DUVAL HOPES FOR IRC RETURN IN YPRES … AND ALL THE OTHER LATEST NEWS FROM THE IRC

DUVAL CHASES DRIVE ON YPRES WESTHOEK RALLY
Francois Duval could return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge at the wheel of a Skoda Fabia Super 2000 later this season.
Duval, 28, last appeared in the series on Vodafone Rally de Portugal last May, but was forced to retire the Abarth Grande Punto he was driving because of a wheel bearing failure.
He is now targeting an entry on the Ypres Westhoek Rally from June 20-22 in a Fabia supported by the Skoda importer in his native Belgium and hopes it won’t be a one-off outing.
"I would like to try to do two or three rallies in the IRC," Duval said. "It’s where all the drivers are going to. It is more interesting for me than the WRC because there are some opportunities for drivers."
Providing an agreement can be reached, the Belgian Rene Georges Rally Sport team would run Duval’s Skoda. Duval tested a Volkswagen Polo Super 2000 for the squad recently and could tackle a round of the Belgian championship in the car next month.
"It was dry in the morning but the rain came in the afternoon," Duval said of the Polo test. "The car was not so bad although I think we could find some improvements in the chassis and the engine."
DOUBLE VICTORY HAS EXCEEDED VAN DALEN’S EXPECTATIONS
The joint owner of Kronos Racing has said his team’s dominant start to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season has "exceeded his expectations".
Frenchman Sébastien Ogier won the opening round, the Monte Carlo Rally, in January in a Kronos-prepared Peugeot 207 under the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team banner, before Kris Meeke, from Northern Ireland, claimed victory on Rally de Curitiba in the same car entered by Peugeot UK.
"It has been especially satisfying, not just because we have been first and second on the opening two rallies but because we have won with the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team and with Peugeot UK," said Marc van Dalen, who co-founded Kronos Racing in 1994.
"I have been really happy with how we have started and how well our drivers have worked together. But I know it is a very long championship and anything can happen between now and the end of the season. At least it’s good to make the start we have done."
The three Kronos Peugeot 207s are currently being shipped back to Europe from Brazil and are due to be delivered to the team’s base in Belgium, on April 10. They will be rebuilt before the Sata Rally Azores on May 7-9.
CURITIBA TRIUMPH WAS NAGLE’S HARDEST EVER
Co-driver Paul Nagle has described his victory on Rally de Curitiba in Brazil earlier this month as the "best moment" of his career but added it was the hardest challenge he’d ever faced.
Irishman Nagle, who partnered Kris Meeke to first place on the second round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge aboard a Peugeot UK-backed 207 Super 2000, said he had been inundated with messages of congratulations since he and Meeke won in Brazil.
"It was the best moment of my career but it was also the toughest rally I’d ever done," said Nagle, 30. "It wasn’t tough physically but mentally it was very hard, especially on day two when we were leading.
"Although Kris drove very well there was a lot of pressure on us. But even when we lost time being first on the road and the problem with the brakes we were able to remain calm and all credit to the team for all their hard work."
Nagle and Meeke’s next event is Sata Rally Azores from May 7-9. Before then Nagle is planning to contest two practice events in his native Ireland, starting with the Circuit of Kerry Rally on March 29, in order to "keep sharp".
SAFARI RALLY WILL BE INCLUDED ON IRC SCHEDULE
The iconic KCB Safari Rally will form the third round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, even though several leading teams haven’t included the event on their schedules for the season.
Based in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, the rally will take place from April 3-5, and will also host the second round of the FIA African Rally Championship. It last appeared on the IRC in 2007, when it formed the opening round of the series. In 2008 it obtained Supporter Event status. This season will herald the 57th running of the rally.
The rally will begin with a spectator stage in Nairobi on Friday April 3. For the first leg, crews will then head out to Nakuru and the Lake Elementaita region. The second leg will be based close to Nairobi around the small town of Athi River. The finishing ceremony is due to take place on Sunday April 5.
Marcello Lotti, the IRC’s General Manager, said: "The Safari Rally is a very famous event and very important to the IRC. It will be included on the calendar but we understand some of the teams won’t be taking part. We understand this and we won’t be forcing them to do so."
OUTLINE BARUM RALLY ZLIN DETAILS REVEALED
Organisers of Barum Rally Zlin have revealed outline details of the eighth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which takes place in the Czech Republic from August 21-23.
The event celebrates its 39th anniversary this year and will get underway with a spectator-friendly superspecial stage in host town Zlin on the evening of Friday August 21.
It will be followed by two days special stages, totalling 270 kilometres, before the finish in the afternoon of Sunday August 23.
Approximately 200,000 spectators visit the rally each year, which is located 300 kilometres east of the Czech capital Prague and 200 kilometres north of the Austrian capital Vienna. The compact route means the furthest stage is 50 kilometres from Zlin.
A total of 98 crews started the rally in 2008, including 21 Super 2000 cars. Freddy Loix, the current leader of the IRC, and co-driver Robin Buysmans won the event in a Peugeot 207 run by the Kronos Racing team.

The last outing for Francois Duval on the IRC was last year in Portugal. Now Duval hopes to return to the series in his native Belgium

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PROTON JOINS IRC … AND ALL THE OTHER LATEST NEWS FROM THE IRC

Proton, which was confirmed as the seventh manufacturer to join the Intercontinental Rally Challenge yesterday (Thursday March 12), is likely to make its IRC debut "as soon as possible."
The Malaysian manufacturer has already entered its Satria Neo Super 2000 car on selected international rallies and has also completed initial testing on gravel, the surface used for the next two rounds of the IRC, the Safari Rally in Kenya and the visit to the Azores.
A spokesperson for the team said: "No decisions have been taken but we’d like to get started as soon as possible after the Safari Rally."
Proton joined Abarth, Honda, Mitsubishi, Peugeot Skoda and Volkswagen when it registered for the IRC. It has previously demonstrated the extent of its sporting pedigree when it won the Production Car World Rally Championship in 2002.
The company’s decision to contest the IRC was welcomed by Marcello Lotti, the IRC’s General Manager. He said: "We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Proton into the IRC family, which goes from strength to strength. The new Satria Neo S2000 has already attracted a lot of praise in its short career to date. I have no doubt that Proton will quickly find success on IRC events."
CAUTIOUS APPROACH GIVES LOIX IRC LEAD
Freddy Loix moved to the top of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with a fourth-place finish on Rally de Curitiba last week. Although the Belgian driver was one of the pre-event favourites to claim victory in Brazil, he was satisfied that his cautious approach had given him a three-point lead in the title battle.
Driving a Peugeot 207 for Peugeot Team Belux, Loix had the dubious honour of running first on the road on Friday’s stages, which proved a handicap because it meant he was effectively sweeping away the loose surface gravel for the cars behind.
"It was my objective to claim the series lead in Brazil so I was not pushing at my hardest, said Loix, who finished second on the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally in January. "In fact, when I did try to push the car was sliding so much that I decided to bide my time because it was useless to do anything else. I’m happy to leave Brazil as the championship leader."
Loix, who heads team-mate and defending champion Nicolas Vouilloz by five points, hasn’t nominated the next round of the series, the Safari Rally in Kenya, as one of his scoring events so will return to action on Sata Rally Azores in May.
MEEKE DETERMINED HE CAN REPEAT BRAZIL SUCCESS
Rally de Curitiba winner Kris Meeke is determined his victory in Brazil won’t be a one-off and has revealed that he is already targeting a repeat performance when he resumes his Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign on the Sata Rally Acores in May.
The Briton drove his Peugeot UK 207 Super 2000 to his first IRC win in South America but insists he can’t afford to relax.
"I’m going to have to work as hard, if not harder, to make sure we can do it again," said Meeke, who was co-driven to victory in Brazil by Irishman Paul Nagle. "Skoda will be back for the Azores and that will just add another dimension to it all and make it more difficult."
Meeke continued: "The Azores is going to be a new event for a lot of the drivers and, like Brazil, that will mean a level playing field. I showed in Brazil what I could do so I have to believe in my ability to make good pace notes from scratch again."
"As much as I believe in my own abilities on asphalt I can’t compete with the knowledge of some of the other guys have. I know Freddy Loix will be very strong in Ypres, Jan Kopecky is going to be difficult to live with on the Czech round and Giandomenico Basso will be hard to beat in Sanremo. Therefore I have to capitalise on the new events starting with the Azores."
ALEN PLANS TO BOUNCE BACK
Anton Alen insists he can still be a contender for this year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge title despite failing to score on the opening two rounds of the series.
Alen’s frustrating start to the season continued in Brazil last week when he rolled on Rally de Curitiba, having earlier been delayed for seven minutes after damaging his Abarth Grande Punto’s suspension in a separate incident.
The crash marked the Finn’s second retirement in as many events after clutch failure meant he did not go the distance on the Monte Carlo Rally in January.
But Alen, the son of rallying legend Markku is convinced he can fight back. He said: "Before the problems in Brazil I had a good feeling with the car and things were going well. Yes it’s disappointing that we didn’t finish but I am happy with the speed that I had."
Alen’s next event is the Azores Rally on May 7-9. "I will have a good road position for that event, similar to Juho Hanninen in the factory Skoda who I am sure will be very strong on gravel," Alen said. "That will help and also the fact my co-driver Timo Alanne has competed on the event before."
SKODA TEAM PLANS TEST RALLY OUTING
Skoda will prepare for its next appearance in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge by entering a two-car team on the Valasska Rally in the Czech Republic on March 27.
Factory drivers Juho Hanninen and Jan Kopecky will take part on the Czech championship event in a brace of Fabia Super 2000s, a little more than a month before they are due to contest the IRC-counting Sata Rally Azores on May 7-9.
Michal Hrabanek, the boss of Skoda Motorsport, commented: "We appreciate having another opportunity to test the vehicle in a real competition after the Monte Carlo Rally. Like on the previous occasion, we want to move a few steps forward with our vehicle development efforts, and although the main purpose of our appearance at the Valasska Rally is to test the new vehicle, our ambitions also include achieving the best possible result."
He added: "We also see the event as an excellent opportunity to present ourselves to Czech rally fans and thank them for their long-standing support, including on the latest occasion in Monte Carlo. From the drivers‘ perspective, the race is the best possible way of preparing for future IRC events."
Skoda is likely to enter five more rounds of the IRC this season, including Rally Russia in July and Barum Rally Zlin in Czech Republic in August.

