DEBUT IRC JOY FOR SORDO AND MINI IN CORSICA

IRC-Corsica-day-three-podium

*ŠKODA extends lead in race for IRC manufacturers‘ crown

*Wins for Subaru and Renault in support categories

Dani Sordo has claimed victory on Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse, round four of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, following a faultless performance in a MINI John Cooper Works S2000 on his debut in the all-action series.

Jan Kopecký beat Corsican hero Pierre Campana in a thrilling battle for second place that raged up until the end of the final stage, one of four shown live on Eurosport. With MINI not registered for IRC manufacturer points, Kopecký’s effort means ŠKODA extends its lead in the battle for makes’ points, while fifth place for Andreas Mikkelsen ensures the Norwegian continues to top the drivers’ standings after four action-packed rounds.

Kopecký also secures the prestigious Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy, awarded to the driver who best embodies the spirit of the rallying legend on each round of the IRC. The Czech was fastest on five of Saturday’s six stages based north of Bastia.

Elsewhere, Subaru’s Andreas Aigner marked his return to international competition with victory in the IRC Production Cup. There was a first win in the IRC 2WD Cup for local driver Petru Antone Boschetti, who excelled in his Renault Clio.

While Sordo’s success was aided when rivals Giandomenico Basso and Mikkelsen both hit trouble earlier in the rally, the Spaniard admitted maintaining his advantage on the tricky Corsican stages was by no means a foregone conclusion.

“I’m really happy to win this rally but it was really hard,” said Sordo. “The competition was very strong and even though I was leading I had to keep pushing to keep the concentration up and not make any mistakes. I really like this IRC series; it’s competitive and is at a high level. And my MINI is also a very, very good car.”

Kopecký began day three leading Campana by 4.4s but a sluggish run through stage 11, which he put down to a lack of confidence in his pacenotes, enabled Campana to power ahead. But the Peugeot driver couldn’t maintain the place and slipped back with two stages remaining. Kopecký has now made it three podiums out of three starts in this year’s IRC. “I must say I made two mistakes on this rally but to finish second in the end is a good result,” he said.

Behind Campana, Bryan Bouffier overcame illness and car-handling issues to finish a strong fourth overall on his first start in the IRC since SATA Rallye Açores in February. He could have challenged for a podium but for a spin on Saturday’s opener and a problem with his pacenotes on the next run.

Defending IRC champion Mikkelsen completed a frustrating event in fifth position, his chances of a first IRC win on asphalt evaporating when he went off the road early on day two while leading. Unable to get back into the podium fight due to the excessive time loss, Mikkelsen spent the final day experimenting with various set-up options in readiness for the remainder of the IRC season.

Craig Breen’s rapid recovery from the delay he suffered with a broken driveshaft on day one netted sixth overall for Saintéloc Racing. Jean Marc Manzagol took seventh on a rare outing, while ŠKODA Auto Deutschland’s Sepp Wiegand built on his encouraging start to his IRC campaign with a points finish for the fourth event in a row in eighth place. Red Bull Team’s Hermann Gassner Jr overcame a puncture on day one to demote Jean-Mathieu Leandri to 10th on the final stage.

French rising star Mathieu Arzeno had been fifth prior to Friday’s closing test only for a differential fault and a puncture to drop him down the order. He finished 11th on the back of several strong stage times. Marty McCormack’s competitive debut in a Super 2000 car netted 17th overall after the Northern Irishman lost ground when he picked up two punctures on the same stage on Friday in his Petter Solberg Engineering Fiesta. Oleksii Tamrazov failed to make it to first service within the time limit due to a crank sensor failure on his Dream Team Ukraine Fiesta. Rashid Al-Ketbi finished 22nd in his Skydive Dubai-backed Fabia.

IRC Production Cup

Subaru driver Andreas Aigner marked his return to international competition with victory in the IRC Production Cup. The Stohl Racing driver led from start to finish and, apart from a minor gear lever issue on Friday, nothing troubled the Austrian who underlined his potential with a stirring display. Toshi Arai finished second in a Tommi Mäkinen Racing Impreza with rallying legend François Delecour completing the podium on his debut in the category in a Renault Mégane RS after Jarkko Nikara dropped out with a gearbox fault following stage nine.

IRC 2WD Cup

With pre-event favourites Pierre-Antoine Guglielmi and Emmanuel Guigou both failing to go the distance it was left to Petru Antone Boschetti to claim top honours in the IRC 2WD Cup in his Renault Clio R3. François Delecour added to his success in the IRC Production Cup with second in the two-wheel-drive division. Former category champion Harry Hunt secured his first podium of 2012 in style having lost ground on day one with a fuel pump glitch and a puncture on day two.

TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY THREE

1 Dani Sordo (ESP)/Carlos del Barrio (ESP) MINI John Cooper Works S2000 3h22m01.6s

2 Jan Kopecký (CZE)/Pavel Dresler (CZE) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +17.9s

3 Pierre Campana (FRA)/Sabrina de Castelli (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000 +32.4s

4 Bryan Bouffier (FRA)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000 +53.5s

5 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Fløene (NOR) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +4m19.0s

6 Craig Breen (IRL)/Gareth Roberts (GBR) Peugeot 207 S2000 +5m28.7s

7 Jean-Marc Manzagol (FRA)/Etienne Patrone (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000 +6m22.1s

8 Sepp Wiegand (GER)/Timo Gottschalk (GER) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +6m54.8s

9 Hermann Gassner Jr (GER)/Klaus Wicha (GER) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +7m10.2s

10 Jean-Mathieu Leandri (FRA)/Pierre-Marien Leonardi (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000 +7m39.9s

IRC Production Cup: Andreas Aigner (AUT)/Daniela Ertl (AUT) Subaru Impreza R4 STI

IRC 2WD Cup: Petru-Antone Boschetti (FRA)/Benoît Manzo (FRA) Renault Clio R3

IRC STANDINGS (BEST OF EIGHT SCORES COUNT)

IRC drivers after round four of 13

1 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) 71pts

2 Jan Kopecký (Czech Republic) 58pts
3 Juho Hänninen (Finland) 43pts

4 Sepp Wiegand (Germany) 34pts

5 Bryan Bouffier (France) 27pts

6 Dani Sordo (Spain) 25pts

7 Craig Breen (Ireland) 18pts

8 Pierre Campana (France) 15pts

= Luis Monzón (Spain) 15pts
10 Mathieu Arzeno (France) 12pts

= Hermann Gassner Jr (Germany) 12pts

IRC manufacturers after round four of 13

1 ŠKODA 166pts

2 Peugeot 102pts

3 Renault 37pts

4 Subaru 12pts

5 M-Sport 24pts

6 Honda 18pts

Go to www.ircseries.com for full standings, including IRC Production Cup and IRC 2WD Cup.

RALLY LEADERS

SS1-2: Giandomenico Basso

SS3-4: Andreas Mikkelsen

SS5-14: Dani Sordo

STAGE WINNERS

Day one (Thursday 10 May):

SS1: Pénitencier Coti-Agosta plage (25.89kms): Basso/IRC PC: Aigner/IRC 2WD Cup: Guigou/Guglielmi

SS2: Gare de Carbuccia-Tavera (16.89kms): Sordo and Mikkelsen/Aigner/Guigou

SS3: Sarrola-Plage de Liamone (26.70kms): Campana/Aigner/Guglielmi

Day two (Friday 11 May):

SS4: Le Fangu-ND de la Serra (27.53kms): Mikkelsen/Aigner/Guigou

SS5: Erbajolo-Pont d’Altiani 1 (24.57kms): Bouffier/Guigou/Guglielmi
SS6: Barchetta-La Porta (23.24kms): Sordo/Aigner/Cancelled for IRC 2WD Cup

SS7: Taverna-Pont de Castirla (15.28kms): Sordo/Aigner/Hunt

SS8: Erbajolo-Pont d’Altiani 2 (24.57kms): Kopecký/Cancelled for IRC Production Cup/IRC 2WD Cup

Day three (Saturday 12 May):

SS9: Macinaggio-Centuri 1 (15.56kms): Kopecký/Aigner/Delecour

SS10: Marinca-Cagnano 1 (28.96kms): Campana/Aigner/Boschetti

SS11: Macinaggio-Centuri 2 (15.56kms): Kopecký/Aigner/Delecour

SS12: Marinca-Cagnano 2 (28.96kms): Kopecký/Aigner/Hunt

SS13: Macinaggio-Centuri 3 (15.56kms): Kopecký/Aigner/Delecour

SS14: Marinca-Cagnano 3 (28.96kms): Kopecký/Aigner/Boschetti

KEY STATISTICS

IRC rally wins in 2012 (drivers)

Juho Hänninen: 1

Jan Kopecký: 1

Andreas Mikkelsen: 1

Dani Sordo: 1

IRC rally wins in 2012 (manufacturers)

ŠKODA: 3

MINI: 1 (note: MINI is not currently eligible for IRC manufacturers’ points)

IRC stage wins in 2012 (drivers)

Andreas Mikkelsen: 24

Jan Kopecký: 15

Juho Hänninen: 11

Stage wins in 2012 (manufacturers)

ŠKODA: 50

MINI: 3

Peugeot: 3

M-Sport Ford: 1

TV TIMES

Go to www.ircseries.com for more information.

NEXT EVENT

Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia, 14-16 June 2012

IRC JOY FOR HANNINEN IN CIRCUIT OF IRELAND SPECTACULAR

thumb-IRC-Circuit-of-Ireland-podium

*Finn heads ŠKODA podium monopoly as Peugeot young guns impress

*Colin McRae Flat Out Trophy goes to IRC 2WD Cup winner McCormack

Juho Hänninen made history today when he became the first driver to win the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally to count as a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

In doing so, the ŠKODA Motorsport ace clinched his ninth victory in the series and his first IRC triumph of 2012. He also follows in the wheel tracks of his fellow Finn Pentti Airikkala as only the second overseas winner of the asphalt event.

Hänninen, who is co-driven by Mikko Markkula, started day two locked in a close fight with ŠKODA UK’s defending IRC champion Andreas Mikkelsen. They traded stage times – and positions – throughout the day and began the final loop of four stages with Hänninen leading by 2.3s.

Pushing to close the gap to Hänninen, Mikkelsen got caught out in rain on the Lisburn town centre stage and slid into a hay bale. He inflicted damage to the side of his Fabia S2000, but also banged his head and was left dazed, ending his hopes of his first victory on Tarmac in the IRC for the second event in succession. He was able to recover to the runner-up spot, more than 40s behind Hänninen.

