Fiat will be back racing on the French ice tracks this winter with a new ice racing machine, the Fiat Grande Punto, to replace the outgoing Stilo, which is set to be piloted on the slippery surfaces by Philippe de Korsak and Franck Lagorce who led the Fiat attack last year, ratcheting up several victories in the process.

There had been many doubts that Fiat would actually take part in the 2007 Trophée Andros series, with Fiat France reportedly struggling in recent months to raise the required budget. However the money was eventually forthcoming, allowing them to run one factory-backed car, which will be piloted by Korsak and Lagorce; this means though that their is no place for Margot Laffite and Justine Monnier-Chicherit, the female duo who last year piloted a bright 'pink' Stilo in the ladies' category.

The cars will once again be prepared and run by famous French motor sport outfit ORECA, and additionally supported by Overdrive. While the 'silhouette' racer has been re-skinned for the 2007 series as a Grande Punto, underneath it will remain virtually the same as the 2006-specification racers, although the suspension has undergone an evolution. This means it will be powered by a 24-valve, 3.0-litre V6 engine (which is drawn from the Fiat Ulysse MPV, to fit the series' technical requirements that state the racer's engine must be Fiat-sourced) mated up to a competition 6-speed sequential gearbox and fed to the wheels through a tough four wheel drive transmission. It all adds up to a ice racing car that pumps out 350bhp, which is then applied to an all-ice surface through very narrow 'knobbly tyres.

However while development of the ice racer has been limited since last year, the Stilo ended the 2006 season as the package to beat, winning its last three races, including a double victory in the showpiece event of the Andros calendar at the Stade de France, the highly impressive Paris sports stadium built specially to host the FIFA Football World Cup finals, and which had an ice surface laid out over the grass pitch for the occasion.
 

Fiat France will be hoping to pick up where they left off last year, and with the new Grande Punto and two ice racing proven drivers, the Turin brand should prove a serious contender for outright championship honours.

The eight-round 2007 Trophée Andros will kick off at Val Thorens next weekend (9/10 Dec), before moving on to Grandvalira/Pas de la Casa in Andorra the following weekend. The third double-header is set for Alpe d'Huez on 22/23 December. After a three week Christmas break the series resumes at Isola 2000/Alpes-Maritimes on 12/13 January. Two more ice racing rounds will take place at Serre Chevalier (20/21 Jan) and Lans en Venrcors/Villards de Lans (26/27 Jan); before the 'Finals' at Clermont/Superbesse (2/3 Feb) and lastly the 'Super Finale' at Saint-Dié-des-Vosges (11 Feb) wrap up the 2007 edition.

Philippe de Korsak and Franck Lagorce in the brand new #3 Fiat Grande Punto will face tough opposition during this edition with 21 entries expected. The will receive some support from a second Stilo which will be run by ORECA/Overdrive, the #6 car will be crewed by Jean-Pierre and Olivier Pernaut. A third Fiat is also scheduled to take part: the #19 Stilo shared by Cyril Helias and Serge Lubrano, which will be run by Racing Development/MSA. Fiat's biggest rival for the 2007 Trophée Andros will be the former French F1 World Champion Alain Prost driving once again for Toyota France, this time at the wheel of a new Tork Engineering-developed Auris. He will be ably backed up by a second Toyota which will be piloted by former Monaco Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis and the veteran rally star Bertrand Balas. A very tough challenge is also expected from the leading Kia Rio, shared by Jean-Philippe Dayraut and Gilles Stievenart.