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Mills replaces Barritt in Corsica

Co-driver Dan Barritt has been ruled out of next week's Corsica Linea - Tour de Corse (5-8 april) by doctors. his place alongside Elfyn Evans will be taken by 2003 world champion Phil Mills.

Barritt has not recovered from the concussion he suffered when he and Evans were caught out by a series of compressions on the first day at last month's Rally Guanajuato Mexico earlier this month. Their Ford Fiesta was pitched into a roadside bank and launched into a sixth-gear roll and retirement.

Mills, who won the championship alongside Petter Solberg in 2003 and is a 13-time WRC event winner, is a natural replacement for Barritt.

Although he hasn't started a WRC event since 2010, he has been part of Evans' safety note crew on WRC events for the last five years and is therefore familiar with his compatriot's pace note system.

Barritt missed the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team's pre-event test in Corsica, and after a medical check on Saturday, doctors confirmed that he will sit out the French event to focus on recuperating for YPF Rally Argentina (26-29 April).

Evans said: "It won't be easy without Dan, but his fitness comes first and it's important that he has the time to make a full recovery for the rest of the season. Phil has stepped in, and I hope that we can push for a good result.

"Phil certainly knows his stuff. Other than Dan, he knows my pace notes better than anyone and he's certainly no stranger when it comes to winning rallies."

Zdroj: wrc.com