Northern Ireland’s Garry Jennings won the IRC Production Cup with countryman Marty McCormack clinching the IRC 2WD Cup spoils and the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy following a determined drive amid a host of setbacks. Renault heads the IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers’ table for the first time.

Speaking at the finish in Armagh on Saturday evening, Hanninen, who becomes the third different winner in as many rounds in this year’s IRC, said: “It was one of my toughest victories but also one of my most enjoyable because all the time I was fighting, fighting with Andreas. We had to push on every stage but in the end it was he who was unlucky and not me because I think it was about luck on this rally because the changing weather conditons were very difficult and it was easy to get caught out.”

Mikkelsen had fought back into contention following an overshoot on stage eight only to hit trouble on the first run through the Lisburn test. He said: “It’s disappointing because it was a great fight and this is a rally I wanted to win. But we have made a good start to the season by leading the IRC championship with one win and two second places, so for this reason we have to be happy.”

Having worked his way into a secure third position, Jan Kopecký spent day two consolidating the final podium spot in the second factory Fabia to ensure a one-two-three finish for ŠKODA, which extends its lead of the IRC manufacturers’ standings. The Czech, who won the previous round in Gran Canaria, was fastest on the Titanic Super Special Stage in Belfast on Friday but was unable to replicate that form thereafter. His task wasn’t helped when co-driver Pavel Dresler fell ill.

Mathieu Arzeno shone on his first appearance in Northern Ireland by guiding his Saintéloc Peugeot 207 Super 2000 to the finish in fourth position. “I was here to learn and to take the experience,” said the French driver. “It was not an easy rally to come to for the first time but I’m happy with my performance.”

Craig Breen won the battle to be the top Irish finisher by overhauling Robert Barrable for fifth position on stage 11. Breen was competing in a Saintéloc Peugeot for the first time and spent much of Saturday experimenting with different set-ups having dropped out of contention when he picked up 1m30s in road penalties following a fuel pump glitch on Friday evening.

ŠKODA Ireland driver Barrable said a mistake on Saturday’s first test, when he charged through a fence into a farmer’s field and stalled his car’s engine, hadn’t helped his efforts to keep Breen behind.

Alastair Fisher began day two in contention for a podium finish but a crash seven corners from the start of Saturday’s second stage left his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 with a broken wheel and forced his retirement. The Northern Irishman, who plans to return to the IRC on June’s GEKO Ypres Rally, was fourth overall at the time of his exit.

After losing time with a puncture on Friday, Sepp Wiegand lost precious seconds when he braked too late for a corner on stage nine and crashed through a fence, damaging the windscreen of his ŠKODA Auto Deutschland Fabia. Nevertheless, it was another impressive performance by the inexperienced German driver, who has now scored IRC points on every round run so far this season by taking seventh.

IRC Production Cup

Garry Jennings maintained his overnight advantage to win the IRC Production Cup in his Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer in eighth overall despite nursing a badly burnt hand, which he sustained by accidentally touching a hot car exhaust. Donagh Kelly snatched second place by overhauling Sam Moffett on the final stage. Moffett’s brother Sam took fourth with Willie Mavitty fifth and IRC returnee Daniel Barry sixth. Robert Consani continues to lead the category despite retiring on the final morning.

IRC 2WD Cup

Marty McCormack overcame a succession of problems, including a double puncture, broken gearbox and an alternator glitch to win the IRC 2WD Cup on his first competitive outing for six months. The Northern Irishman’s woes briefly handed Renault Clio R3 pilot Tommy Doyle the initiative before McCormack fought back to claim a popular win and the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy. Doyle, who lost time with gear indicator and brake issues, survived an off-road moment on the final stage to finish second with Jonathan Greer taking third after Peter Taylor was delayed on the final stage in his Clio.

TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY TWO

1 Juho Hänninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 1h58m21.8s

2 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Fløene (NOR) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +44.2s
3 Jan Kopecký (CZE)/Pavel Dresler (CZE) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +1m39.5s

4 Mathieu Arzeno (FRA)/Renaul Jamoul (BEL) Peugeot 207 S2000 +4m01.6s

5 Craig Breen (IRL)/Gareth Roberts (GBR) Peugeot 207 S2000 +4m53.8s

6 Robert Barrable (IRL)/Damien Connolly (IRL) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +5m14.5s

7 Sepp Wiegand (GER)/Timo Gottschalk (GER) ŠKODA Fabia S2000 +6m15.9s

8 Garry Jennings (GBR)/Barry McNulty (GBR) Ralliart Lancer Evolution IX +8m27.9s

9 Donagh Kelly (IRL)/Kevin Flanagan (IRL) Ralliart Lancer Evolution IX +9m11.4s

10 Sam Moffett (IRL)/James O’Reilly (GBR) Ralliart Lancer Evolution IX +9m16.0s

IRC Production Cup: Garry Jennings (GBR)/Barry McNulty (GBR) Ralliart Lancer Evolution IX

IRC 2WD Cup: Marty McCormack (GBR)/David Moynihan (IRL) Citroën DS3 R3T

IRC STANDINGS (BEST OF EIGHT SCORES COUNT)

IRC drivers after round three of 13

1 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) 61pts

2 Juho Hänninen (Finland) 43pts

3 Jan Kopecký (Czech Republic) 40pts
4 Sepp Wiegand (Germany) 30pts

5 Bryan Bouffier (France) 15pts

= Luis Monzón (Spain) 15pts
7 Mathieu Arzeno (France) 12pts

8 Craig Breen (Ireland) 10pts

= Hermann Gassner Jr (Germany) 10pts

= Jonathan Perez (Spain) 10pts

IRC co-drivers after round three of 13

1 Ola Fløene (Norway) 61pts

2 Mikko Markkula (Finland) 43pts

3 Pavel Dresler (Czech Republic) 40pts

4 Timo Gottschalk (Germany) 30pts
5 Jose C Deniz (Spain) 15pts
= Xavier Panseri (France) 15pts

7 Renaud Jamoul (Belgium) 12pts

8 Gareth Roberts (United Kingdom) 10pts

= Klaus Wicha (Germany) 10pts

= Enrique Velasco (Spain) 10pts

IRC manufacturers after round three of 13

1 ŠKODA 129pts

2 Peugeot 69pts

3 Renault 25pts
4 Honda 18pts
5 M-Sport 16pts

6 Subaru 12pts

IRC Production Cup drivers after round three of 13

1 Robert Consani (France) 25pts
= Garry Jennings (United Kingdom) 25pts
= Ricardo Moura (Portugal) 25pts

4 Doragh Kelly (Ireland) 18pts

= Sérgio Silva (Portugal) 18pts

= Marco Tempestini (Romania) 18pts
7 Sam Moffett (Ireland) 15pts

= Ruben Rodrigues (Portugal) 15pts

9 Miguel Barbosa (Portugal) 12pts

= Josh Moffett (Ireland) 12pts

IRC Production Cup co-drivers after round three of 13

1 Sancho Eiró (Portugal) 25pts

= Nicolas Klinger (France) 25pts

= Barry McNulty (United Kingdom) 25pts

4 Kevin Flanagan (Ireland) 18pts

= Fernando Nunes (Portugal) 18pts

= Dorin Pulpea (Romania) 18pts
7 James O’Reilly (Ireland) 15pts

= Estevão Rodrigues (Portugal) 15pts

9 Justino Reis (Portugal) 12pts

= Domhnall Lennon (Ireland) 12pts

IRC 2WD Cup drivers after round three of 13

1 Paulo Maciel (Portugal) 25pts

= Marty McCormack (United Kingdom) 25pts

= Joan Vinyes (Spain) 25pts
4 Gorka Antxustegui (Spain) 18pts

= Tommy Doyle (Ireland) 18pts

= Énio Medeiros (Portugal) 18pts

7 Jonny Greer (United Kingdom) 15pts

= Angel Merrero (Spain) 15pts
= Henrique Moniz (Portugal) 15pts

10 Carlos Costa (Portugal) 12pts

= Gérman Hernandez (Spain) 12pts

= Kevin O’Connor (Ireland) 12pts

IRC 2WD Cup co-drivers after round three of 13

1 Filipe Gouveia (Portugal) 25pts

= Jordi Mercader (Spain) 25pts

= David Moynihan (Ireland) 25pts

4 Liam Moynihan (Ireland) 18pts

= Paulo Rego (Portugal) 18pts

= Gabriel Suarez (Spain) 18pts

7 Pedro Machado (Portugal) 15pts

= Victor Marrero (Spain) 15pts

= Dai Roberts (United Kingdom) 15pts

10 Daniel Amaral (Portugal) 12pts

= Shane Buckley (Ireland) 12pts

= Israel Pereira (Spain) 12pts

IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers after round three of 13
1 Renault 68pts

2 Honda 43pts

3 M-Sport 27pts

4 Peugeot 8pts

RALLY LEADERS

SS1: Jan Kopecký

SS2-3: Andreas Mikkelsen

SS4-5: Juho Hänninen

SS6: Andreas Mikkelsen

SS7-15: Juho Hänninen

STAGE WINNERS

Day one (Friday 6 April):

SS1: Titanic Super Special Stage (1.80kms): Kopecký/IRC PC: Jennings/IRC 2WD Cup: Agnew

SS2: Drummond 1 (12.96kms): Mikkelsen/Mark Donnelly/McCormack

SS3: Legane 1 (25.16kms): Hänninen/Jennings/McCormack

SS4: Drummond 2 (12.96kms): Hänninen/Jennings/Taylor

SS5: Legane 2 (25.16kms): Stage cancelled due to time delays

Day two (Saturday 7 April):

SS6: Redrock 1 (25.00kms): Mikkelsen/Jennings/McCormack

SS7: Drumhillery 1 (14.25kms): Hänninen/Jennings/McCormack

SS8: Hollow 1 (14.56kms): Hänninen/Jennings/Doyle

SS9: Redrock 2 (25.00kms): Mikkelsen/Jennings/McCormack

SS10: Drumhillery 2 (14.25kms): Hänninen/Jennings/Doyle

SS11: Hollow 2 (14.56kms): Mikkelsen/Jennings/Doyle

SS12: Lisburn 1 (1.06kms): Hänninen/Jennings/McGonigle

SS13: Lisburn 2 (1.06kms): Hänninen/Jennings/McGonigle

SS14: Banbridge North (7.54kms): Mikkelsen/Jennings/McCormack

SS15: Redrock 3 (25.00kms): Hänninen/Kelly/McCormack

KEY STATISTICS

IRC rally wins in 2012 (drivers)

Juho Hänninen: 1

Jan Kopecký: 1

Andreas Mikkelsen: 1

IRC rally wins in 2012 (manufacturers)

ŠKODA: 3

IRC stage wins in 2012 (drivers)

Andreas Mikkelsen: 22

Juho Hänninen: 11

Jan Kopecký: 9

Stage wins in 2012 (manufacturers)

ŠKODA: 42

TV TIMES

Highlights of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally will be shown on Eurosport and Eurosport Player. Go to www.ircseries.com for more information.

