From Rally-Live Subaru Tecnica International (STI) announced today that Mikko Hirvonen will join the 555 Subaru World Rally Team in 2004. With 2003 FIA World Rally Champion Petter Solberg and co-driver Phil Mills already contracted to the team, the announcement finalises Subaru's 2004 driver line up. The 23-year-old Finn will continue his partnership with Finnish co-driver, Jarmo Lehtinen. Subaru's decision to sign the Finn was driven by a commitment to its long-term, young driver development philosophy. Having helped nurture the careers of World Rally Champions Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg, who all joined the team with limited experience of the World Rally Championship, the Japanese marque has established a strong reputation for developing new and promising talent. "We're very excited to have signed Mikko. He's a very talented young driver and we have the resources to provide him with the best car and team to help him develop his full potential" Team Principal David Lapworth commented. "We've been following the progress of many young drivers and we hope this is the first of a number of initiatives with which Subaru will be involved in 2004." Mikko Hirvonen commented : "This is such a fantastic opportunity for me and I'm delighted I'm going to be driving for the team next year. There's so much that I want to achieve as a driver in the WRC and I know Subaru's the team to help me do that. I just can't wait to get in the car and get going !" Born in 1980, Mikko Hirvonen has quickly established himself as a promising star of the future. Finishing in the points in 2003, his first year as a works WRC driver (he was sixth in Greece), Mikko has already tasted Subaru success having taking three wins in a Group N Impreza WRX in the 2002 Italian Gravel Trophy Series. In the same year he also contested two international rally events in an Impreza, winning both. Beginning his season at Rallye Monte Carlo in January, Hirvonen will start the 2004 Championship in the same specification Impreza as Petter Solberg (the Subaru Impreza WRC2003). The Impreza WRC2004 is expected to make its debut on the third round of the 2004 Championship, Rally Mexico. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From RacingNet Subaru車隊證實簽下22歲的芬蘭車手Mikko Hirvonen， 他將與Petter Solberg搭檔一同在WRC 2004年賽季為Subaru車隊效力。 Hirvone的經紀公司為Pro Racing，這家公司也是前世界冠軍Tommi Makinen的經紀公司， 在這家公司的努力下，Hirvonen得以在今年參加整年度的WRC賽事， 他今年的最佳成績為希臘Rally第六。 Hirvonen表示：「這是一個絕佳的機會，非常高興能在明年為Subaru車隊效力。」 「我的目標是要成為WRC的車手，我知道Subaru車隊能幫我達成這個目標。」 Subaru在聲明中表示選擇Hirvonen的原因， 是以長遠的考量及培養年輕車手的想法為依據來做決定， 年輕的Hirvonen是一位相當有潛力的車手，所以最終決定選擇他。 不過這樣的講法無法解釋為何當初要簽下比Hirvonen大九歲的Burns， 作為2004年的正式車手。 但是Subaru車隊發言人宣稱由於是車隊策略的改變才會做出如此的決定， 他表示：「車隊的策略已改變，日本原廠決定2004年的目標還是車手世界冠軍。 這是他們認為最好的策略，我們的決定並沒前後不一。」 --

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