The first outing of the Peugeot 307 WRC, great protagonist of the World Rally Championship, with the Pirelli tyres which will fit Peugeot during the 2005 season, could not have gone better. The French-made car -driven by Marcus Gronholm, top driver of the Peugeot team- made its debut during Bologna’s Motorshow at the beginning of December. And its appearance could not have been more positive.

Gronholm -twice World Rally Champion in 2000 and 2002- dominated
the competition held on Saturday 11th driving his 307 WRC with Pirelli tyres, leaving Colin McRae’s Pirelli-shod Subaru in second place. On Sunday 12th, during the “Memorial Bettega” final, Gronholm was faced by another Subaru-Pirelli car driven this time by Andrea Navarra: Gronholm won the first heat but then finished second after retiring due to gearbox failure. The “real” debut of the Pirelli shod Peugeot on the World Championship will be at the Montecarlo Rally from 21 to 23 January.