Street stage confirmed for 2012 IRC opener

Azoresstage120111

The 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge will get off to a
spectacular start with a street stage on Sata Rallye Acores, the
opening round of the 13-event all-action series.
Scheduled for 2200hrs on Wednesday 22 February, the City Stage in
Ponta Delgada will be compulsory for all IRC crews even though it
won’t form part of the competitive itinerary.
Drivers and co-drivers will carry out reconnaissance of the stage
from 1830hrs on the Wednesday prior to the official crew presentation
to members of the public at the Praca Goncalo Velho from 2100hs. The
short stage will begin on Ponta Delgada’s seafront on the corner
adjacent to the presentation podium. Crews will tackle the stage in
two-minute intervals.
Hunt choses IRC for 2012 action
British driver Harry Hunt is planning an audacious bid to reclaim the
IRC 2WD Cup crown he lost last season by contesting all 13 rounds of
this year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
The 23-year-old from London won the IRC 2WD Cup in 2010 driving an
M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2 but spent last season acclimatising to his new
Citroen DS3 R3T. He has decided to return to the IRC this year due to
the intense nature of the competition on offer.
“We took a really huge step up in 2011 and it took a while to
learn how to get the best from the car,” said Hunt, who will
continue to be co-driven by Robbie Durant. “With a second season
in the car, coming back to some of the rallies we know plus
also learning new events against strong local opposition, we should be
able to get closer to the limit of our potential.”
Austrian one-two thrills SKODA chief
SKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabanek has praised his factory drivers
Jan Kopecky and Juho Hanninen following their one-two finish on the
Janner Rallye in Austria last weekend.
The event, a counting round of the Austrian, Czech and European
championships, took place in difficult wintry weather conditions with
snow and ice coating the bulk of the asphalt stages around the town of
Friestadt near Linz.
Kopecky won the event with Hanninen, the 2010 IRC champion, second
after dropping time cleaning a line through the loose-surface snow on
both days of the rally.
Hrabanek said: “This was our first appearance at the Janner
Rally and it is really a difficult and unpredictable winter event. We
have made a good start to this season by winning the first two
places.”
Circuit slot cheers ex-IRC champ Meeke
Former Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Kris Meeke says fans
planning to attend the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally in
April will be treated to two days of thrilling action.
The Northern Irishman spent two hugely successful seasons in the IRC
with Peugeot UK, claiming the title in 2009 before securing third
place in the final standings in 2010. He won a total of five events
during that period.
He said: “As anyone who has watched the series over recent
years on Eurosport will testify, it’s highly competitive and
makes compulsive viewing. “I’m certain [reigning IRC
champion] Andreas Mikkelsen and all the competitors and teams will
receive a warm welcome from the thousands that will attend.”
The Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland counts as round three of the
2012 IRC season from 6-7 April.

MIKKELSEN WINS IRC TITLE IN DRAMATIC CYPRUS SHOWDOWN

Mikkelsenpodium051111

•SKODA UK driver becomes youngest IRC champion•Arai wins
IRC Production Cup, IRC 2WD Cup joy for Raoux
Andreas Mikkelsen has become the youngest driver to win the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge after claiming victory on the
season-closing Cyprus Rally. Amid emotional scenes captured live on
Eurosport, Mikkeslen secured the title by one and a half points from
Jan Kopecky, sealing glory by going fastest on the final stage
alongside co-driver Ola Floene.
Japan’s Toshi Arai won the inaugural IRC Production Cup in his
R4-specification Subaru Impreza STI with Jean-Michel Raoux, from
France, clinching the IRC 2WD Cup by a single point ahead of Italian
Stefano Albertini.
Mikkelsen, driving a SKODA UK Motorsport Fabia Super 2000 led for all
but one stage of the mixed-surface event based in Pafos in the
south-west of the Mediterranean island. One of five drivers in
contention for the coveted IRC title at the start of the rally,
Mikkelsen had to win the event in order to become champion.
Apart from a spin on Friday and a puncture on Saturday morning,
little troubled the Norwegian who becomes the fifth different IRC
champion in as many years. Mikkelsen, who switched to rallying as a
17-year-old when injury curtailed his promising skiing career, was
almost forced to stop competing when he ran out of funding prior to
the 2009 season.
He hit back by securing a drive with SKODA’s UK importer for
the 2011 season after impressing in the IRC in 2010 in a privateer
M-Sport Ford Fiesta. Despite a troubled start on Rallye Monte-Carlo,
when he crashed on the opening stage, he slowly improved his form and
came close to winning several rallies before taking his maiden win on
the penultimate round in Scotland last month to set up a title
challenge in Cyprus. As well as winning two rounds outright, Mikkelsen
scored more stage wins than any other driver with a total of 38
fastest times during the year.
Nasser Al-Attiyah, last season’s Cyprus Rally winner, had
started the final day with an outside chance of victory and went
fastest of all on Saturday’s third stage. However, an engine
failure meant he was unable to continue after midday service, handing
second place to factory SKODA driver Kopecky, who has been runner-up
in the IRC standings for the last three seasons.
“There was damage in the engine, which is a big
disappointment,” said Al-Attiyah. “It was fantastic before
and I was really so happy with my performance against all these great
IRC drivers and live on Eurosport. But what can we do?”
Patrik Sandell took third with his best finish of the season for
SKODA Sweden claiming a stage victory to boot. Estonian teenager Karl
Kruuda, in a privateer Fabia, impressed in fourth, snatching the
position from Freddy Loix when the Belgian’s BFO-backed Fabia
developed a mechanical fault on the penultimate stage.
Matthias Kahle completed an all-Fabia top six in his SKODA Auto
Deutschland Fabia after a solid display on his first visit to Cyprus.
And it got better for the German importer when Kahle’s team-mate
Mark Wallenwein battled back from his double puncture on Friday to
finish eighth, one place behind IRC Production Cup winner Toshi Arai.
With IRC 2WD Cup champion Jean-Michel Raoux not eligible for overall
IRC drivers’ points in ninth, ex-circuit racer Doros Loucaides
clinched the four points on offer for the place in his
Petrolina-backed Peugeot 207 S2000, which he was using in competition
for the first time on the back of a 50-kilometre pre-event test.
Charalambos Timotheau claimed the final points in his Ralliart
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX after mechanical problems halted fellow
Cypriot Nicos Thomas on the final afternoon.
Outgoing IRC champion Juho Hanninen restarted on day two under
SupeRally regulations following his crash on Friday’s opening
run. Despite winning a stage he had to settle for 16th overall, one
place ahead of leading female driver Burcu Cetinkaya.
Mikkelsen’s performance earned him the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out
Trophy, awarded on each round of the IRC to the driver whose
performance best embodies the spirit of the rallying legend who won
the Cyprus Rally 10 years ago in 2001.
Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway), SKODA Fabia S2000, first overall:
“To become IRC champion is such a fantastic feeling, the likes
of which I have never felt before. It’s been a tough season,
which didn’t start so well in Monte Carlo but which has just
kept getting better and better. We’ve had a fantastic second
half of the year and wow, to finish with a win in Cyprus and the IRC
drivers’ title, I can hardly believe it has happened. It’s
like a dream.
“I’d really like to thank everyone at SKODA UK Motorsport
and SKODA Motorsport for and giving me this opportunity this year.
It’s a special moment for everyone. So much effort has been put
in over the last five years of my rallying career, not just by me, but
the people around me. To give this title back to everyone who has been
involved is incredible.”
Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic), SKODA Fabia S2000, second overall:
“I have to say this rally was quite tricky for us coming from a
country with no gravel stages. We have done our best this year and not
made any mistakes but finally we are second. I am disappointed but
that’s it although I have to say thanks to SKODA for a great job
all season.”
Patrik Sandell (Sweden), SKODA Fabia S2000, third overall:
“It’s a really good way to finish what has been a tough
and sometimes frustrating year. When things work well we can set top
times as we have proved this weekend.”
TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY TWO
1 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Floene (NOR) SKODA Fabia S2000
2h25m18.5s2 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Pavel Dresler (CZE) SKODA Fabia S2000
+1m40.5s3 Patrik Sandell (SWE)/Staffan Parmander (SWE) SKODA Fabia
S2000 +2m54.8s4 Karl Kruuda (EST)/Martin Jarveoja (EST) SKODA Fabia
S2000 +4m33.0s5 Freddy Loix (BEL)/Frederic Miclotte (BEL) SKODA Fabia
S2000 +5m25.4s6 Matthias Kahle (GER)/Peter Gobel (GER) SKODA Fabia
S2000 +7m48.9s7 Toshi Arai (JPN)/Dale Moscatt (AUS) Subaru Impreza R4
STI +8m16.2s8 Mark Wallenwein (GER)/Stefan Kopczyk (GER) SKODA Fabia
S2000 +13m06.7s9 Doros Loucaides (CYP)/Savvas Laos (CYP) Peugeot 207
S2000 +15m07.8s10 Charalambos Timotheou (CYP)/Pambos Laos (CYP)
Ralliart Lancer Evo IX +15m25.7s
IRC Production Cup: Toshi Arai (JPN)/Dale Moscatt (AUS) Subaru
Impreza R4 STIIRC 2WD Cup: Jean-Michel Raoux (FRA)/Laurent Magat (FRA)
Renault Clio R3
IRC STANDINGS (BEST OF SEVEN SCORES)*
Drivers after round 11 of 111 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) 153.5pts2
Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 152pts3 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 125pts4
Freddy Loix (Belgium) 123pts5 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 115pts6 Bryan
Bouffier (France) 110.5pts7 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 47pts8 Patrik
Sandell (Sweden) 44pts9 Toni Gardemeister (Finland) 43pts10 Karl
Kruuda (Estonia) 39pts
Manufacturers after round 11 of 111 SKODA 362.5pts2 Peugeot
241.5pts3 Subaru 117pts4 M-Sport 107pts5 Ralliart 104pts6 Honda 46pts7
PROTON 41pts8 Abarth 15pts
IRC Production Cup after round 11 of 111 Toshi Arai (Japan) 111.5pts2
Florian Gonon (Switzerland) 75pts3 Marco Cavigioli (Italy) 37pts4
Charalambos Timotheau (Cyprus) 36pts5 Fumio Nutahara (Japan) 32.5pts6
Savvas Savva (Cyprus) 30pts7 Volodymyr Pechenyk (Ukraine) 27pts= Jason
Pritchard (United Kingdom) 27pts9 Gyorgy Aschenbrenner (Hungary)
25pts= Jose Luis Barrios (Spain) 25pts= Jonas Langenakens (Belgium)
25pts= Ricardo Moura (Portugal) 25pts= Jaroslav Orsak (Czech Republic)
25pts
IRC 2WD Cup drivers after round 11 of 111 Jean-Michel Raoux (France)
120pts2 Stefano Albertini (Italy) 119pts3 Janos Puskadi (Hungary)
71.5pts4 Martin Kangur (Estonia) 53.5pts5 Pierre-Antoine Guglielmi
(France) 40pts6 Andreas Charalambous (Cyprus) 30pts7 John MacCrone
(United Kingdom) 27pts8 Pierre Campana (France) 25pts= Paulo Maciel
(Portugal) 25pts= Davide Medici (Italy) 25pts= Kris Princen (Belgium)
25pts= Joan Vinyes (Spain) 25pts
IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers after round 11 of 111 Honda 320pts2 M-Sport
161pts3 Peugeot 149pts4 Abarth 85pts5 SKODA 73pts
* All points are provisional and subject to final confirmation
RALLY LEADERS
SS1-2: Andreas MikkelsenSS3: Thierry NeuvilleSS4-11: Andreas
Mikkelsen
STAGE WINNERS
Day one (Thursday 3 and Friday 4 November):SS1: LTV Super Special
Stage (3.20kms, 100% asphalt): Andreas MikkelsenSS2: Koilinia 1
(24:15kms, 35.5% asphalt, 64.5% gravel): Andreas MikkelsenSS3:
Salamiou 1 (18.16kms, 64.2% asphalt, 35.8% gravel): Thierry
NeuvilleSS4: Koilinia 2 (24:15kms, 35.5% asphalt, 64.5% gravel):
Andreas MikkelsenSS5: Salamiou 2 (18.16kms, 64.2% asphalt, 35.8%
gravel): Andreas Mikkelsen 
Day two (Saturday 5 November):SS6: Gialia 1 (14.82kms, 100% gravel):
Andreas MikkelsenSS7: Stavros 1 (15.91kms, 100% asphalt): Andreas
MikkelsenSS8: Anadiou 1 (19.15kms, 40.0% asphalt, 60.0% gravel):
Nasser Al-AttiyahSS9: Gialia 2 (14.82kms, 100% gravel): Juho
HanninenSS10: Stavros 2 (15.91kms, 100% asphalt): Patrik SandellSS11:
Anadiou 2 (19.15kms, 40.0% asphalt, 60.0% gravel): Andreas Mikkelsen
KEY STATISTICS
IRC rally wins in 2011 (drivers)Juho Hanninen: 3Jan Kopecky: 2Andreas
Mikkelsen: 2Thierry Neuville: 2Bryan Bouffier: 1Freddy Loix: 1
IRC rally wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 8Peugeot: 3
IRC stage wins in 2011 (drivers)Andreas Mikkelsen: 38Thierry
Neuville: 24Juho Hanninen: 21Jan Kopecky: 19Freddy Loix: 18Guy Wilks:
10Bryan Bouffier: 9Stephane Sarrazin: 4Patrik Sandell: 3Nasser
Al-Attiyah: 1Giandomenico Basso: 1Francois Delecour: 1Bruno Magalhaes:
1Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Stage wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 100Peugeot: 41M-Sport: 1
IRC championsAndreas Mikkelsen’s capture of the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge title means he becomes the
IRC’s fifth different champion in as many years and joins the
illustrious list of winners:
2011: Andreas Mikkelsen (SKODA Fabia S2000)2010: Juho Hanninen (SKODA
Fabia S2000)2009: Kris Meeke (Peugeot 207 S2000)2008: Nicolas Vouilloz
(Peugeot 207 S2000)2007: Enrique Garcia Ojeda (Peugeot 207 S2000)
TV TIMES
Eurosport, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge’s media partner
and Europe’s leading sports entertainment group, will show a
Cyprus Rally review programme from 22:15hrs-22:45hrs on Sunday 6
November. This will be repeated on Eurosport 2 on Tuesday 8 November
from 13:30hrs-14:00hrs. All times are CET.
Daily highlights will also be shown on the Eurosport Player at
www.eurosportplayer.com at www.rally-irc.com and via the IRC iPhone
and iPad App. All times are CET.

