Seasons 2004 - 2005

Jani's old rival Manfred Stohl was building his own team for the season 2004 and Paasonen was invited to drive one of the OMV World Rally Team's Group N Mitsubishi in the 2004 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship series. 

He won the first round in Sweden dominating the event from start to finish,
leading from the first stage and taking 13 out of 19 stage wins. In Rally
Finland he got a one-off drive in a works Skoda Fabia WRC and he took the sixth place. This was the best WRC result ever for the Fabia WRC and also Paasonen's personal best result at this level. Jani's drive was rewarded with the Inmarsat Star of the Rally Award. 

Before the last Production Car World Rally Championship event in Australia, he was leading the series, but forced to
retire and placed third in the PCWRC series.

For the season 2005 he made a contract with Skoda sharing teams second works car in gravel events with fellow Finn Janne Tuohino. 

In addition Jani took step to a new motorsport world for seasons 2005 and 2006. It was time to learn something new - this new was Skoda Octavia Cup in Czech Republic. Jani achieved a few podium places. In season 2006 Finn took part also some rallies in Europe and Finland.

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