The Proton Satria S2000 has become the latest contender to join the Intercontinental Rally Challenge

www.rally-irc.com

NEW MANUFACTURER PROTON JOINS INTERCONTINENTAL RALLY CHALLENGE

Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, is delighted to announce that Proton will join the IRC in 2009 – following the recent competition debut of its new Satria Neo Super 2000 car. The Malaysian manufacturer becomes the seventh constructor to compete in the IRC series so far.
Proton joins Abarth, Honda, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Skoda and Volkswagen amongst the ranks of the IRC competitors, who go head-to-head on spectacular events this year, taking in both asphalt and gravel rallies. The IRC series is designed not only to showcase these unique events through the use of innovative television coverage, but also to provide manufacturers with a good promotional platform for customer competition business.
Since producing its first car in 1985 Proton has risen through the ranks of automotive manufacturing and has now exported cars to the UK, Western Europe, The Middle East, China, South East Asia, and Australasia. The company also has a tradition of motorsport, having won the Production Car World Rally Championship title in 2002 with the Proton PERT. Proton has also been the owner of Group Lotus since 1997: an iconic name from the past in motor racing.
In line with many other manufacturers Proton has now moved on to embrace the Super 2000 formula. Since making its competition debut at the end of last year, the Proton Satria Neo S2000 has marked itself out as a car to watch.
Marcello Lotti, the IRC’s General Manager, commented: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Proton into the IRC family, which goes from strength to strength. The new Satria Neo S2000 has already attracted a lot of praise in its short career to date. I have no doubt that Proton will quickly find success with competitive rally customers on IRC events, as well as on national and regional championships that are based on S2000 technical regulations."
Proton Managing Director, Datuk Syed Zainal, added "The IRC provides the ideal format for manufacturers to showcase their products around the world. We are very excited to register for the IRC this year, alongside many of the leading manufacturers in motorsport. Although we are still developing the Proton, the IRC will provide the perfect opportunity to gauge the competitiveness of the car, and ultimately to take the project forward."
The IRC is an intercontinental rally series authorised by the FIA, which got underway at the start of this year with the Monte Carlo Rally: the oldest and prestigious event in the history of the sport.
The second round of the series took place last week in Brazil, at the Rally Internacional de Curitiba.
For more information please contact:
* IRC: Anthony Peacock on media@ircseries.com or +44 (0) 7766 163 151
* Proton/ Mellors Elliott Motorsport (MEM): david@memuk.com

Proton is the latest manufacturer to join the IRC series

www.rally-irc.com

Peugeot UK driver Kris Meeke has won the all-gravel Curitiba Rally in Brazil, round two of the IRC series. The Irishman claimed all seven stages on the opening day of the rally and then controlled his advantage on the second day to end up with a 26.2 second margin over Peugeot Belgium’s Nicolas Vouilloz, who finished second.
Meeke and Vouilloz set exactly the same time on the final stage of the rally, before heading back for the podium ceremony at the Curitiba circuit, which was immediately followed by the qualifying session for the opening round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Before the session started, the winning car of Meeke completed a lap of the Curitiba circuit, bringing rallying and racing together in a unique way.
Vouilloz overhauled Abarth driver Giandomenico Basso on the final afternoon, who eventually finished third. The pair had been locked in a tight battle for the runner-up spot throughout the two days of the rally, with Vouilloz initially claiming an advantage before Basso passed him on the final stage of day one. This meant that the duo headed into the last day of the rally separated by just 0.3 seconds. When Basso stalled on the opening stage of the final afternoon, losing about 10 seconds, Vouilloz was able to make his move, which he defended to the end.
Peugeot Belgium’s Freddy Loix was fourth, to move into the championship lead by three points. From the beginning, Loix – who finished second in Monte Carlo – said that his objective was to claim the lead of the series in Brazil, so he was not pushing at his hardest. He also had the handicap of running first on the road throughout the opening day of the rally, which cost him a lot of time as he swept up loose gravel. Meeke also had to cope with this handicap during the second day of the rally, but it was not so bad during the afternoon when the morning stages were repeated.
Loix now leads the championship on a total of 13 points, ahead of Kris Meeke, Sebastien Ogier and Giandomenico Basso: who are all tied for second on 10 points. Nicolas Vouilloz is third in the standings with eight points.
In fifth place on the Curitiba Rally was Argentinean driver Alejandro Cancio, who put in an extremely strong performance at the wheel of his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. Cancio was consistently in the top-five stage times, even setting a third-fastest stage time at the end of leg one.
He beat local driver Rafael Tulio, who finished sixth overall and was also the top two-wheel drive runner in his Peugeot 206 S1600. Another Brazilian, Fiat driver Luis Tedesco, was second in the two-wheel drive category. Rounding off the points-scorers in Brazil was local man Marcos Tokarski, in his Peugeot 206.
The stunning Brazilian stages also led to some notable retirements, including Abarth’s Anton Alen. The Finn suffered some suspension damage after hitting a rock on SS3 and lost time, but worse was to follow on the second day of the event when he went too quickly into a corner and rolled out of the rally on SS9.
Other key retirements included former Production Car World Rally Championship star Marcos Ligato, who was forced to retire from sixth place on Friday after loose rubber from a front puncture damaged his Mitsubishi’s radiator. Saturday saw the retirement of Paraguayan driver Victor Galaeno (Mitsubishi) and the similar car of local hero Osvaldo Scheer.
IRC FINAL RESULTS AFTER SS13, RALLY INTERNACIONAL DE CURITIBA (BRAZIL)
1 Meeke/Nagle    Peugeot 207 S2000    2h08m05.7s
2 Vouilloz/Klinger    Peugeot 207 S2000    +26.2s
3 Basso/Dotta    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +47.9s
4 Loix/Smeets    Peugeot 207 S2000    +2m32.1s
5 Cancio/Garcia    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +5m20.0s
6 Tulio/Valandro    Peugeot 206 S1600    +19m04.0s
7 Tedesco/Furtado    Fiat Palio 1800    +20m53.0s
8 Tokarski/Gavieta    Peugeot 206 S1600    +21m48.8s
9 Valandro/Valandro    Volkswagen Gol    +32m24.7s
10 Fonseca/Cortes    Peugeot 206 S1600    +42m16.3s
Two-wheel drive winner: Rafael Tulio (Peugeot 206 S1600)
STANDINGS
Drivers
1 Loix 13     
2 Ogier 10
3 Meeke 10    
4 Basso 10    
5 Vouilloz 8
6 Sarrazin 6    
7 Kopecky 5
8 Cancio 4
9 Romeyer 3
10 Tulio 3
Manufacturers
1 Peugeot 36
2 Abarth 12
3 Mitsubishi 8
4 Skoda 5
QUOTES
"It’s been an absolutely amazing event for me; quite possibly the best rally that I’ve ever driven on in my life. We’ve had a really warm welcome from everybody here in Brazil and we all enjoyed driving on some fantastic stages. When everything comes together in the car, it all feels very natural. The car and the team has been brilliant from the very beginning, and we’ve had no real problems throughout the rally. Naturally Saturday was a little bit more difficult than Friday as we were running first on the road, but I think we were able to deal with that problem quite well."
-Kris Meeke, Peugeot UK driver
"We had a very exciting battle with Giandomenico on Saturday where we were pushing hard throughout the day. We made a special effort in the afternoon though and luckily it paid off. He was very quick and so was Kris, so I’m sure it’s going to be a very close season. I’ve really enjoyed driving on this rally and it’s a relief to bring home a good result after retiring in Monte Carlo, so I think this gives us a solid base now for the rest of the year."
-Nicolas Vouilloz, Peugeot Belgium driver
"I really liked this rally although of course I feel slightly disappointed that we were third rather than second. I had hoped for a little bit more but in the end it was very close, also because we made a mistake and stalled the engine on Saturday afternoon. However, it’s always good to be on the podium, particularly on a rally that is as challenging as this one. I’ve really enjoyed myself, and I’d like to thank the Brazilian rally fans for making us so welcome. I’m definitely looking forward to coming back here again."
-Giandomenico Basso, Abarth driver
NEXT EVENT
The next event on the IRC calendar is round three, the legendary Safari Rally, which takes place from April 3-4 in Kenya. The Safari Rally is based in the country’s capital, Nairobi, and takes in a wide variety of gravel roads through some spectacular scenery.

