FIA upbeat over 2006 entry

The FIA has released the entry list for next season - three latest specification teams competing in the Manufacturer 1 class and three teams planning to run older specification machinery competing in the Manufacturer 2 category.

Citroen's Kronos-run team will be registered for the Manufacturers 1 title however Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Skoda have all withdrawn their full-blown works efforts for this season. However, president of the FIA World Rally Championship Commission Jacques Regis is satisfied with the entry and the privateer teams running the cars.

"When you understand how the term 'manufacturer' is defined in the FIA World Rally Championship regulations, you will find that six manufacturers have entered a team in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship," Regis said. "This demonstrates that there are as many teams entering for 2006 as in last season. From this perspective the entry list is therefore very positive.

"Five automobile companies, Citroen, Ford, Subaru, Peugeot and Skoda will be represented in 2006 entering two factory cars via a competition structure that represents their company throughout the season. We would have preferred Mitsubishi not to have decided at such a late hour to take a temporary break from the Championship but save this exception, the line up is almost the same as in 2005.

"Another important factor is that even though the drivers' line up is not yet complete, you find Sebastien Loeb, Marcus Gronholm and Petter Solberg on the list. This elite group of three will be joined by others at the start of the 2006 season in Monte-Carlo. This upcoming 2006 FIA World Rally Championship promises to be as exciting and passionate as last season."

However, Regis has vowed to increase the reach and publicity of the championship, with the aim of increasing the number of manufacturers in the future.

"Our main objective is to make the championship more accessible and to increase the media coverage," Regis added. "A number of things have already changed, so that from 2006, costs will be reduced and the championship will be open to a greater number of teams and drivers, and that the media impact, a project which we are working on in collaboration with the ISC, can be more increased throughout the world.

"Concerning the regulations, it is important that the rules remain stable. We hope that thanks to our efforts, other new manufacturers will accompany Citroen on their return in 2007."