Jani’s first rally with the Ford Focus WRC was Swedish Rally, where he retired. The second trip to Sweden was much more successful, when he became the first foreigner to win South Swedish Rally.
Second win of the season followed in Mänttä Rally, the traditional warm up event for the classic stages of Rally Finland. He was the first non-works driver to compete in a 2001-specication Focus, when he started the Rally Finland. He impressed many and scored good stage times. In the beginning of the event he ran as high as third place overall. Accident ended his rally, but he had showed that he is able to drive as fast as top drivers.
In the Swedish Rally 2002 he was given a chance in Mitsubishi’s third works car. Again, there was great promise in the beginning, but a puncture destroyed his chances. Accident ended his rally in Cyprus and in July he did a one-off outing in the Azores, in a European Championship event. He drove an old Subaru WRC and led until encountering problems with a puncture. In Rally Finland his target was to be the fastest Mitsubishi driver and he achieved that placing eight. Alister McRae was forced to withdraw from Rally New Zealand and as a result Paasonen was offered a bonus rally. He scored good stage times and in the beginning of the event he was lying third place overall.Accident ended his rally, but he had made rallying history. lancer.jpgJani Paasonen wast he first driver to score the fastest time for Mitsubishi’s World Rally Car.
Mitsubishi decided to pull out of the 2003 World Rally Championship and it was clear that his program during the season would be very restricted. He contested only one WRC event in Germany and was waiting for Mitsubishi’s decisions about the next season believing that he will be one of the works drivers. The team decided not to sign Paasonen and it seemed that he has nothing left. Inspite these scenarios year 2004 brought great chances and great achievements.
Kilpailukausi 2002:
Suomen MM-ralli Mitsubishin tehdaskuljettajana.
Kilpailukausi 2001:
Pirelli ralli Mäntässä, SM Exide ralli Tampereella. Suomen MM-ralli Jyväskylässä ja Uudenkaunpungin SM-ralli.