MIKKELSEN ON TOP IN IRC TITLE BATTLE FOLLOWING DAY OF DRAMA

Mikkelsenfinal041111

Andreas Mikkelsen has completed a dramatic opening day of the Cyprus
Rally leading the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier and
firmly on course for the coveted title in his SKODA UK Motorsport
Fabia Super 2000.
The 22-year-old started Friday’s opening test with a 3.1s
advantage following his fastest time on Thursday night’s LTV
Super Special Stage through the streets of Pafos, which attracted
thousands of spectators.
Co-driven by Ola Floene, Mikkelsen grew that margin to 8.0s with the
quickest run on stage two only for a spin – and a charging drive
by Thierry Neuville – to drop him behind his Team Peugeot
Belgium-Luxembourg title rival on the very next test.
But second became first when Neuville suffered a right-rear puncture
on stage four before he was slowed by an alternator fault that would
ultimately force his retirement from the day.
However, there were no such problems for Mikkelsen who charged to his
third stage win of the day with a rapid run through stage five, one of
two tests shown live on Eurosport, LTV and RTBF during the day, to
hold an overnight lead of 20.7s.
But while Mikkelsen reflected on a strong opening day held in
glorious Cypriot sunshine, defending IRC champion Juho Hanninen was
left to rue a “stupid mistake” that caused him to crash on
the second corner of Friday’s first test and end his hopes of a
second title in a row. “I was too fast for the corner, ran wide
and rolled,” said the factory SKODA ace.
Hanninen’s SKODA team-mate Jan Kopecky enjoyed better fortune,
reaching the overnight halt in third position 25.4s behind Nasser
Al-Attiyah, the winner in Cyprus in 2010. Kopecky, who is being
co-driven by Pavel Dresler after his regular navigator Petr Stary fell
ill in the build-up to the event, admitted he was being too cautious
in his bid to defend his title lead.
Freddy Loix, one of five IRC title contenders prior to the start,
struggled to make an impact in his BFO-SKODA Rally Team Fabia. The
normally rapid Belgian hadn’t driven on gravel stages for three
years and lacked the cutting edge needed to threaten the podium
positions on the loose-surface sections, although a spin on stage five
didn’t help his cause. He is fourth overnight, 1m41.2s behind
Mikkelsen.
Patrik Sandell is a strong fifth for SKODA Sweden with Estonian
teenager Karl Kruuda sixth in his privateer Fabia. Multiple German
champion Matthias Kahle is seventh although a double puncture has hit
SKODA Auto Deutschland team-mate Mark Wallenwein’s chances of a
top 10 finish.
Toshi Arai heads the IRC Production Cup standings in his Subaru
Impreza R4 STI, while Cypriots Nicos Thomas and Charalambos Timotheou
complete the top 10 in their Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancers.
Jean-Michel Raoux leads the IRC 2WD Cup with title rival Stefano
Albertini and outgoing champion Harry Hunt still in contention in
second and third respectively. Honda Civic Type R driver Janos Puskadi
is fifth after early delays.
Saturday’s action features three repeated stages north-east of
the rally base in Pafos. The first stage of the day, Gialia, is 100
per cent gravel. The next stage, Stavros, takes place entirely on
asphalt with the Anadiou test using a combination of asphalt and
gravel and shown live on Eurosport. Although Hanninen and Neuville
will restart under SupeRally regulations their hopes of the IRC title
are all but over leaving Mikkelsen, Kopecky and Loix in a
winner-takes-all battle for glory.
DRIVER QUOTES
Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway), SKODA Fabia S2000, first overall:
“It’s been a really good day for us and I have to be very
happy. But there’s a long way to go and day two will be
difficult. I need to do everything to keep Nasser behind me if I am to
win the title.”
Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar), M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, second overall:
“We thought we had a driveshaft problem this morning but it was
actually a problem with the front differential, which we repaired. It
will not be easy to close the gap to Andreas but I will try my
best.”
Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic), SKODA Fabia S2000, third overall:
“Maybe I have been driving too cautiously today but I am still
here and I still have a chance. My new co-driver has done a great job
today but it’s not been a normal situation.”
TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY ONE
1 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Floene (NOR) SKODA Fabia S2000
1h07m17.7s2 Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) M-Sport
Ford Fiesta S2000 +20.7s3 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Pavel Dresler (CZE) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +46.1s4 Freddy Loix (BEL)/Frederic Miclotte (BEL) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +1m41.2s5 Patrik Sandell (SWE)/Staffan Parmander (SW)
SKODA Fabia S2000 +1m46.3s6 Karl Kruuda (EST)/Martin Jarveoja (EST)
SKODA Fabia S2000 +2m43.5s7 Matthias Kahle (GER)/Peter Gobel (GER)
SKODA Fabia S2000 +3m30.6s8 Toshi Arai (JPN)/Dale Moscatt (AUS) Subaru
Impreza R4 STI +4m35.3s9 Nicos Thomas (CYP)/Angelos Loizides (CYP)
Ralliart Lancer Evo IX +5m23.7s10 Charalambos Timotheou (CYP)/Pambos
Laos (CYP) Ralliart Lancer Evo IX +6m42.9s
IRC Production Cup: Toshi Arai (JPN)/Dale Moscatt (AUS) Subaru
Impreza R4 STIIRC 2WD Cup: Jean-Michel Raoux (FRA)/Laurent Magat (FRA)
Renault Clio R3
DAY TWO ITINERARY (SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER)
Special stages: SixSpecial stage distance: 99.76kmsLiaison distance:
249.93kmsTotal distance: 349.69kmsService D: Pafos (0:15hrs),
08:01hrsSS6: Gialia 1 (14.82kms), 09:29hrs (100% gravel)SS7: Stavros 1
(15.91kms), 10:12hrs (100% asphalt)Regrouping: Anadiou (0:20hrs),
10:47hrsSS8: Anadiou 1 (19.15kms), 11:10hrs (40.0% asphalt, 60.0%
gravel)Regrouping: (0:11hrs), 12:25hrsService E: Pafos (0:30hrs),
12:36hrsSS9: Gialia 2 (14.82kms), 14:19hrs (100% gravel)SS10: Stavros
2 (15.91kms), 15:02hrs (100% asphalt)Regrouping: Anadiou (0:20hrs),
15:37hrsSS11: Anadiou 2 (19.15kms), 16:00hrs (40.0% asphalt, 60.0%
gravel)Service F: Pafos (0:10hrs), 17:18hrsFinish: Pafos Municipality,
17:48hrs
TV TIMES
Eurosport, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge’s media partner
and Europe’s leading sports entertainment group, LTV an RTBF
will show LIVE coverage of the Cyprus Rally as follows:
Saturday 5 November10:00hrs-11:00hrs: LIVE SS8 Anadiou 1 (Eurosport,
LTV, RTBF)15:00hrs-16:00hrs: LIVE SS11 Anadiou 2 (Eurosport, LTV,
RTBF)
In addition Eurosport will broadcast a rally review programme from
22:15hrs-22:45hrs on Sunday 6 November, which will be shown on
Eurosport 2 on Tuesday 8 November.
Highlights will also be shown on: ESPN STAR Sports (Pan Asia), CCTV 5
(China), SPEED CHANNEL 2 (Pan America), Televisa Deportes (Central
America), AUTO PLUS (Russia), GAORA (Japan), 1st Automotive Channel
(Ukraine), RTL 7 (Netherlands), VRT (Belgium), LIVE TV (Belgium), S4C
(United Kingdom), RAI Sport (Italy), RTP (Portugal), TVI 24
(Portugal), MEGA CHANNEL (Greece), CT4 (Czech Republic), RTR (Turkey),
RIC, Mega, Sigma and Antena (all Cyprus).
Daily highlights will also be shown on the Eurosport Player at
www.eurosportplayer.com at www.rally-irc.com and via the IRC iPhone
and iPad App. All times are CET.
CYPRUS RALLY SCORING SYSTEM REMINDER
Double points will be awarded on the Cyprus Rally and applied to the
drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships as follows:
First place: 50 pointsSecond place: 36 pointsThird place: 30
pointsFourth place: 24 pointsFifth place: 20 pointsSixth place: 16
pointsSeventh place: 12 pointsEighth place: 8 pointsNinth place: 4
pointsTenth place: 2 points 

