Dark cloud over Subaru in Mexico.

While the team should be celebrating the first event for the new 2005 specification Impreza this weekend on Rally Mexico, the Subaru World Rally Team is instead competing under a dark cloud following the death on Wednesday night of Ryuichiro Kuze - one of the founding members of the team.

In a statement on the official team website, Subaru announced:

"The team was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Mr Ryuichiro Kuze on Wednesday night in Japan.

"Mr Kuze was a former main board director of Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) and became the founding President of Subaru Tecnica International (STI) in 1988. In this role, he was instrumental in Subaru's decision to enter rallying and, having visited Europe in 1988 to determine the best partner for Subaru's motorsport programme, agreed a partnership with Prodrive.

"With a passion for rallying, Mr Kuze was a seasoned competitor in the Japan National Rally Championship and enjoyed considerable success as a driver. Even after his retirement, he was a regular visitor to the World Rally Championship, maintaining his relationship with the Subaru team he founded.

"At this sad time our thoughts are with Mr Kuze's family. As a mark of respect, the team will observe a minute's silence during the first service of Rally Mexico. SWRT drivers will wear black armbands and the rally cars will feature a modified livery in remembrance."

Team leader Petter Solberg also paid his own tribute during the pre-event press conference for this weekend's event in Mexico.

"He was very important," the 2003 WRC champion said. "He was the guy in charge of starting Subaru in the WRC.

"I don't know if I would be sitting here driving a Subaru if it wasn't for him. He's done an awful lot for the team and the championship."