Harri Rovanpera, who Peugeot rally boss Corrado Provera described as having a “mental imbalance in his mind”, has been drafted by the French team to drive in the Mexico Rally.
Harri Rovanpera, who Peugeot rally boss Corrado Provera described as having a “mental imbalance in his mind”, has been drafted by the French team to drive in the Mexico Rally.
Rovanpera, who was dropped from Peugeot’s works team last year, will replace Belgian Freddy Loix. CARtoday.com reported on Tuesday that former Citroën WRC driver Colin McRae might replace Loix later in the season, but Peugeot appears keen to rid itself of the Belgian driver as soon as possible.
Loix suffered a disappointing start to the 2004 season, and retired from last weekend’s Swedish Rally with engine problems. In a statement, Peugeot said it was “taking advantage of being allowed to alternate the team in the second car entered by a manufacturer”.
Last year, Peugeot boss Provera said the team did not rehire Rovenpera, a gravel rally expert, for the 2004 season, because “he did not perform like we wanted. Since he crashed out of the (2003) Finnish Rally he seems to have had a mental imbalance in his mind.”
Rovanpera will be in Sardinia from next week for a two-day test session at the wheel of the 307 WRC, which he first drove in October last year. As for Loix, the French team said he would “continue working with Peugeot Sport in a programme which will be decided at a later date”.