Peugeot UK driver Kris Meeke won the Rally Internacional de Curitiba: an event where rallying and racing came together in Brazil

www.rally-irc.com.

MEEKE WINS IN BRAZIL!
Peugeot UK driver Kris Meeke has won the all-gravel Curitiba Rally in Brazil, round two of the IRC series. The Irishman claimed all seven stages on the opening day of the rally and then controlled his advantage on the second day to end up with a 26.2 second margin over Peugeot Belgium’s Nicolas Vouilloz, who finished second.
"This is one of the best rallies I have ever experienced," said Meeke. "From start to finish, it was simply awesome. The stages are just incredible: so enjoyable to drive. I had a really good feeling with the car and the team and at the end of it we got the perfect result."
Vouilloz overhauled Abarth driver Giandomenico Basso on the final afternoon, who finished third. Peugeot Belgium’s Freddy Loix was fourth, to move into the championship lead.
Abarth driver Anton Alen retired on the second stage of day two after going off the road. The rally finish, at the Curitiba circuit in Brazil, was immediately followed by the qualifying session for the opening round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
Freddy Loix now leads the championship on a total of 13 points, ahead of Kris Meeke, Sebastien Ogier and Giandomenico Basso – who are all tied for second on 10 points. Nicolas Vouilloz is third in the standings with eight points.
Full report, results, and points to follow later.
IRC FINAL RESULTS AFTER SS13, RALLY INTERNACIONAL DE CURITIBA (BRAZIL)*
1 Meeke/Nagle    Peugeot 207 S2000    2h08m05.7s
2 Vouilloz/Klinger    Peugeot 207 S2000    +26.2s
3 Basso/Dotta    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +47.9s
4 Loix/Smeets    Peugeot 207 S2000    +2m32.1s
5 Cancio/Garcia    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +5m20.0s
6 Tulio/Valandro    Peugeot 206 S1600    +19m04.0s
*subject to final confirmation
Two-wheel drive leader: Rafael Tulio (Peugeot 206 S1600)

Irishman Kris Meeke’s Peugeot UK 207 S2000 won the Rally Internacional de Curitiba in style

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Peugeot UK driver Kris Meeke has claimed the lead after the opening day of the Curitiba Rally in Brazil, making a perfect start by winning all seven of the gravel special stages that were run as leg one. Meeke did not put a foot wrong from the very beginning, and he returns to parc ferme tonight at the Curitiba circuit – which also hosts the opening round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship this weekend – with a 48.6-second cushion over his nearest rival.
While the contest for the lead was clear cut, the battle for second place was much closer. On the final stage of the day, factory Abarth Grande Punto driver Giandomenico Basso got past the Peugeot Belgium 207 S2000 of Nicolas Vouilloz, concluding a battle that had lasted throughout the afternoon. Both drivers enjoyed a clean run throughout the day with no major problems, but in the end it was Basso who overhauled the reigning IRC champion, who had started the rally by taking the FIA WTCC title-holder Yvan Muller for a ride during the shakedown on Thursday morning.
Both Basso and Vouilloz were happy with their performances when it came to the competitive action today, and they are looking forward to resuming their epic battle over the six gravel stages that will make up the final day of the rally tomorrow. They will start tomorrow’s leg separated by just 0.3 seconds.
In fourth place at the end of day one was Argentinean driver Alejandro Cancio, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution for the Tango Rally Team. Cancio was extremely strong, setting times that were never out of the top six and concluding the day with a third-fastest time on the final stage of the day.
Peugeot Belgium’s Freddy Loix, who finished second on January’s opening round of the IRC in Monte Carlo, was first on the road today and so had the unenviable task of sweeping it clean for all the following competitors. He consquently lost a lot of time sliding on loose gravel and has ended up in a provisional fifth place overall, 18 seconds behind Cancio.
The Paraguayan Victor Galeano is sixth overnight, ahead of the top Brazilian driver who is Oswaldo Scheer, in a similar Mitsubishi. Another Brazilian, Paulo Nobre, rounds out the points-scoring places with eighth, also in a Mitsubishi.
The flat-out Brazilian gravel roads, with a hard and compacted surface, claimed a couple of high-profile victims today. Factory Abarth driver Anton Alen had an impact with a rock on a first gear corner towards the end of SS3, which punctured his rear-left tyre and also broke a suspension joint. The Finn – who had been running in a strong second place – was forced to make emergency repairs by the roadside, and then lost time driving slowly through the following stage. Once back at service, the Abarth mechanics restored the car to full health and Alen was able to continue at his previous pace, setting second-fastest time on the final stage of the day.
Argentinean driver Marcos Ligato, Cancio’s team mate in the Tango Rally Team and a well-established frontrunner in the Production Car World Rally Championship, was running in an excellent fifth place until SS4, when he picked up a puncture that he did not stop to change. Unfortunately the flailing rubber damaged his Mitsubishi’s radiator, and although he got to the end of the stage with not much time lost, the damage inflicted proved to be terminal.
The IRC 2WD Cup is led by local driver Rafael Tulio in a Peugeot 206 S1600. His compatriot Luis Tedesco is second, just over a minute behind in a Fiat Palio S1600. Another Brazilian, Peugeot’s Marcos Tokarski, is third in this hotly-contested category.
IRC RESULTS AFTER SS7, RALLY INTERNACIONAL DE CURITIBA (BRAZIL)
1 Meeke/Nagle    Peugeot 207 S2000    50m47.0s
2 Basso/Dotta    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +48.6s
3 Vouilloz/Klinger    Peugeot 207 S2000    +48.9s
4 Cancio/Garcia    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +1m03.6s
5 Loix/Smeets    Peugeot 207 S2000    +1m22.5s
6 Galeano/Fabiani    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +2m31.6s
7 Scheer/Rocha    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +5m36.6s
8 Nobre/Paula    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +7m03.6s
9 Tulio/Valandro    Peugeot 206 S1600    +8m22.2s
10 Alen/Alanne    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +9m32.9s
Two-wheel drive leader: Rafael Tulio (Peugeot 206 S1600)
QUOTES
"It’s been the perfect day for me. I’ve really enjoyed myself driving this car over these fantastic roads. I have to say that this is one of the best rallies I have ever driven on. It’s amazing how when you have a good feeling with the car, everything just comes easily. The contrast with Monte Carlo could not be greater: I think Monte Carlo was the most difficult rally I have ever done. Here, I’m feeling very confident. But tomorrow is sure to be a much more difficult day than today. I’m going to be first on the road and that means I’ll definitely lose time. It’s going to be hard to set fastest times tomorrow but if we can look after the margin that we have, then that’s obviously a great result. If it rains that should help us too, so I’m going to do a rain dance tonight!"
-Kris Meeke, Peugeot UK driver
"It’s been a good day, where we’ve had no problems, and it’s nice to end it with an exciting battle like we had with Nicolas this afternoon. I wasn’t so comfortable with the car on the first stage of the afternoon loop, but we were able to push progressively harder towards the end of it and set some good times. Tomorrow though I think will be a lot more tricky: the route is a lot more technical and also narrower, so there is a bigger risk of punctures and getting into trouble. So far we’ve managed to avoid that, so hopefully we can keep it this way tomorrow."
-Giandomenico Basso, Abarth driver
"Kris seems to have been in a league of his own today and unfortunately there’s not much we can do to compete with that but of course we have our own big battle with Giandomenico, which will continue tomorrow. I like the stages a lot but they are not so easy: it’s important to settle into a rhythm so that the car flows properly and that’s not so obvious. The stages tomorrow are quite different and it looks like the weather could be wet as well, so I think it’s going to be a very exciting finish to the rally."
-Nicolas Vouilloz, Peugeot Belgium driver
THE ROUTE TOMORROW
Saturday’s final day of action in Brazil sees the crews complete a total of six stages, making up 119.51 competitive kilometres. The day starts at 07:20, followed by a loop of three stages that includes the longest and most challenging stage of the rally, the 28.05-kilometre Bocaiuva test. The cars then return for a 20-minute service at the Curitiba circuit at 10:20.
This service halt is followed by three more stages. The cars will return to the Curitiba circuit for the finish at 14:05, which will be followed by the FIA WTCC qualifying session.
TV TIMES
Eurosport will broadcast highlights from the Curitiba Rally regularly, and video highlights can also be viewed on the official IRC website: www.rally-irc.com. To watch highlights from Brazil and the rest of year, please click on ‚watch video highlights‘. Alternatively, click on the flag of your preferred language in the Yahoo Eurosport box. All times listed below are Central European Times.
Friday 6 March
– 00h00 => 00h30     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport)
– 00h30 => 01h00     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport 2)
– 02h30 => 03h00     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Saturday 7 March
– 10h05 => 10h35     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport 2)
– 00h00 => 00h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport)
– 02h00 => 02h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 8 March
– 04h45 => 05h15     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 05h15 => 05h45     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 08h00 => 08h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport 2)
– 08h30 => 09h00     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport)
– 16h00 => 16h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Tuesday 10 March
– 23h30 => 24h00      Rally Highlights (Eurosport)
Wednesday 11 March
– 08h30 => 09h00      Rally Highlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 17h45 => 18h15      Rally Highlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 18h30 => 19h00      Rally Highlights (Eurosport 2)
Thursday 12 March
– 17h00 => 17h30      Rally Highlights (Eurosport 2)
Monday 16 March
– 21h00 => 21h30      Rally Highlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Thursday 19 March
– 03h30 => 04h00      Rally Highlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific) 

Kris Meeke was on dominant form to win all the stages on the opening day of the Curitiba Rally in his Peugeot UK 207 S200

www.rally-irc.com.