Miclotte not giving up on IRC title dream

Loix271011

Freddy Loix’s co-driver Frederic Miclotte says the BFO-SKODA
Rally Team pair won’t give up on their dream of winning the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge crown despite conceding they start
the title showdown in Cyprus next month with a disadvantage to their
rivals.
The Belgian aces did not contest the last round in Scotland earlier
this month and are sixth in the IRC title race, 28 points behind
leaders Jan Kopecky and Petr Stary.
“Of course it’s going to be difficult for us and we need
some of the other drivers not to finish but we have to believe
it’s still possible,” said Miclotte. “Missing
Scotland is a disadvantage but we knew that would be the case a the
start of the season. We will just do our best.”
Loix and Miclotte will undertake a one-day test in Cyprus on Sunday
(30 October).
Al-Attiyah targets Golden Stage Rally revenge
Nasser Al-Attiyah will start the Cyprus Golden Stage Rally on 6
November determined to claim the victory that eluded him when the
event took place for the first time last season.
Al-Attiyah finished second to Andreas Mikkelsen on the
live-for-television spectacular but wants to go one better when he
tackles the mixed-surface event in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.
“Last year we just lose the first position and finish
second,” said Al-Attiyah. “It’s a great idea, one
stage used twice. Everybody will be there and it will be an
interesting rally.”
Al-Attiyah, from Qatar, has a long record of success competing in
Cyprus and finished first when the country hosted its first
Intercontinental Rally Challenge event in 2010.
Street stage to open Cyprus Rally
Next month’s Cyprus Rally, the final round of the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge, will get underway with a
superspecial stage in downtown Pafos.
The LTV Super Special Stage, which is backed by the event’s
local broadcaster, covers two laps of a 1.6-kilometre all-Tarmac
course around Pafos Town Hall and gets underway at 19:00hrs local time
on Thursday 3 November. Access will be free for spectators.
“The LTV Super Special Stage will be a spectacular event and
potentially the most exciting sporting event we have ever seen in
Cyprus,” said Antonis Michaelides, chairman of the event
organiser Cyprus Automobile Association. “It will be a
complicated thing to do, but I am confident we will achieve something
truly memorable.”
Hunt aims to finish IRC 2WD Cup on the up
Reigning IRC 2WD Cup champion Harry Hunt has vowed to finish his 2011
season on a high despite failing in his bid to defend his crown.
Hunt needed a strong result in the two-wheel-drive division on the
most recent round in Scotland but a crash on the final day put him out
of the running.
“Harry was genuinely not far off the pace and making up time on
the leader in Scotland when he got caught out in the slippery
conditions and went off the road,” said Hunt’s team
manager Iwan Evans. “But this was valuable experience for Harry
because he’s experienced the pressure that comes with chasing
victory. The more he does this the more it will help his progression
and I’ve no doubt he’ll be challenging for the win on his
next rally.”

www.rally-irc.com

Six-way IRC battle set for Cyprus finale

Kangur131011McRaevision131011

An unprecedented six drivers will do battle for the Intercontinental
Rally Challenge crown when the series reaches its electrifying climax
on the Cyprus Rally next month (3-5 November).
Bryan Bouffier, Juho Hanninen, Jan Kopecky, Freddy Loix, Andreas
Mikkelsen and Thierry Neuville can all clinch the prestigious title on
the mixed-surface season finale.
“It’s going to be very exciting because the championship
is very open,” said defending IRC champion Hanninen.
Mikkelsen, who moved back into title contention with victory on last
week’s RACMSA Rally of Scotland added: “Our chances are
small but we will go there aiming to be among the best.”
IRC titles won in Scotland
Two significant Intercontinental Rally Challenge titles were won
during RACMSA Rally of Scotland with SKODA crowned IRC
manufacturers’ champion for a second consecutive season and
Honda clinching the IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers’ title spoils for
the first time.
SKODA’s success came after Andreas Mikkelsen led home Juho
Hanninen in a one-two for the Czech make. Honda’s triumph
resulted from Martin Kangur’s maiden success in the IRC 2WD Cup
and a strong third place for Janos Puskadi.
While the manufacturers’ titles for 2011 have been decided
subject to official confirmation, the overall IRC drivers’
title, the IRC 2WD Cup drivers’ champion and the winner of the
inaugural IRC Production Cup crown will be decided on the final round
in Cyprus from 3-5 November.
Rally of Scotland stages praised
Scotland hosted its third Intercontinental Rally Challenge event last
week with leading crews praising the exciting and demanding nature of
the stages despite the onset of wet and muddy conditions.
Based in the counties of Perthshire and Stirlingshire, the event
utilised stages mainly on closed forest roads, four of which were
shown live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player.
Winner Andreas Mikkelsen said: “The stages were difficult but I
really enjoyed sliding around in the muddy conditions.”
“It’s still one of my favourites,” added SKODA
driver Juho Hanninen. “I like the stages because they are fast
and flowing over the crests and still in these difficult conditions
it’s better.”
Colin McRae Vision makes vital donation
Colin McRae Vision, established to help improve the health and
education of children around the world, used the ceremonial start of
RACMSA Rally of Scotland last Friday (7 October) to present a cheque
to Children’s Hospice Association Scotland.
The donation of £5700 (about 6645 Euros) will be used to
install a specialist bed at the CHAS-managed Robin House centre in
Stirlingshire close to the route of Scotland’s IRC round. Jimmy
McRae, Colin’s father, presented the cheque to Hannah Archibald
of CHAS.
Colin McRae Vision is an official partner of the Intercontinental
Rally Challenge. Visit www.colinmcrae.com for more information.
IRC crew celebrate half century
SKODA Auto Deutschland crew Matthias Kahle and Peter Gobel marked 50
events together when they finished 10th overall on RACMSA Rally of
Scotland last week.
In addition to celebrating their first IRC drivers’
championship point, Kahle and Gobel have made it 50 rallies competing
alongside each other with the Czech manufacturer.
Kahle, who was suffering from ‘flu during the rally, said:
“It’s not an easy place to come for the first time but I
enjoyed the stages even though the conditions were not easy. But we
achieved our goal by finishing in the points on our 50th rally
together with SKODA.”
Golden Stage Rally excitement builds
Preparations for the second running of the Cyprus In Your Heart
Golden Stage Rally on 6 November continue apace with confirmation that
the overall winner stands to receive 40,000 Euros in prize money.
The event, which takes place over a single mixed surface stage, the
Golden Stage, run twice and shown live on television around the world,
carries a total prize fund of 150,000 Euros, which will be shared
between the top five overall finishers and the leading drivers in each
of the three categories based on car performance.
Visit www.goldenstagerally.com for regular updates and all the latest
event news.

