishi," he noted. "We spent two years trying to develop the car and trying to get better with it. This year, 2006, it was the year that we had to find a result. The potential of the car is there, we saw that a little bit in Monte Carlo - and in Sweden the car was reliable and also quite fast. We worked in the past to develop the car to the 2006 specifications with no active differentials and everything was set-up for the new 2006 rules."

Indeed in Sweden, Galli and Daniel Carlsson combined to finish 3-4, the latter just beating Gigi for third in the final stage, after the Italian lost third gear.

"It was a great result for Mitsubishi [in Sweden]," he added, "because I think the main thing was that, Daniel Carlsson, for him it was the first time in the Mitsubishi Lancer and it was after, I don't know, the first leg, it was very, very fast and for me, it was a big fight.

"OK I lost [in the battle for third at the end], but only by a few seconds and that is something that is good for the rally and for me it was pleasure also. It is good when you have the chance to fight and sometimes you can win and sometime you can lose, it is not a problem. I think the main thing was it was a great result for Mitsubishi - and that was a great result for me."