The reigning IRC champion, Nicolas Vouilloz, got the Rally Internacional de Curitiba off to an unusual beginning when he took the reigning FIA World Touring Car Champion, Nicolas Vouilloz, for a ride in his Peugeot 207 S2000 on the shakedown stage prior to the start of the event.
For the two French Champions, the short gravel stage on the outskirts of Curitiba was an interesting ride – although both admitted to feeling slightly nervous about the experience.
Muller, who has some experience of rally driving in the past and drove his Seat Leon TDi to victory on last year’s FIA WTCC, commented: "For any driver, it’s not easy to sit in the passenger seat, so I was a bit nervous to begin with. But in the end I was able to appreciate the experience, and I really like rally cars. It’s very hard though to compare the driving style with what we do on the circuit. For a start, on the shakedown stage I was in the right-hand seat, which is an unusual place for me to be. Secondly, there is a world of difference between driving on a rally stage on gravel and driving on a circuit on asphalt. But it was fun, and this experience has certainly re-awakened my enjoyment of rallying."
While gravel may be a comparatively new experience for Muller, he has plenty of knowledge of how to slide a competition car through corners, as he is a multiple ice racing champion. Nicolas Vouilloz’s background is slightly more unusual, as he came to rallying via downhill mountain bike racing, where he is a 10-time World Champion. Nonetheless, he said that driving the reigning World Touring Car Champion was a rare privilege.
"Yvan said before the start that he was a little bit apprehensive, which I understand completely as I would be exactly the same in a similar situation," explained Vouilloz. "So I made sure that I drove well within my limits, although we were still going at a good pace, because I wanted him to experience it properly. Actually it was quite strange for me, because normally even on the shakedown stage my co-driver, Nicolas Klinger, reads me pace notes but obviously on this occasion I did not have them. It meant that I had to really concentrate, but I hope that Yvan enjoyed it and that the experience hasn’t put him off rallying forever!"
Vouilloz now faces the first of 13 special stages on the Rally Internacional de Curitiba this morning, round two of the IRC, while Muller will embark on his title defence with the opening two FIA WTCC races on Sunday.

Two champions meet: Yvan Muller (left) enjoyed a ride with Nicolas Vouilloz on the shakedown stage before the Rally Internacional de Curitiba

www.rally-irc.com

RALLY INTERNACIONAL DE CURITIBA PREVIEW

THE CHALLENGE
The Intercontinental Rally Challenge will embrace a new concept with the Rally Internacional de Curitiba, which gets underway in Brazil on Friday. This event will be held at the same venue as the opening round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship – which is also promoted by Eurosport Events.
The rally runs around the city of Curitiba, to the south of Rio de Janeiro, with the service park based in the Curitiba International circuit, alongside the FIA World Touring Car Championship paddock. The special stages get underway on Friday morning and finish on Saturday lunchtime, just before qualifying for the World Touring Car races. With this innovative timetable, rallying and racing has come together in a way that has not yet been seen before. A number of activities are scheduled to take place before the rally that will see the racing drivers get close to their rallying counterparts and vice versa.
For the majority of the regular drivers, the Rally Internacional de Curitiba will also be a brand new event, marking the IRC’s first gravel round of the season and the first time that the series has visited South America. The roads contain a wide mixture of fast and flowing gravel stages, which will allow every crew to exploit the capabilities of their cars to the maximum. However, there are a number of traps to catch out the unwary, giving the local drivers a distinct advantage in terms of experience.
The weather in Brazil is another factor that is sure to play a part. At this time of year, weather conditions around Curitiba are expected to be uncertain, and rain has been forecast along with warm temperatures. This makes tyre choice a vital element of success, and with no previously established data to go on, crews will have to rely on both accurate information and a little bit of luck.
The first stage of the Curitiba Rally gets underway at 09:00 on Friday 6 March, after the cars leave parc ferme at the Curitiba circuit, located just outside the city centre. The competitors will contest seven stages on the opening day, with the last of those stages starting at 15:15. Day two, Saturday 7 March, will see the crews start off again at 09:00 to take in six more stages, including the most challenging stage of the rally – the 28 kilometres of Bocaiuva – which is run twice as SS8 and SS11. The final stage of the rally begins at 14:45, concluding the 234 competitive kilometres after a total of 13 tough special stages. The finish then takes place at the Curitiba circuit, just before the FIA World Touring Car qualifying session starts. For more information about the event, please visit the rally’s official website: www.rallydecuritiba.com.br.
THE COMPETITORS
The Rally Internacional de Curitiba will see five of the IRC’s regular stars battle it out against a strong contingent of local drivers, who know the terrain well and are strongly poised to spring a surprise. A total of 35 cars are scheduled to take the start.
The first car off the ramp is the Peugeot UK 207 S2000 of up-and-coming British star Kris Meeke. After setting a fastest stage time on the opening round of this year’s IRC series in Monte Carlo, Meeke proved himself to be capable of fighting for the podium until his impressive progress was halted by a big accident. Consequently, Meeke will have a new Peugeot prepared for him by Kronos Racing – which is actually the same car that Sebastien Ogier used to win the Monte Carlo Rally in January and Juho Hanninen used to triumph in Russia last year.
Two more Peugeots will be entered by Peugeot Belgium on the Curitiba Rally, for reigning IRC Champion Nicolas Vouilloz and last year’s runner-up, Freddy Loix. With Vouilloz failing to score in Monte Carlo following an off-road excursion, the Frenchman will be out to redress the balance in Brazil. Loix, who finished second in Monte Carlo, has stated by contrast that he will not be going all-out to take a win at any cost, as he can afford a certain safety margin.
The Abarth factory team will be represented by Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alen, both driving the Grande Punto S2000 The event is brand new to both drivers but 30 years ago Markku Alen – Anton’s famous father – contested and won the very first Rally do Brasil, in 1979 with a Fiat 131 Mirafiori. That event marked the last time that Fiat entered a rally in Brazil as a factory team, so some history will be recreated in Curitiba this weekend and both Abarth drivers are looking forward to the challenge, in order to reclaim the initiative in the manufacturers’ championship.
The regular IRC drivers will also face strong competition from some of the local crews in Mitsubishi Lancers. Oswaldo Scheer is set to be the top Brazilian, starting as car number 10 in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, but a star attraction is sure to be Argentinean driver Marcos Ligato, who was for many years a frontrunner in the Production Car World Rally Championship. Ligato will give the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 its IRC debut in Brazil, and the experienced Argentine is sure to be a top contender throughout both full days of action.
In the IRC 2WD Cup category, Peugeot currently trails Fiat by two points following the Monte Carlo Rally, but the French manufacturer has a chance to make up lost ground thanks to a strong entry in Brazil. Roberto Theodoro will drive a 1600cc-engined 206 for the Metsistem Rallye Team, Fabiano Botelho will pilot a similar car under the Senior Sistemas/Corpflex banner, while Luciano Fleck has been entered in another 1600cc 206, run by his own Fleck Motorsports team.
Fiat is represented in the IRC 2WD Cup by the Palios of Luis Tedesco and Marcelo Franco, while additional entries from Volkswagen and Honda mean that nearly all the IRC-registered manufacturers will be present in Brazil.
For the complete entry list, please visit the IRC website, www.rally-irc.com, or the Curitiba Rally website, www.rallydecuritiba.com.br.
THE EXPECTATIONS
“This kind of rally suits my driving style because the stages are quite fast with some crests and that’s what I like. I can see the rally being a bit like a sprint because the stages are quite short. But my target will be to take it steady. There are five Super 2000 cars competing and it’s important to be in one of the top places at the finish. I want to show that I can be quick but my last gravel event was in Russia last July where I finished fourth. Because I have not driven on gravel for a very long time it will take me some time to find a good rhythm and it’s important not to take too many risks.”
Freddy Loix, Peugeot Belgium driver.
“I’m looking forward to Brazil now. What happened in Monte Carlo, when I went off the road, was just down to my inexperience of these conditions. Brazil is going to be a level playing field and I’m sure we can get back on track there I’m very excited by both this rally and the whole IRC in general. It really hands drivers such as me a fantastic opportunity, and I’m absolutely delighted to be here. Nobody has any particular advantage in terms of experience here, so I think that will help me.”
Kris Meeke, Peugeot UK driver
“There’s a little bit of family history here as my dad won the rally back in 1979: before I was even born! But as for me, I’m not really so sure what to expect. I hear though that it is a very nice gravel rally with some quite quick places, so hopefully it should suit us well. We’ve done some testing in Italy and I think the car is in good shape, so I’m aiming for a good result here. We had a bit of a disappointing start to the season in Monaco, so we need to make up for it.”
Anton Alen, Abarth driver.
TV TIMES
A key feature of the IRC is high-quality television broadcasts. Coverage of the Monte Carlo on Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will be at the times listed below (all times are CET). There will also be video highlights on the internet allowing on-demand viewing. Simply click on www.rally-irc.com for a direct link to the heart of the rally action.
Friday 6 March
– 00h00 => 00h30     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport)
– 00h30 => 01h00     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport 2)
– 02h30 => 03h00     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Saturday 7 March
– 10h05 => 10h35     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport 2)
– 00h00 => 00h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport)
– 02h00 => 02h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 8 March
– 04h45 => 05h15     Highlights of Day 1 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 05h15 => 05h45     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 08h00 => 08h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport 2)
– 08h30 => 09h00     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport)
– 16h00 => 16h30     Highlights of Day 2 (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Tuesday 10 March
– 23h30 => 24h00      RallyHighlights (Eurosport)
Wednesday 11 March
– 08h30 => 09h00      RallyHighlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 17h45 => 18h15      RallyHighlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
– 18h30 => 19h00      RallyHighlights (Eurosport 2)
Thursday 12 March
– 17h00 => 17h30      RallyHighlights (Eurosport 2)
Monday 16 March
– 21h00 => 21h30      RallyHighlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Thursday 19 March
– 03h30 => 04h00      RallyHighlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)

