VALENTINO ROSSI IN NEW ZEALAND WITH A SUBARU IMPREZA ON PIRELLI Italy’s motorcycle world champion with Solberg and Atkinson in the third Impreza. The WRC factory cars on Pirelli P Zero tires are aiming for another top result. After a excellent results three weeks ago in the Rally of Australia, the Pirelli-fitted Subaru Impreza WRCs were once again among the top contenders in New Zealand, where the 15th and penultimate round in the world rally championship will start on Friday, November 17. In the Antipodes, Subaru World Rally Team leader Petter Solberg will be aiming once more for victory. The same goes for Chris Atkinson, in one of the other Impreza WRC06s, competing on Pirelli P Zero tires: he led part of the first leg before an error dropped him down the classification. As well as the two Subaru-Pirellis in their typical official blue livery the rally, there will be a third Impreza competing on Pirelli P Zeros, emblazoned with the number 46 and will driven by Valentino Rossi. The man who has won so many world championships on two wheels in the 125, 250, 500 cc and MotoGP classes will compete in the Rally of New Zealand with direct support from Pirelli Competizioni. Co-driven by Carlo Cassina, Valentino Rossi will attempt to repeat his performance in the 2005 Rally of Monza and the Memorial Bettega, in both of which he also drove a Pirelli-shod Subaru Impreza. Rally Manager of Pirelli Competizioni, Mario Isola, said, “Pirelli is enthusiastic about the opportunity of supplying its tires in New Zealand for a third ace at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRC. Valentino Rossi sampled the quality of our P Zeros last year in Italy and the fact that he has once again opted for Pirelli is very satisfying. For this penultimate counter towards the World Rally Championship, Pirelli Competizioni will have on offer the latest evolutions of its K tread. Rossi, who is competing as a private entrant, can select a second tread and we will provide him with the latest developments of our new KP, which have already satisfied another two aces of the caliber of Solberg and Atkinson. So in New Zealand, I expect another first class result, as was the case with the excellent second place of Petter, who has returned to his rightful place as one of the potential winners of every rally.”