Patrick Richard and Subaru Canada partners of   "Team Canada" in 2003 World Rally Championship.

Vancouver, B.-C. January 20, 2003. - Patrick Richard, Canadian & North-American rally champion ( N Group ) of 2002 and Subaru Canada, are proud to announce today a strategic association which will see Subaru Canada providing material and technical aid to Patrick Richard within the framework of his marketing year 2003 in Championship of the FIA World of Rallys. Richard is the very first Canadian driver of the history to participate fully in the World Rally Championship, and it is also a premiere for a Canadian team in this type of world competition.

Patrick Richard will take part in the World Rallys Championship in Production Class Cars (N Group), with a Subaru Impreza WRX prepared by Subaru Canada. First is the Rally of Sweden, from the February 7 to 9. The six others Rallys are New Zealand, Argentina, Cyprus, Germany, Australia and Corsica.

The 2003 Subaru Canada Schedule with Patrick Richard also includes the participation in eight of the nine Rallys of the Canadian Rally Championship and somes events in the North American Cup where they will defend their 2002 title. It is the same organization and the same people who gained in North America these two last years with Subaru Canada, which will be implied in this team.

« It is a new project for us » explains Brian Hyland, sponsorship director of Subaru Canada "We are proud and impatient to begin our world participation with Patrick. We want to make known the World Rally Championship to the eyes of the Canadians. We will represent there our country and North America in general as an only team of our continent. We have been implied in the rally in Canada for the ten last years, it is thus a natural evolution of our sponsorship of the national championship that we continue in 2003 » he added.

« This partnership offers to Patrick the opportunity of taking part in the World Rally Championship with a Subaru car, the one with he gained here in North America » Said Mike Hurst, sales manager of the company of sporting management of Patrick Richard, Rocket Rally Racing. « Then, this partnership strengthens our team and makes it more attractive towards other partners of company » adds Hurst.

To complete this fully Canadian team, the copilot of Patrick Richard will now be Martin Headland. An experienced navigator who counts more than 25 years of experiment in the national and international rally. He is holder of multiple titles of class in North America « Martin is the Canadian copilot who has the best experiment of the world rallys with recognitions» indicates Patrick Richard, «it is a true professional and I am sure that we will work well together... People can be identified with the program of Subaru Canada and that should create opportunities for others North-American drivers. Moreover, being able to launch out in World Rally Championship with the team and the car which I know are undeniable assets. I can count on my team at 100% » summarizes the pilot.

Richard, born in Quebec and residing now in Vancouver, began his career in Rallying in 1999. Although relatively newly arrived in rally sport, its rise was fast, including 3 Canadian and North-American class titles , as well as the 2002 Canadian Rally Championship with a N-Grouped Impreza WRX of the team Subaru Canada. It took part to his first World Rally last year in Great Britain where, in spite of ceaseless mechanical problems, it managed to carry out some excellent performances classifies in Group N Class. Richard leaves next week for Europe, in order to prepare the Rally of Sweden at the beginning of February.