The Rally Internacional de Curitiba, which gets underway on Friday, will see rallying and racing come together – as the venue also hosts the opening round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship

www.rally-irc.com

FOREIGN CREWS COULD END LOCAL DOMINANCE … AND ALL THE OTHER LATEST NEWS FROM THE IRC
The seven-year run of victories by Brazilian drivers on the Rally de Curitiba could come to an end when the event hosts the Intercontinental Rally Challenge for the first time next week.
Local hero Tino Vianna started the sequence in 2002 following a 10-year period of success for overseas pilots, including Argentines, Paraguayans and Uruguayans. But with the addition of 16 non-Brazilian drivers to the 36-car entry, it is possible that a foreign competitor could be victorious this year.
Aside from Europe-based IRC regulars like Abarth Grande Punto drivers Anton Alen and Giandomenico Basso, plus the Peugeot 207-mounted Kronos Racing trio of Freddy Loix, Kris Meeke and Nicolas Vouilloz, several South American runners are expected to challenge for victory.
They include Argentines Marcos Ligato and his Tango Rally Team team-mate Alejandro Cancio and Paraguayan ace Victor Galeano Tomboly, who was a participant in the inaugural Pirelli Star Driver Europe Shoot-Out in Austria last October.
But Kris Meeke, one of the likely frontrunners, has played down his chances. The British driver said: “I’ve never rallied in this part of the world before and there will be lots of other drivers who I know are capable of going very well.”
Oswaldo Scheer will carry Brazilian hopes at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer E9.
HANNINEN EXPECTS TO BE QUICK ON IRC RETURN
Juho Hanninen is confident he will be able to display the same level of pace he showed on the Monte Carlo Rally when he resumes his Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign with the factory Skoda team later this season.
The Finn and his Czech team have not included the Rally de Curitiba in Brazil next week on their six-event schedule. Although it remains unconfirmed, it’s likely they will resume their programme on the Sata Rally Acores on May 7-9, which represents a gap of more than three months since the Monte Carlo Rally.
On that event Hanninen, 27, set three fastest stage times and was leading until he picked up a puncture before ultimately crashing out as he fought to make up lost ground. But while his competitive mileage in the Skoda Fabia Super 2000 is limited, he is convinced that he can demonstrate a similar level of competitiveness when he tackles his next event.
“Yes it has been a long break but we will do some testing before the next event and I am quite sure we will still be very quick,” said Hanninen. “It’s not so good that our rivals are competing in Brazil and getting experience when we are not but the testing will keep me sharp and give the team a chance to work on the car.”
Hanninen, who won the IRC round in Russia last year on a one-off appearance in a Kronos Racing Peugeot 207, is confident he can win again this season.
“Monte Carlo was a very difficult rally but we showed we could be quick and I think this will continue on gravel,” Hanninen said. “Then we have some Tarmac rallies where my team-mate Jan Kopecky will be very fast so I think there will be some victories.”
SKODA BOSS CREDITS TEAM MEMBERS FOR PROMISING START
Skoda’s sporting head Michal Hrabanek has credited the efforts of his employees for the promising start the Czech Republic-based manufacturer has made in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season.
Team drivers Juho Hanninen and Jan Kopecky both set fastest stage times on the Monte Carlo Rally in January. Although Hanninen crashed out, Kopecky finished the event in fourth place to move Skoda to third position in the IRC manufacturers’ standings.
Hrabanek, who is responsible for running the 30-strong Skoda Motorsport team, said: “We entered the world of rally with the Fabia Super 2000 with no expectations because we had no comparisons with other competitors. But by working hard and having people in your team who are 100 per cent motivated and enthusiastic then you’ll meet success face to face.
“Monte Carlo has shown us there is still a lot of work waiting for us in the future. But we’re respecting the progress being made by our competitors and this gives us good motivation.”
Skoda has yet to confirm when its next appearance in the IRC will be although it’s likely the Sata Rally Acores in May will be next on its schedule of six events following an extensive testing programme.
PEUGEOT LOOKS SET SNATCH 2WD ADVANTAGE
Peugeot could move to the top of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2WD Manufacturers’ standings following next week’s Rally de Curitiba.
It trails Fiat by two points in the category following the Monte Carlo Rally in January. But with Peugeot the only car maker contesting the 2WD division in Brazil in the absence of current rivals Fiat and Volkswagen, the French company is set to gain an important advantage.
Roberto Theodoro will drive a 1600cc-engined 206 for the Metsistem Rallye Team, Fabiano Botelho will pilot a similar car under the Senior Sistemas/Corpflex banner, while Luciano Fleck has been entered in another 1600cc 206, run by his own Fleck Motorsports concern.
The 2WD Cup was introduced last season. Marco Cavigioli won the inaugural title for Fiat in a diesel-powered Punto. Fiat driver Manuel Villa, from Italy, leads the drivers’ standings after the opening round from Frenchman Guy Mottard (Peugeot) and Briton Nick West (Volkswagen). None of the four are competing in Brazil.
GARDEMEISTER STILL HOPEFUL OF IRC COMEBACK
Toni Gardemeister has vowed not to give up in his efforts to return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season.
Gardemeister was on course for a second place finish on the Monte Carlo Rally in January – his debut appearance in the IRC – only for his Abarth Grande Punto’s alternator to fail with two stages of the event remaining.
He had be working towards continuing his programme with the Astra Racing team on Rally de Curitiba in Brazil next week but a lack of sponsorship meant he had to abandon those plans.
“We wanted to be in Brazil but there was not the budget,” said the 33-year-old Gardemeister. “But I am not giving up and I will try to do some more events later in the season.”
He added: “The Azores Rally is a possibility and it is a rally I would like to try and do but, at the moment, I am not sure what will happen although I am working very hard to carry on. All I can say is that I want to be back in a car as soon as possible because it is important to keep the feeling and the confidence that you need for driving and to be fast.”
SCOTTISH DRIVERS TARGET ENTRY INCENTIVE
The top three in the final Scottish Rally Championship Group N standings will receive free entries for the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland, which brings the curtain down on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge on November 19-21.
Contested over eight events, the Scottish championship has nurtured several rallying talents, including the late Colin McRae and his brother Alister, who won the IRC’s pilot event in South Africa in May 2006.
After the opening round of the Scottish championship season, the Snowman Rally on February 14, Jock Armstrong, David Bogie and Rory Young occupy the top three positions in the Group N classification.
Bogie, who drives a Mitsubishi Lancer E9, is regarded as one of Scotland’s most promising rally talents. The 21-year-old will combine a season competing in the Scottish series with a campaign in the British championship. Based on his performances during his career so far, Bogie could be an outside contender for IRC points if he secures an entry for Rally of Scotland.
Details of the event are still being finalised by the organisers but the route is expected to use forests in the counties of Perthshire and Kinross and Stirlingshire. A campaign to recruit volunteer marshals has already begun.

Next week’s Rally Internacional de Curitiba is set to be extremely closely contested, with plenty of foreign drivers to challenge the local specialists

www.rally-irc.com.