NEUVILLE WINS IRC THRILLER BY 1.5s FOR PEUGEOT

Neuville240911final

Mikkelsenwins240911

•SKODA UK’s Andreas Mikkelsen loses out in dramatic
Sanremo showdown•Jan Kopecky maintains IRC title advantage
despite failing to sparkle
Thierry Neuville has won Rallye Sanremo following a thrilling finish
to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge round on the Italian Riviera
this afternoon. Driving a Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 Super
2000, Neuville surged ahead on the demanding asphalt event with one
stage remaining, having cancelled out an overnight deficit of 16.6s.
By going fastest on the final test, Neuville and co-driver Nicolas
Gilsoul did just enough to beat SKODA UK Motorsport pair Andreas
Mikkelsen and Ola Floene for their second IRC victory of 2011 and
ensure Peugeot’s capture of the IRC’s trio of classic
events, Rallye Monte-Carlo, Tour de Corse and now Rallye Sanremo.
Furthermore, it was the fourth time in 2011 that a round of the
all-action IRC has been decided by a margin of less than two seconds
following close finishes in Canary Islands, Czech Republic and Hungary
earlier in the year. Neuville’s success has also underlined the
pace of Peugeot’s 207 Super 2000, which has led the way on the
demanding narrow and twisty roads in the hills overlooking the
Mediterranean Sea for a third year in succession.
Freddy Loix had started the second day of the rally leading by 2.7s
having moved ahead of Mikkelsen after winning Friday’s night
stage in his BFO-SKODA Rally Team Fabia. Mikkelsen, who had led from
the opening stage on Friday, reclaimed top spot on Saturday’s
first test when Loix made his characteristic slow start.
Mikkelsen remained in front until Loix retook the lead after going
fastest two stages later. He started stage 11 a mere 2.5s in front
only to crash on a fast downhill section approximately halfway through
the test, fortunately without injury to neither he nor co-driver
Frederic Miclotte. With his car blocking the narrow road, organisers
were forced to cancel the stage.
Neuville, 23, won the penultimate run, one of four stage wins during
the final day, to start the final test 0.3s ahead of Mikkelsen.
Despite a determined charge, the 22-year-old Norwegian was unable to
land his maiden IRC victory, having led for much of the event.
Loix, whose efforts earned him the prestigious Coilin McRae IRC Flat
Out Trophy, could have moved to the top of the IRC standings if
he’d claimed maximum points and rival Jan Kopecky remained in
fifth place, having been unable to replicate the pace that has carried
him to back-to-back victories in Czech Republic and Hungary. As it is,
by inheriting fourth, Kopecky’s comfortable lead remains intact
heading to the penultimate round in Scotland next month.
Bruno Magalhaes rounded out his 2011 IRC campaign with a strong fifth
place for Peugeot Sport Portugal. Aside from a handful of set-up
issues and a lack of brakes on Friday’s night stage little
troubled the multiple Portuguese champion, who set a number of
competitive times in his 207.
M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 driver Umberto Scandola began day two as
the leading Italian but a steering problem on stage 10 dropped him to
seventh overall behind countryman Alessandro Perico in a privateer
Peugeot.
Pierre Campana’s bid to emulate the fourth-place finish he
recorded on Tour de Corse-E.Leclerc was hampered by a plethora of
mechanical problems, which required the fitting of a new loom and
injection rack at midday service. He took eighth.
Toni Gardemeister extended his point-scoring run in this year’s
IRC to eight events after the Finn brought his TGS Worldwide Fabia
home in ninth position. It was the first time he’d finished
Rallye Sanremo in five attempts.
Factory PROTON driver Giandomenico Basso had been in the fight for a
top finish but a spin on stage five and an off-road moment on the
night stage when his intercom failed and he couldn’t hear the
instructions of his co-driver Mitia Dotta, dropped him out of
contention. Alternator problems on Saturday morning caused further
frustration but he fought back to deny Swiss Peugeot privateer
Gregoire Hotz the final point on the very last stage. 
Peugeot UK’s Guy Wilks crashed out on Friday’s first
test. Australian Chris Atkinson also failed to complete the opening
run when his PROTON Motorsports’ Satria Neo stopped with a
suspected electrical failure. Karl Kruuda retired on Friday’s
night stage when a loss of brakes resulted in him sliding into a wall
and breaking his Fabia’s front-right wheel.
IRC Production CupFlorian Gonon claimed his third victory in the
inaugural IRC Production Cup after heading home Italian Ralliart
Mitsubishi Lancer driver Marco Cavigioli by a comfortable margin.
Gonon, driving a Subaru Impreza, was fastest in the category on all
but one stage. Irishman Eamonn Boland was third with Corrado Perino
fourth. Johan Heloise failed to finish.
IRC 2WD CupDavide Medici secured his maiden win in the IRC 2WD Cup
after seeing off the challenge of fellow Italian Stefano Albertini,
who last ground with set-up issues on the final day. Pierre-Antoine
Guglielmi, the winner of the IRC 2WD Cup in Corsica earlier this
season, finished third with Roberto Vescovi taking fourth.
Honda’s challenge unravelled when Sandro Sottile crashed on
stage four and Martin Kangur retired following a spate of mechanical
problems on Friday’s final three stages. Harry Hunt, the
defending IRC 2WD Cup champion, battled back from a tough opening day
to claim ninth with Elwis Chentre 10th in a SKODA Fabia R2. Michele
Tassone was the leading Abarth finisher.
DRIVER QUOTES
Thierry Neuville (Belgium), Peugeot 207 S2000, first overall:
“I was flat out on that last stage, it was incredible and I
can’t believe the result. I pushed really hard, it was such a
nice battle over the weekend, so intensive because the IRC is such a
competitive championship. The car felt good, I am so happy. I hope
this win won’t be the last for me.”
Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway), SKODA Fabia S2000, second overall:
“I was right on the limit, we tried but it wasn’t enough.
But I have to be happy with this result because I certainly did expect
to be fighting with Freddy, Thierry and Bryan before the
start.”
Bryan Bouffier (France), Peugeot 207 S2000, third overall:
“This is not the best result for me because I would have
preferred to have fought for the victory. But it’s a good result
for Peugeot with two cars on the podium. Thierry did the perfect
race.”
TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY TWO
1 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (Peugeot 207 S2000) 2h19m57.8s2
Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (ŠKODA Fabia S2000) +1.5s3
Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri (Peugeot 207 S2000) +16.0s4 Jan
Kopeckyý/Petr Starý (ŠKODA Fabia S2000) +1m09.1s5
Bruno Magalhães/Paulo Grave (Peugeot 207 S2000) +1m26.0s6
Alessandro Perico/Fabrizio Carrara (Peugeot 207 S2000) +3m47.8s7
Umberto Scandola/Guido D’Amore (M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000)
+4m05.9s8 Pierre Campana/Sabrina de Castelli (Peugeot 207 S2000)
+4m28.0s9 Toni Gardemeister/Tapio Suominen (ŠKODA Fabia S2000)
+5m24.1s10 Giandomenico Basso/Mitia Dotta (PROTON Satria Neo S2000)
+7m26.9s
IRC Production Cup: Florian Gonon (SUI)/Sandra Arlettaz (SUI) Subaru
Impreza WRXIRC 2WD Cup: Davide Medici (ITA)/Daniele De Luis (ITA)
Renault Clio S1600
IRC STANDINGS (BEST OF SEVEN SCORES)
Drivers after round nine of 111 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 128pts2
Freddy Loix (Belgium) 103pts= Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 103pts4 Juho
Hanninen (Finland) 98pts5 Bryan Bouffier (France) 88pts6 Andreas
Mikkelsen (Norway) 74pts7 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 47pts8 Toni
Gardemeister (Finland) 35pts9 Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) 26pts10 Hans
Weijs (Netherlands) 18pts etc
Manufacturers after round nine of 111 SKODA 285pts2 Peugeot
223pts3 M-Sport 80pts4 Ralliart 73pts5 Subaru 66pts6 PROTON 41pts7
Honda 31pts8 Abarth 15pts
IRC Production Cup after round nine of 111 Florian Gonon
(Switzerland) 75pts2 Gyorgy Aschenbrenner (Hungary) 25pts= Jose Luis
Barrios (Spain) 25pts= Jonas Langenakens (Belgium) 25pts= Ricardo
Moura (Portugal) 25pts= Jaroslav Orsak (Czech Republic) 25pts=
Volodymyr Pechenyk (Ukraine) 25pts8 Toshi Arai (Japan) 24pts= Vojtech
Stajf (Czech Republic) 24pts10 Eamonn Boland (Ireland) 23pts etc
IRC 2WD Cup drivers after round nine of 111 Stefano Albertini (Italy)
83pts2 Jean-Michel Raoux (France) 70pts3 Pierre-Antoine Guglielmi
(France) 40pts4 Pierre Campana (France) 25pts= Paulo Maciel (Portugal)
25pts= Davide Medici (Italy) 25pts= Kris Princen (Belgium) 25pts=
Janos Puskadi (Hungary) 25pts= Joan Vinyes (Spain) 25pts10 Eric
Mauffrey (France) 22pts etc
IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers after round nine of 111 Honda 201pts2
Peugeot 149pts3 M-Sport 116pts4 Abarth 85pts5 SKODA 73pts
RALLY LEADERS
SS1-6: Andreas MikkelsenSS7: Freddy LoixSS8-9: Andreas MikkelsenSS10:
Freddy LoixSS11: Andreas MikkelsenSS12-13: Thierry Neuville
STAGE WINNERS
Day one (Friday 23 September):SS1: Coldirodi 1 (13.06kms): Andreas
MikkelsenSS2: Bajardo (7.36kms): Freddy LoixSS3: Bignone 1 (10.59kms):
Freddy LoixSS4: Coldirodi 1 (13.06kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS5: Apricale
(17.43kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS6: Bignone 2 (10.59kms): Thierry
Neuville and Andreas MikkelsenSS7: Ronde (44.00kms): Freddy Loix
Day two (Saturday 24 September):SS8: Colle Langan 1 (20.57kms):
Thierry NeuvilleSS9: Passo Teglia 1 (18.80kms): Thierry NeuvilleSS10:
Colle d’Oggia 1 (15.47kms): Freddy LoixSS11: Colle Langan 2
(20.57kms): Stage cancelled due to Freddy Loix’s accidentSS12:
Passo Teglia 2 (18.80kms): Thierry NeuvilleSS13: Colle d’Oggia 2
(15.47kms): Thierry Neuville
KEY STATISTICS
IRC rally wins in 2011 (drivers)Juho Hanninen: 3Jan Kopecky: 2Thierry
Neuville: 2Bryan Bouffier: 1Freddy Loix: 1
IRC rally wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 6Peugeot: 3 
IRC stage wins in 2011 (drivers)Andreas Mikkelsen: 26Thierry
Neuville: 21Jan Kopecky: 19Freddy Loix: 18Juho Hanninen: 17Guy Wilks:
8Bryan Bouffier: 8Stephane Sarrazin: 4Giandomenico Basso: 1Francois
Delecour: 1Bruno Magalhaes: 1Patrik Sandell: 1Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Stage wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 82Peugeot: 43
TV TIMES
Eurosport, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge’s media partner
and Europe’s leading sports entertainment group, will show
coverage of Rallye Sanremo as follows:
Saturday 24 September:22:30hrs-23:00hrs: Day one highlights repeated
(Eurosport Asia-Pacific)23:00hrs-23:30hrs: Day two highlights
(Eurosport, Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 25 September:06:30hrs-07:00hrs: Day two highlights repeated
(Eurosport Asia-Pacific)23:00hrs-23:30hrs: Rally Review (Eurosport)
Monday 26 September:03:15hrs-03:45hrs: Rally Review repeated
(Eurosport Asia-Pacific)13:00hrs-13:30hrs: Rally Review repeated
(Eurosport 2)
Tuesday 27 September:15:30hrs-16:00hrs: Rally Review repeated
(Eurosport Asia-Pacific)25:45hrs-26:15hrs: Rally Review repeated
(Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Wednesday 28 September:08:00hrs-08:30hrs: Rally Review repeated
(Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Daily highlights will also be shown on the Eurosport Player at
www.eurosportplayer.com, at www.rally-irc.com and via the IRC iPhone
and iPad App. All times are CET.

