Mitsubishi to return in 2005

Mitsubishi took a year off last season to develop its Lancer for a full assault in 2004. After a troubled start, though, the team suspended its programme after Rally Germany and opted instead to miss the last events in order to focus on development of the 2005 car.

The team has also announced that current motorsport boss Sven Quandt will be replaced by Isao Torii from Mitsubishi's road car testing and development division. Mario Fornaris will remain as technical director.

"Motorsport is vital to Mitsubishi," said managing director and head of products operations Akira Kijima. "The reforms that Sven Quandt initiated over the last two years have been significant, and I give him due credit for the progress made to date. We decided to put Mr Torii in charge after reaching the conclusion that to accelerate these reforms and to add weight to MMC's motorsport structure we needed someone from within our organisation with the necessary experience and qualifications."

Today's announcements mean that Subaru, Peugeot, Citroen, Skoda and Mitsubishi are all set to compete in the WRC next year. Ford - which recently announced the sale of its Jaguar Formula 1 team and Cosworth engine firm in a re-think of its motorsport strategy - has yet to announce its WRC plans, but team boss Malcolm Wilson said that FIA president Max Mosley's proposal for a cost-saving Super 2000 system in 2006 could have a bearing on the Blue Oval's decision.