KOPECKY TIPS VOUILLOZ TO WIN IN BRAZIL … AND ALL THE OTHER LATEST NEWS FROM THE IRC 
Jan Kopecky has tipped defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion, Nicolas Vouilloz, to win the next round of the series in Brazil on March 5-7.
Czech Republic star Kopecky will skip the Rally de Curitiba because it’s not part of his Skoda team’s six-event schedule. But he reckons Vouilloz, who failed to score on the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally last month when he broke his Peugeot 207’s suspension sliding into a ditch, will bounce back from that disappointment and claim all ten drivers‘ championship points in South America.
"He will be trying to do his best after Monte Carlo and I believe he will win this rally," said the 27-year-old Kopecky. "This guy is really amazing, very nice but also very, very fast."
Kopecky competed against Vouilloz on four rounds of the IRC in 2008 and beat him to third place on the Rally of Portugal last May.
"Not only is Nicolas a very good driver," Kopecky continued, "but he doesn’t make so many mistakes. Monte Carlo was the first rally where I had seen him go off. He’s very professional and will come back."
Vouilloz, who turned 33 earlier this month, will drive one of three Peugeot 207 Super 2000s prepared by the Belgian Kronos Racing squad in Brazil. He will be co-driven by fellow Frenchman Nicolas Klinger.
LIGATO TARGETS POINTS FOR MITSUBISHI
Mitsubishi’s chances of claiming a strong haul of manufacturers‘ points on the Rally de Curitiba have improved after rapid Argentine Marcos Ligato entered the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier next month.
The Japanese make is fourth in the standings after the Monte Carlo Rally but could move up to third in the table at the expense of the factory Skoda squad, which is missing the trip to South America.
Ligato, who was a regular in the Production Car World Rally Championship for ten seasons, won the event, when it was named the Graciosa Rally, in 2000. He will compete again this year albeit at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer E10, the Japanese firm’s latest generation rally car.
"Marcos has a good chance of challenging the IRC regulars," the event organisers said. "He has the experience of competing all over the world and he is familiar with this rally."
The 31-year-old will team-up with regular navigator Ruben Garcia, who has partnered him for most of his professional career, including the 2001 Safari Rally, when they placed seventh overall. The Safari Rally is the next event on the IRC schedule after Rally de Curitiba.
Mitsubishi will also be represented by Brazilian championship runner-up, Oswald Scheer, who will be competing in a Mitsubishi Lancer E9 alongside co-driver Gilson Rocha.
LOIX WILL TRADE OUTRIGHT PACE WITH CAUTION IN BRAZIL
Freddy Loix has admitted he won’t drive flat-out to win the Rally de Curitiba in Brazil next month.
The 38-year-old Peugeot 207 Super 2000 pilot finished second on the Monte Carlo Rally last month and could move to the top of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers‘ standings with a strong result in South America.
However, he has vowed to be cautious in order to ensure he reaches the finish of the event, which will appear on the IRC schedule for the first time this year.
"This kind of rally suits my driving style because the stages are quite fast with some crests and that’s what I like," Loix said. "I can see the rally being a bit like a sprint because the stages are quite short. But my target will be to take it steady. There are six Super 2000 cars competing and it’s important to be in one of the top places at the finish."
Loix said he will also be taking into account the fact he hasn’t contested a gravel event for eight months.
"I want to show that I can be quick but my last gravel event was in Russia last July where I finished fourth," the Belgian said. "Because I have not driven on gravel for a very long time it will take me some time to find a good rhythm and it’s important not to take too many risks."
TEAMS ARE GIVEN AN EARLY GLIMPSE OF THE CURITIBA STAGES
Crews competing on the Rally de Curitiba in Brazil on March 5-7 have been given a sneak preview of the stages that will make up the second round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
They have each been sent a DVD of on-board footage filmed from a car driving through the seven different venues.
Freddy Loix, who is second in the IRC standings following the first event of the season, January’s Monte Carlo Rally, said: "It looks like it’s going to be a nice rally. The stages are quite quick and from looking at the DVD there will be lots of crests."
Meanwhile, Kris Meeke, the British ace who will compete at the wheel of a Peugeot UK-backed 207 Super 2000, likened the roads to Italy’s round of the World Rally Championship. "They’re a bit like the roads in Sardinia, quite smooth and fast," he said.
Among the most demanding stages is the Bocaiuva test, which is 28 kilometres in length and features 400 curves on undulating roads. It is scheduled for the second day of the two-day rally.
The Rally de Curitiba will be made up of 13 special stages totalling more than 220 kilometres. The event is due to finish at the Autodromo Internacional de Curitiba, the city’s racing circuit, on Saturday March 7, one hour before the start of qualifying for the World Touring Car Championship round the following day.
FANS COME FIRST ON REVAMPED YPRES RALLY
Fans attending the Ypres Westhoek Rally in Belgium will be able to take advantage of several new initiatives when the Intercontinental Rally Challenge heads to the historic Belgian town from June 19-21.
Organisers are creating several spectator zones to provide improved viewing opportunities for members of the public on special selected special stages. They will also erect enhanced signage to give fans better guidance when travelling to the stages.
In addition, the amount of space available in the service area in the market square in Ypres will be extended, with the intention of giving more members of the public a chance to view the competing cars close-up while their teams are working on them.
The challenge for the competitors will be increased with several stages set to undergo modifications to make them more technical and even faster. The route could also a stage across over the border in France.
Rally manager Alain Penasse said: "The growing success of the IRC has attracted more manufacturers and sponsors to the Ypres Rally. If we combine this with our changes I am confident the 2009 event will be one of the best. It will be an event you will not want to miss and I am really looking forward to this challenge."

Reigning IRC champion Nicolas Vouilloz has been tipped as a potential winner of the Curitiba Rally

www.rally-irc.com.

HOPES HIGH FOR IRC’S BRAZILIAN DEBUT … AND ALL THE OTHER LATEST NEWS FROM THE IRC

 
Brazil’s first appearance in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge will be a big success according to one of the championship’s leading team bosses.
Marc van Dalen, the joint head of the Belgian team Kronos Racing, said that the IRC’s promoters deserve significant praise for the format of the Rally de Curitiba, the next round of the IRC from March 5-7.
After covering 234.65 kilometres of gravel stages, the event will culminate with a 23-kilometre special stage before the finishing ceremony at the Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba, the city’s racing circuit. The following day it hosts a round of the World Touring Car Championship, which is organised by Eurosport Events, the same company behind the IRC.
The revolutionary format of combining a rally and a circuit race has never been attempted before but it will give spectators a unique opportunity to see rally cars and touring cars in action at the same venue.
"It is a very good idea by the organisers and they should be congratulated for their efforts," said van Dalen. "It will be great for the spectators but also for the IRC because it will be seen by a new audience and that can only be good. I have seen a DVD of the stages and it looks like a very nice rally with some fast and smooth roads."
OGIER WANTS MORE IRC OUTINGS
Sebastien Ogier would like to compete on more rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2009.
The 25-year-old from France won the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally in a Peugeot 207 last month – his debut in the IRC and his first outing in a Super 2000 car – after being selected to drive the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team’s entry on the legendary event.
Ogier is contesting the World Rally Championship this season for the Citroën Junior Team but is keen to tackle as many rallies as possible as he looks to build his competitive experience.
"I liked the experience of the IRC very much and of course I would like to do some more rounds of the series," said Ogier, who won the Junior World Rally Championship title last season. "If I was offered a chance to do more IRC rallies then of course I would say ‚yes‘."
Meanwhile the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team will be back in action on the Ypres Westhoek Rally in Belgium in June when a panel of the country’s leading motorsport journalists will be called upon to select a driver to contest the challenging asphalt event.
ABARTH ENCOURAGED BY GRAVEL TESTS
The factory Abarth team has been testing the Grande Punto S2000 in preparation for the forthcoming gravel rounds of the IRC. All three works drivers – Giandomenico Basso, Anton Alen, and Luca Rossetti – spent time behind the wheel of the latest-specification Grande Punto on some gravel stages near Siena in Tuscany. The test aimed to develop some new running gear on the Grande Punto, and also to reacquaint the drivers with gravel, following the ice and snow of the Monte Carlo Rally.
Alen, who was set for a top-six finish in Monte Carlo before retiring on the final road section, said: "It’s good to get back to driving on gravel again: really fun. We know that the car has plenty of speed on gravel already, now we’re just trying to develop it a bit further and check a couple of new things. I don’t know quite what to expect on the Curitiba Rally as it’s a new experience for me, but I like the sound of it very much."
While Brazil is a new experience for both the IRC and Anton, his famous father Markku Alen previously competed in the country exactly 30 years ago – on the first Rally Internacional do Brasil in 1979.
SOUSA PLANS IRC CAMPAIGN
Bernardo Sousa could compete on as many as three rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season.
The 21-year-old has signed to drive for the Portuguese Sports & You team to contest the Production Car World Rally Championship (PCWRC) in an Abarth Grande Punto. He is also targeting a programme of additional events, including the IRC.
"I am looking at the Azores, plus one Tarmac event and maybe one more gravel event," Sousa said. "Madeira is a possibility but that is my home rally so there is always a big pressure on you to try to win your home event and that is not easy. The Rally Principe de Asturias in Spain could also be quite interesting but we will have to see."
Sousa said one of the attractions of the IRC was the regulation controlling the number of passes a driver can make of a stage during the reconnaissance. On PCWRC events, drivers are restricted to two passes only. On selected IRC events, they are allowed to drive through a stage up to four times.
"That could also be an advantage for me because my experience is not so high on some events," Sousa said.
Sousa also said he was keen to try an asphalt-based rally with his new Abarth Grande Punto: the PCWRC calendar is made up of snow or gravel events.
CAR SWAP REQUIRED FOR BRITISH STAR MEEKE
The Peugeot 207 Super 2000 used to win the Monte Carlo Rally last month will be in action on Rally de Curitiba in Brazil in March, even though Sebastien Ogier, the event winner, won’t be in action in South America.
Kronos Racing, the team responsible for overseeing the young Frenchman’s stunning victory on the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in January, shipped the car to Brazil earlier this week where Peugeot UK’s Kris Meeke will drive it.
Meeke’s original car suffered irreparable chassis damage in the roll that put the 29-year-old out of the event. With insufficient time to build a replacement, Meeke will transfer to Kronos-run BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team machine for the rallies in Brazil and the Azores, which aren’t part of the tyre firm’s schedule of rallies.
"It is no problem for Kris because all our cars are the same specification so it will be easy for him to change cars," said Kronos Racing team principal Marc van Dalen. "It may even provide him with some good luck because it is not only the car Ogier used in Monte Carlo but it is also the same car Juho Hanninen used to win Rally Russia last season."
In addition to a car for Meeke, Kronos will field additional entries in Brazil for Belgium’s Freddy Loix and defending IRC drivers‘ champion Nicolas Vouilloz, from France.

