SEPTEMBER 4, 2002

Marlboro joins Peugeot

Marlboro has confirmed that it is to sponsor the Peugeot World Rally Championship for the next four years. The team will become known as Team Marlboro Peugeot Total and the drivers Richard Burns, Marcus Gronholm, Gilles Panizzi and Harri Rovanpera.

Marlboro has been the big sponsor of the Mitsubishi rally team since 1999 but Peugeot's success has led to the decision for Marlboro - which also sponsors Ferrari - to do a deal that will take the team to the end of the period during which tobacco sponsorships are allowed.

It is also confirmation that Peugeot intends to stay in the WRC in the long term. This is bad news for sister company Citroen which was hoping to take over winning when the Peugeot program came to an end.