KOPECKY TAKES CLOSEST EVER IRC VICTORY

Kopecky110911

•SKODA driver snatches IRC title lead with second straight
victory•Peugeot’s Neuville clinches Colin McRae IRC Flat
Out Trophy for charging drive
SKODA Motorsport’s Jan Kopecky won the 45. Canon Mecsek Rallye by the
smallest margin in the history of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge
after a dramatic final day of action. In an event marked by close
battles throughout the field, Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg’s
Thierry Neuville won the final stage but lost out to the Czech driver
overall by just 0.8s.
Right up until the penultimate stage, this rally looked like it
belonged to SKODA UK’s Andreas Mikkelsen. The overnight leader started
the day strongly, built an advantage with a commanding early stage win
("On the first stage this morning I was sleeping," Kopecky said), then
backed off too much on the first stage of the afternoon. With the
pressure back on, 6.2km into SS13 Mikkelsen slid wide on gravel in a
fast right-hand corner and the back of his car hit a tree. He was able
to keep the heavily damaged Fabia S2000 moving until the next
junction, where he was able to park it safely.
“We had the perfect weekend up until stage thirteen," he said.
"We had led from the start, I was driving smart, Ola [Floene] was
doing an amazing job and the car was faultless. I’m so
disappointed about what happened.
“Our rally came to an end on an uphill fast right-hand corner
over a crest, and where it tightened a little there was gravel all
over the road. It was a repeat of a stage we’d done this this
morning, and the first time through there was no gravel. Even on the
second run there was a nothing on the road until that point. When we
hit the gravel there was no grip at all and we slid off the road in
sixth gear and hit a tree.
“We are getting so close to winning a rally now, it’s
just a shame we couldn’t fulfil it here."
The battle for the lead between the SKODA team-mates wasn’t the only
story of the day. Peugeot’s Thierry Neuville was third overnight and
began the day within striking distance of the leader. There could be
no question of team orders up front as Neuville racked up a succession
of stage wins, and after Mikkelsen’s retirement Neuville ended the
penultimate stage 8.1s behind new leader Kopecky.
To close the gap over the remaining 17.7km would be a tall order, and
so it proved. Neuville won the final stage convincingly but fell just
short of overall victory, by 0.8s. Could they have snatched victory in
the final stage? Neuville and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul will be
pondering that between now and the next round.
"Unfortunately I absolutely wanted to modify a pace note in a very
fast section, and I didn’t have time to tell him the pace note
for afterwards,” said Gilsoul. “The corner tightened so we
had a big moment. But Thierry has very good car control and we had a
bit of luck."
Freddy Loix brought his BFO-SKODA home third. Having shown speed on
the opening day, he couldn’t hit the same heights on the second.
"It’s a combination of factors," he said. "The feeling of the car is
better, I have a good feeling but I’m losing a few seconds here and
there. I can see where I’m losing but I can’t react for the stage
after, so it’s always the same silly mistakes.
"It’s not a question of gravel on the road. If I feel well, like in
the Barum Rally, gravel is no problem. It’s more about being on the
big attack and about confidence."
Confidence had been a problem for Peugeot France’s Bryan Bouffier on
the opening day as he struggled with set-up issues and lack of trust
in the veracity of his pace notes. Today he was within the top five on
every stage, but the overall gap to the leaders was too great for the
Rallye Monte-Carlo winner to overcome.
"The car worked very well today," he said. "I had a better feeling
and we took some points."
Fifth fell to Hermann Gassner Jr in only his second asphalt rally in
the Red Bull SKODA. Gassner improved continuously throughout the
event, beginning just outside the top 10 and ultimately passing more
experienced entrants on merit. By Sunday morning he was posting stage
times well within the top 10, and was fourth quickest over the last
two stages.
It was only on the penultimate stage that Gassner unseated local IRC
Production Cup entrant Gyorgy Aschenbrenner, who used his local
knowledge to remarkable effect. Regularly setting top 10 stage times
aboard his Ralliart Lancer Evolution IX, Aschenbrenner delighted the
local fans and drew one of the biggest crowds in the service park.
Brake problems on the first day consigned Toni Gardemeister to the
lower portion of the top 10, and his counter-attack this morning was
hindered by a misfire on SS1. "It felt like bad turbo lag," he said.
"It would pause, there was nothing, then the power would come in. I
stopped after the stage and went under the bonnet, played with some
connections, but we had to look at it in the service park."
In the afternoon, though, the TGS Worldwide SKODA came on song and
Gardemeister had no complaints. "The car is working brilliantly," he
said, "and we’ve learned a lot about this new rally."
Hungarian entrant Robert Butor finished eighth after a strong run,
beating several IRC regulars in his Peugeot 207 S2000: "We are very
happy. For us the Hungarian championship was the most important and in
this we are second, so it’s good."
Bruno Magalhaes was ninth in the Peugeot Sport Portugal 207 S2000,
having solved the set-up and gear ratio issues that hindered him on
the first day. "This rally was very tough," he said. "It was hard to
run against local drivers – they were fast."
Beppo Harrach rounded out the top 10 in a Ralliart Lancer Evolution
IX, though Karl Kruuda – who suffered a puncture in SS12 – was just
2.1s behind after the final stage.
"This result is much more than we expected before the rally," said
Harrach. "To be able to fight with all the Super 2000 cars ahead of us
– amazing!"
IRC Production Cup: Gyorgy Aschenbrenner and Piko Zsuzsa continued
their dominance in their Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, remaining
in the top 10 throughout the day. Aschenbrenner had some handling
issues in the morning’s final stage but the timing was opportune,
since a service halt followed immediately. Second placed Beppo Harrach
also finished inside the top 10, 24.5s ahead of David Botka, both in
Lancer Evolution IXs. IRC regular Toshi Arai, driving the Subaru
Impreza R4 in its third event, found it hard to match the pace of the
Hungarian drivers but set-up improvements overnight enabled him to
finish seventh in class.
IRC 2WD Cup: Menyhert Kroszer, driving a Citroen DS3 R3T, held an
overnight lead of 15.0s over IRC 2WD Cup regular Stefano Albertini’s
Renault Clio R3, but Albertini attacked from the very first stage and
by the lunchtime service had moved into the lead. The battle continued
throughout the afternoon and Albertini won by just 1.9s. Olle Sasa was
2m22.6s behind in his Suzuki Swift S1600. Jean-Michel Raoux continues
to top the IRC 2WD Cup standings after finishing seventh. Honda moved
clear in the makes‘ classification with two cars in the top six.
DRIVER QUOTES
Jan Kopecky (CZE), SKODA Fabia S2000, first overall: “It was
very difficult racing, a very quick rally. Finally we are in first
place – okay, we were lucky, but we didn’t make any
mistakes, we stayed on the road, we didn’t spin or go off, and
the car was working perfectly. The result was first place.”
Thierry Neuville (BEL), Peugeot 207 S2000, second overall: “We
changed the set-up and the car felt much better, and I felt more
confident. I continued to push and push and we felt really good. We
had just a little moment on the last stage today, Nicolas was maybe a
little too late with the pace note, but we managed it and we could
continue. Maybe we lost the rally there but yesterday I was not
driving so good on a few stages, so it’s hard to say. Today it
was like we switched off and went flat out.”
Freddy Loix (BEL), SKODA Fabia S2000, third overall: “It was
certainly not my most easy rally because I could never do the speed of
the first three cars. I was always doing the third or fourth time, so
today when I came in for the first service I had a small talk with my
engineer, he was pushing me and I said, ‘Look, I want to finish
the rally like this because at the moment I can’t go quicker,
and maybe with some luck by the end of the day I will be on the
podium.’”
TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY TWO
1 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) SKODA Fabia S2000 2h00m06.7s2
Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Peugeot 207 S2000 +0.08s3
Freddy Loix (BEL)/Frederic Miclotte (BEL) SKODA Fabia S2000 +1m00.0s4
Bryan Bouffier (FRA)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000 +1m25.6s5
Hermann Gassner Jr (GER)/Timo Gottschalk (GER) SKODA Fabia S2000
+2m32.5s6 Gyorgy Aschenbrenner (HUN)/Piko Zsuzsa (HUN) Ralliart Lancer
Evo IX 2m38.2s7 Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/Tapio Suominen (FIN) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +3m05.6s8 Robert Butor (HUN)/Igor Bacigal (HUN) Peugeot
207 S2000 3m16.8s9 Bruno Magalhaes (POR)/Paulo Grave (POR) Peugeot 207
S2000 +3m51.7s10 Beppo Harrach (AUT)/Andreas Schindlbacher (AUT)
Ralliart Lancer Evo IX 2m38.2sIRC Production Cup: Gyorgy Aschenbrenner
(HUN)/Piko Zsuzsa (HUN) Ralliart Lancer Evo IX R4IRC 2WD Cup: Stefano
Albertini (ITA)/Simone Scattolin (ITA) Renault Clio R3
IRC STANDINGS (BEST OF SEVEN SCORES)
Drivers after round eight of 111 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 120pts2
Freddy Loix (Belgium) 1033 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 98pts4 Thierry
Neuville (Belgium) 78pts5 Bryan Bouffier (France) 73pts6 Andreas
Mikkelsen (Norway) 58pts7 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 47pts8 Toni
Gardemeister (Finland) 34pts9 Hans Weijs (Netherlands) 18pts10 Bruno
Magalhaes (Portugal) 16pts
Manufacturers after round eight of 111 SKODA 285pts2 Peugeot
199pts3 M-Sport 70pts4 Ralliart 67pts5 Subaru 61pts6 PROTON 33pts7
Honda 31pts8 Abarth 14pts
IRC Production Cup after round eight of 111 Florian Gonon
(Switzerland) 50pts2 Gyorgy Aschenbrenner (Hungary) 25pts= Jose Luis
Barrios (Spain) 25pts= Jonas Langenakens (Belgium) 25pts= Ricardo
Moura (Portugal) 25pts= Jaroslav Orsak (Czech Republic) 25pts=
Volodymyr Pechenyk (Ukraine) 25pts8 Toshi Arai (Japan) 24pts= Vojtech
Stajf (Czech Republic) 24pts10 Daniel Behalek (Czech Republic) 18pts=
Beppo Harrach (Austria) 18pts= Vitor Lopes (Portugal) 18pts= Anthony
Martin (Belgium) 18pts= Yuriy Shapovalov (Ukraine) 18pts etc 
IRC 2WD Cup drivers after round eight of 111 Jean-Michel Raoux
(France) 70pts2 Stefano Albertini (Italy) 65pts3 Pierre Campana
(France) 25pts= Pierre-Antoine Guglielmi (France) 25pts= Paulo Maciel
(Portugal) 25pts= Kris Princen (Belgium) 25pts= Janos Puskadi
(Hungary) 25pts= Joan Vinyes (Spain) 25pts9 Eric Mauffrey (France)
22pts10 Gorka Antxustegi (Spain) 18pts= Michael Burri (Switzerland)
18pts= Vlad Cosma (Romania) 18pts= Tommy Doyle (Ireland) 18pts= Vaclav
Dunovsky (Czech Republic) 18pts= Guy Fiori (France) 18pts= Menyhert
Krozser (Hungary) 18pts etc
IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers after round eight of 111 Honda 201pts2
Peugeot 149pts3 M-Sport 116pts4 Abarth 58pts5 SKODA 30pts
RALLY LEADERS
SS1-SS12: Andreas MikkelsenSS13-SS14: Jan Kopecky
STAGE WINNERS
Day one (Friday 9 September and Saturday 10 September):SS1: Hetvehely
1 (18.21kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS2: Orfu 1 (28.00kms): Andreas
MikkelsenSS3: Pecsvarad 1 (12.00kms): Jan KopeckySS4: Alsomocsolad 1
(14.02kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS5: Hetvehely 2 (18.21kms): Jan
KopeckySS6: Orfu 2 (28.00kms): Jan KopeckySS7: Pecsvarad 2 (12.00kms):
Jan KopeckySS8: Alsomocsolad 2 (14.02kms): Stage cancelled due to
safety reasons
Day two (Sunday 11 September):SS9: Zobak 1 (12.00kms): Andreas
MikkelsenSS10: Arpadteto 1 (24.00kms): Jan KopeckySS11: Nyarasvolgy 1
(17.70kms): Thierry NeuvilleSS12: Zobak 2 (12.00kms): Thierry
NeuvilleSS13: Arpadteto 2 (24.00kms): Thierry NeuvilleSS14:
Nyarasvolgy 2 (17.70kms): Thierry Neuville
KEY STATISTICS
IRC rally wins in 2011 (drivers)Juho Hanninen: 3Jan Kopecky: 2Bryan
Bouffier: 1Freddy Loix: 1Thierry Neuville: 1
IRC rally wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 6Peugeot: 2
IRC stage wins in 2011 (drivers)Andreas Mikkelsen: 22Jan Kopecky:
19Juho Hanninen: 17Thierry Neuville: 16Freddy Loix: 14Guy Wilks:
8Bryan Bouffier: 8Stephane Sarrazin: 4Giandomenico Basso: 1Francois
Delecour: 1Bruno Magalhaes: 1Patrik Sandell: 1Nicolas Vouilloz:
1 
Stage wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 74Peugeot: 38
TV TIMES
Eurosport, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge’s media partner
and Europe’s leading sports entertainment group, will show
coverage of the Canon Mecsek Rallye as follows:
Saturday 10 September:24:00hrs-24:30hrs: Day one highlights
(Eurosport)26:15hrs-26:45hrs: Day one highlights (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 11 September:08:30hrs-09:00hrs: Day one highlights repeated
(Eurosport)11:15hrs-11:45hrs: Day one highlights repeated (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)19:45hrs-20:15hrs: Day two highlights
(Eurosport)26:15hrs-26:45hrs: Day two highlights (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)
Monday 12 September:10:15hrs-10:45hrs: Day two highlights repeated
(Eurosport Asia-Pacific) 
Tuesday 13 September:23:15hrs-23:45hrs: Rally Review
(Eurosport)24:15hrs-24:45hrs: Day one highlights repeated (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)24:45hrs-25:15hrs: Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)
Wednesday 14 September:05:45hrs-06:15hrs: Rally Review (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)26:15hrs-26:45hrs: Rally Review repeated (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)
Friday 16 September:13:30hrs-14:00hrs: Rally Review repeated
(Eurosport 2)
Daily highlights will also be shown at www.rally-irc.com and via the
IRC iPhone and iPad App. All times are CET.