Abarth has been encouraged by some recent tests in preparation for the forthcoming gravel rounds of the IRC

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CURITIBA BOSSES PROMISE STUNNING RALLY
Crews contesting the Curitiba International Rally next month are being told to expect plenty of high-speed action. The event marks Brazil’s first appearance on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge calendar and will form the second round of the series from March 5-7.
Run as the Graciosa Rally for the last 29 years, the event has adopted a new title this season to reflect its rise in status after it was included on the IRC schedule for 2009.
"The drivers coming to Brazil will experience a very traditional rally but with different characteristics," said Marcos Marcola, the promoter of the Curitiba-based rally. "The stages will be very fast and will demand a lot from the drivers."
Marcola visited the IRC-opening Monte Carlo Rally last month. He said the trip was extremely worthwhile. "The organisation was impeccable," Marcola said. "It was a good experience and I am sure we will have a rally worthy of the worldwide status the IRC demands. The cars in the IRC are spectacular and our public will see some very impressive performances."
The event will include a ceremonial start in the centre of Curitiba on Thursday March 5 and will consist of a total competitive distance of 234.65 kilometres.
IRC IS GREAT FOR THE FANS, SAYS ACE GARDEMEISTER
Toni Gardemeister believes fans attending rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season will be treated to an ‚exciting‘ spectacle. Gardemeister made his debut in the series on the Monte Carlo Rally last month, the tenth time he had tackled the legendary event.
Although he retired from second place due to an electrical failure, the former World Rally Championship regular was full of praise for the format of the IRC.
"It is very interesting for the people on the stages because all the times are close and the positions are changing all of the time," he said. "You have to drive the Super 2000 cars on the limit to get the most out of them and that means it is easier to make small mistakes. There are very chances for drivers in the WRC but in the IRC it is cheaper and there seems to be more opportunities."
The 33-year-old from Finland is hoping to return to the IRC this year and has confirmed he is in discussions with the Italian Astra Racing team about driving its Abarth Grande Punto on selected events, including the next round in Brazil in March.
Astra Racing team boss Luca Pregliasco commented: "We’ve still got some hurdles to overcome, but we’re racing against time to get Toni out to the next round in Brazil. He did a great job for us again, as we expected, in Monte Carlo. He’s simply one of the world’s top drivers."
WITTMANN JR CONFIDENT OF STRONG IRC CAMPAIGN
Franz Wittmann Jr believes his performances in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge can only improve this season following his debut on the Monte Carlo Rally last month.
Despite being forced to retire when his Mitsubishi Lancer E9 developed an engine fault on the final leg, the Austrian was satisfied with his efforts after running in ninth overall before he stopped.
"We didn’t have the luck this time," Wittmann Jr said. "Nevertheless we learned a lot during this rally, gained international recognition and can be confident that we can keep up with our rivals on the next rallies with a similar performance."
Wittmann Jr is contesting six further IRC rounds this season in his Interwetten Racing Lancer, which is being run by Manfred Stohl’s eponymous team. His next event is the IRC’s inaugural visit to the Portuguese Azores islands for the gravel-based Sata Rally Acores from May 7-9.
Stohl, a former podium finisher in the World Rally Championship, praised his driver’s showing on the Monte Carlo Rally.
"In my opinion Franz has already graduated to the international stage with this performance," said Stohl. "Monte Carlo was a very difficult rally with a lot of snow and extremely difficult conditions. He did very well."
HANNINEN EXCITED BY PROSPECT OF DRIVING SKODA ON GRAVEL
Factory Skoda pilot Juho Hanninen has revealed he is relishing the prospect of driving his Fabia Super 2000 on gravel. But he’ll have to wait for a couple of months after team officials confirmed it was highly unlikely that the Czech Republic-based team would enter round two of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in Brazil next month.
Skoda is contesting a selected programme of rallies this season and the Sata Rally Acores, which runs from May 7-9, is likely to be the next event on the manufacturer’s schedule. It came close to winning last month’s Monte Carlo Rally, the first event for the new Fabia challenger.
"I feel a bit more confident on gravel, so I was very surprised at how quick we could be in Monte," said Hanninen. "To be honest I really wasn’t expecting that. So I’m very excited to go onto gravel now to see what we can do. If we have a good feeling straight away, then I think we are in a strong position.
"The car is already very good, but I’ve seen already how tricky it will be this year on the IRC. There are a lot of good drivers and the competition is very close. As a driver that is a lot of fun, but of course it makes it very hard. But the level of preparation of the Skoda is extremely impressive and the team works well."

Mitsubishi driver Franz Wittman Jr (pictured) was encouraged by a strong performance on the Monte Carlo Rally

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SEVEN MILLION VIEWERS WATCH SEASON-OPENER ON EUROSPORT
A cumulative reach of seven million different viewers watched Eurosport’s coverage of the 77th Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
Over the three days of competition, a total of seven stages were shown live, including uninterrupted coverage from the last four stages, which featured two passes of the legendary Col de Turini, which was a first in the history of rallying.
Geraldine Filiol, managing director of Eurosport Events, commented: "We are delighted that over seven million television viewers caught up with the live action on Eurosport, in addition to the many thousands of fans who joined the action on-site. These unprecedented figures reinforce the appeal of the IRC to a global television audience. I’d like to thank the Automobile Club de Monaco for a great partnership, enabling such a historic operation. We look forward to continuing our development and innovative approach over the rest of the season."
BFGOODRICH DELIGHTED BY DRIVERS TEAM VICTORY
Frederic Henry-Biabaud, the competition director of tyre firm BFGoodrich, believes the company’s investment in the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team programme has been vindicated following Sebastien Ogier’s victory on the Monte Carlo Rally last week.
A panel of 16 French journalists selected Ogier from a short-list of five drivers, who had been whittled down from 75 applications received from French and Monegasque pilots.
This is the second season BFGoodrich has supported the scheme and Henry-Biabaud said he was very satisfied following Ogier’s win at the wheel of a Kronos Racing-prepared Peugeot 207.
"This result says so much for the magic of the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team operation," he said. "Sébastien Ogier ended up winning the most famous rally of them all. Opportunities rarely get more magical than that."
"Barely two weeks ago, Sebastien’s hopes of taking part in the Monte were little more than a dream. However, after receiving the majority of the votes cast by a panel of 16 French journalists in Paris earlier this month, he has gone on to win this extraordinary rally at his first attempt."
"Today’s win is a tremendous success for the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team programme which is really proving to be the human adventure we intended it to be when it was introduced. The scheme’s sixth outing since its launch at the beginning of 2008 has provided us with just the result we had been hoping for: outright victory."
The next event on the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team schedule will be the Belgium Ypres Westhoek Rally from June 19-20.
HANNINEN OPTIMISTIC AFTER STRONG MONTE CARLO DEBUT
Juho Hanninen believes Skoda’s Fabia Super 2000 can only improve following its impressive debut on the Monte Carlo Rally last week.
The Czech manufacturer is embarking on a six-event programme of Intercontinental Rally Challenge events this season and came close to winning on its first appearance in the series on the challenging rally.
Finnish driver Hanninen had opened up a lead of more than 90 seconds on the opening day but was slowed by a puncture before he crashed out in his efforts to make up for lost time. His team-mate Jan Kopecky finished fourth after being slowed by a power-steering failure on the opening day.
"Everything was going my way until Friday morning," the 27-year-old said. "I was surprised how fast I was able to go but the technicians did an excellent job and the car was working perfectly. Our tyre choices were very good, too, mainly thanks to my safety crew, who gave me very good information.
"I am sorry to have been too fast when I had my accident. I simply pushed too hard, as I wanted to make up for the one minute I lost when I had my puncture. It’s a pity because the team has done a fantastic job here. However, a lot of hard work is still ahead of us but I believe that the car’s future results will be very good and that this event has shown its great potential."
Hanninen added the close competition in the IRC would make it hard for his Skoda team to establish itself its first season running the Fabia Super 2000.
MEEKE AND PEUGEOT UK CONFIRM BRAZIL
Despite Kris Meeke’s Kronos Racing-run Peugeot being badly damaged in a crash that ended his Monte Carlo Rally prematurely on the final day, the Peugeot UK driver has said that his participation on the next round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Rally Internacional de Curitiba in Brazil, is not in any doubt.
"The decision has not been taken as to whether my car can be fixed but we’ve got some contingency plans in place to use another car if we need to," Meeke said. "But there won’t be a problem."
The Irishman described the crash that forced him to retire from the Monte Carlo Rally last week as the biggest accident of his career. Meeke was in fourth position on the final leg of the event when he left the road in his Peugeot UK-backed 207 after it skidded on melting snow. The car then struck a bridge support and rolled five times. Thanks to the advanced safety systems built into the car, the crew escaped without injury.
"I’m looking forward to Brazil now," he added. "What happened in Monte Carlo was just down to my inexperience of these conditions. Brazil is going to be a level playing field and I’m sure we can get back on track there."
For further details of the Rally Internacional de Curitiba, please visit the event’s official website: www.rallydecuritiba.com.br
ALEN’S RECORD INTACT AFTER OGIER’S WIN
Anton Alen is still the youngest driver to have won a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, despite the emerging Sebastien Ogier taking victory on the Monte Carlo Rally last week.
Factory Abarth Grande Punto driver Alen was 24 years and 41 days when he won the inaugural Rally Russia in July 2007. Ogier, who claimed the Junior World Rally Championship title in 2008, had turned 25 the month prior to his stunning victory on the snowy event.
While Ogier celebrated his debut IRC win in Monte Carlo, Alen’s hopes of top-six finish were dashed on the liaison section heading to the finish in the Principality when his car’s clutch failed. He had completed the final stage in sixth position overall.
"It was extremely disappointing to end my first Monte Carlo Rally in that way," said Alen. "Hopefully we will have better success on the next rally in Brazil. It is a new experience for everybody and traditionally gravel is the surface I like best."
It wasn’t all bad news for Alen, however. His friend, the Ferrari Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen, drove an Abarth Grande Punto S2000 to 13th place on the Arctic Lapland Rally, a former IRC Supporter Event, in Finland, his debut rally, last Saturday.

The Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the IRC last week, was a huge success that attracted seven million television viewers

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MORE THAN SEVEN MILLION* DIFFERENT VIEWERS WATCHED SEASON-OPENER ON EUROSPORT
Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge is delighted to announce outstanding viewing figures from the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the 2009 IRC series.
A cumulative reach of seven million* different viewers tuned in to Eurosport to watch the 77th Monte Carlo Rally, which was broadcast on a live basis from the stages – a first in the history of rallying.
Over the three days of the competition, a total of seven stages were shown live, including uninterrupted coverage from the last four stages, the legendary "Col de Turini" night tests.
In order to deliver this highly challenging live TV production, Eurosport Events used 10 on-board cameras and several fixed on-site cameras as well as one on a helicopter overflying the route. These multiple camera signals were relayed live through a combination of light aircraft and satellite.
In total, more than six hours of coverage were broadcast on both Eurosport and Eurosport 2 throughout the Monte Carlo Rally, which is well-known as the oldest and most prestigious rally in the history of the sport.
Géraldine Filiol, Managing Director of Eurosport Events, commented: "We are very happy with our landmark live coverage of this epic event, which marks a world premiere in the way that the sport of rallying is broadcast. We are also delighted that over seven million television viewers caught up with the live action on Eurosport, in addition to the many thousands of fans who joined the action on-site. These unprecedented figures reinforce the appeal of the IRC to a global television audience. It also confirms the value of the IRC, which intends to bring rallying closer to the fans through innovative and dynamic television coverage. I’d like to thank the Automobile Club de Monaco for a great partnership, enabling such a historic operation. We look forward to continuing our development and innovative approach over the rest of the season."  
The IRC will continue to break new ground by visiting South America for the first time, as the second round of the series will take place in Brazil with the Rally Internacional de Curitiba from March 5 to 7. This event will run alongside Brazil’s World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) round, held at the same venue and also promoted by Eurosport Events.  
*source: AGF/GFK, SKO, BARB, TNS Global, MMS,  AGB Nielsen Media Research, TNS Gallup, ARMA/GFK Romania

Sebastien Ogier claimed the win of a highly-successful Monte Carlo Rally, watched by more than seven million television viewers

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Reigning Junior World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier has won the 77th Monte Carlo Rally for the BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team: the first time that the programme – which chooses a different local driver from the five rounds of the IRC on which it operates – has resulted in a rally winner.
Peugeot Belgium’s Freddy Loix – the runner-up on last year’s IRC series – got his 2009 campaign off to a solid start by finishing in a fault-free second on the Monte Carlo Rally, ahead of the Peugeot Total 207 S2000 entry driven by Le Mans star Stephane Sarrazin. Thanks to a magical atmosphere, challenging stages and typical weather, this year’s Monte Carlo Rally well and truly lived up to its reputation as the oldest and most prestigious event in the sport.
Despite having no experience of Super 2000 machinery prior to a short test before his very first Monte Carlo Rally, Ogier took the lead at the end of the second day following a puncture for former rally leader Juho Hanninen. The Finn gave Skoda’s new Fabia S2000 a spectacular IRC competition debut by claiming the lead on the opening morning, which he extended to more than a minute and a half before SS9: the final stage of day two. Hanninen then picked up a front puncture just five kilometres into the stage but chose to drive to the end, losing two minutes and dropping to third. He was confident that he could make the time back up, but crashed out on the very first corner of SS10: the first stage of Friday.
The same stage also claimed Irishman Kris Meeke, making his IRC debut along with Peugeot UK. Having set fastest time on SS3, the Irishman dropped around a minute on the second day with a puncture sustained after hitting a hole. On Friday morning though he lost control of his 207 S2000 after it slid onto a patch of slush. The car left the road in fifth gear and rolled five times, demolishing part of a bridge, but both Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle emerged uninjured. A dramatic early retirement was that of Peugeot Belgium driver and reigning IRC champion Nicolas Vouilloz, who broke a steering arm on SS7 after a small impact.
As always, tyre choice was the key to the Monte Carlo Rally. With most stages containing a very wide variety of conditions it was normally a question of just finding the best compromise. One of the best examples was the final four stages through the Col de Turini this evening, which formed a dramatical climax to the 77th Monte Carlo Rally. Peugeot driver Stephane Sarrazin, who ran as high as second overall on the opening day, lost more than five minutes with an off on SS4: the opening stage of Thursday. Nonetheless, he steadily recovered throughout the remainder of the event to climb up the order.
The Frenchman gambled on his choice of tyres for the first loop of Col de Turini stages, selecting normal rain tyres instead of the snow tyres favoured by most people. This enabled him to claim third place by just one second from the other factory Skoda of Jan Kopecky, which performed strongly despite intermittent power steering problems. A storming run on the penultimate stage of the rally enabled him to claim fastest time by half a minute from Kopecky and seal his podium place. World rally star Toni Gardemeister – who has twice finished second in Monte Carlo – was set for second place until the alternator broke on his privateer Abarth Grande Punto with only three stages to go.
The factory Abarth team of Giandomenico Basso, Anton Alen and Luca Rossetti suffered mixed fortunes. Rossetti was out on the very first stage after sliding into a snowbank. The same fate awaited the 1994 World Rally Champion Didier Auriol, who put his privateer Peugeot off within metres of Rossetti.
The IRC 2WD Cup was comfortably won by Fiat Punto S1600 driver Manuel Villa. Full end of leg report and driver quotes to follow tomorrow. 

IRC RESULTS AFTER SS14, MONTE CARLO RALLY (MONACO)*
1Ogier/Ingrassia (Peugeot 207 S2000)     4h40m45.7s
2 Loix/Smets (Peugeot 207 S2000)     +1m43.6s
3 Sarrazin/Renucci (Peugeot 207 S2000)     +2m21.6s
4 Kopecky/Stary (Skoda Fabia S2000)     +3m17.3s
5 Basso/Dotta (Abarth Grande Punto S2000)     +4m28.0s
6 Alen/Alanne (Abarth Grande Punto S2000)    +10m49.7s
7 Romeyer/Fournel (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9)     +20m30.0s
8 Burri/Gordon (Abarth Grande Punto S2000)     +21m23.0s
9 Artru/Virieux (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9)    +9m51.4s
10 Cavallini/Zanella (Peugeot 207 S2000)     +28m44.2s
Two-wheel drive winner: Manuel Villa (Fiat Punto S1600)
*All results subject to final confirmation.
STANDINGS
Drivers
1 Ogier 10    
2 Loix 8
3 Sarrazin 6    
4 Kopecky 5    
5 Basso 4
6 Alen 3    
7 Romeyer 2
8 Burri 1
Manufacturers
1 Peugeot 18
2 Abarth 7
3 Skoda 5
4 Mitsubishi 2

Ogier claimed a spectacular debut IRC win in Monte Carlo: the oldest and most prestigious rally of them all

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