MIKKELSEN LEADS FROM CHARGING KOPECKY

Mikkelsen100911

Andreas Mikkelsen leads a fierce battle for the lead on the opening
day of the 45th Canon Mecksek Rallye. Driving a SKODA UK Motorsport
Fabia S2000, Mikkelsen holds sway over factory pilot Jan Kopecky by
just 8.7s, with Peugeot ace Thierry Neuville a further 12.7s behind.
This is the first time the Canon Mecsek Rallye, based around the
historic city of Pecs, has been part of the Intercontinental Rally
Challenge, and all the drivers coming here for the first time felt
that they would struggle to reconcile the slow pace of the recce
(performed in road cars at legal speeds) with the high velocities they
would achieve in racing trim once the roads were closed.
Nobody expected to arrive with the perfect set-up straight out of the
box. Thus the recurring motif during the morning’s opening loop was
one of frustration with pacenotes and set-up: braking for corners that
should be flat out, and finding the suspension either too pliable or
so stiff that the cars were jumping over the bumps. For the most part,
it was the drivers who adapted most quickly who prevailed.
Mikkelsen won all but one of the morning’s loop of four stages,
holding back by his own admission on stage three, a stage he was not
yet comfortable with. Kopecky initially complained that his Fabia was
too stiff, and that he did not like some aspects of the course, but
between the stages he finessed the set-up of his car and by the
afternoon he was on a roll, setting commandingly the quickest time on
all three stages after the lunchtime service. The last test of the
day, due to be held in the evening, was cancelled because there were
too many spectators.

Neuville100911
Thierry Neuville was on impressive form in the Team Peugeot
Belgium-Luxembourg 207 S2000, occupying second place overall for the
first four stages and showing a thoroughly mature outlook. He made it
very clear that he wasn’t going to risk his car by pushing to keep up
with Mikkelsen, but still managed to post stage times within the top
three on all but one occasion. He too made set-up changes throughout
the day to improve the car, and finished the final stage with a firm
grip on the final podium position.
For the opening two stages a clearly delighted Frigyes Turan held
third place in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, but the top 10 was so
tightly contested that no mistake went unpunished. On stage three he
posted the 10th quickest stage time and lost three places overall.
Although he recovered, moving back up to fifth, in the heat of the
afternoon he made a mistake shortly before the end of stage five,
clipping one of the logs at the apex of a corner and rolling off the
road.
BFO-SKODA Rally Team’s Freddy Loix spent the morning recreating his
exploits on the final day of last month’s Barum Czech Rally
Zlin, matching Kopecky’s pace to the tenth of a second. But he failed
to find the same level of set-up improvements and on the second run
through the stages he slipped back to a baffled fourth, unable to
understand where he was losing time. "We tried some more things after
the last service but it did not work," he said.
Peugeot UK’s Guy Wilks worked through the morning to improve the
set-up of his 207 S2000, feeling that it was moving around too much. A
calculated gamble to run the harder tyre compound paid off on stage
three when he set the fourth quickest time, but his day ended by the
roadside on stage five after a coolant hose retaining clip came off
and his engine overheated.
"Something splashed on the windscreen," he said. "I thought it was
from the water bottle, but when I turned on the windscreen wipers I
realised it was coolant."
Bryan Bouffier had a problematic morning in the Peugeot France 207
S2000, losing confidence in his pacenotes from the first stage when he
found tyre barriers which had been laid down on corners to prevent
‚cutting‘ had been removed since the recce. Then in stage four he had
to back off when he rounded a corner to find spectators crossing the
route. In that stage alone he lost 12.2s to the leader, but the
retirements of Turan and Wilks enabled him to end the day in fifth
place.
After battling brake problems during the morning, Toni Gardemeister
overhauled local privateer Robert Butor for seventh place in stage
six, but he still felt that the TGS Worldwide Fabia had too short a
top gear. "In the fast sections I was bouncing off the limiter," he
said.
There was trouble early on for PROTON when Giandomenico Basso halted
after stage one with an engine issue, then PG Andersson hit a kerb in
stage two and damaged a wheel. The Swede was able to continue but the
impact had also damaged his Satria Neo S2000’s rear diff, adversely
affecting the handling. Since the issue did not manifest itself until
after the mid-morning service halt, Andersson had to take it easy
through stages three and four. This made his aim of a top 10 finish an
even tougher task, even before he had to stop with a technical issue
on stage six.
Hermann Gassner Jr found some of the opening stages too slippery for
his liking in the Red Bull SKODA, but ended the day ninth, 8.1s ahead
of Hungarian entrant Norbert Herczig in a similar car.
Outside the top 10 local knowledge really told as a host of entrants
from the Hungarian championship dominated the midfield, especially on
the tighter stages. Multiple Hungarian champion Janos Toth would have
finished higher in his Peugeot-Total Hungaria Rally Team 207 S2000 but
for a recurring diff problem in the morning which cost him over two
minutes.
Bruno Magalhaes quickly realised he had badly misjudged the gears of
his Peugeot 207 S2000 when he reached the first flat out section and
found himself hitting the rev limiter in top gear. After that it was
along road back to the top 10, and he ended the day just outside in
11th place.
"For sure it was a big mistake with our gear ratios this morning," he
said. "This afternoon has been much better."
SKODA Auto Deutschland drivers Mark Wallenwein and Matthias Kahle
were 16th and 23rd overnight. Kahle was leaving morning service when
his engine dropped on to two cylinders. The problem was traced to a
broken fuel injection pipe, but it was a lengthy fix and Kahle checked
in to the next time control late, incurring a penalty.
IRC Production Cup: In the opening stages Gyorgy Aschenbrenner and
Piko Zsuzsa were untouchable in their Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
IX, not only pulling clear of the IRC Production Cup rivals but also
regularly posting top 10 stage times. IRC regular Toshi Arai, driving
the latest spec Subaru Impreza R4, admitted that he found the stages
scarily fast and lost almost two minutes to Aschenbrenner over the
morning alone, ending the day seventh. Aschenbrenner leads Beppo
Harrach by 1m09.9s.
IRC 2WD Cup: Menyhert Kroszer, driving a Citroen DS3 R3T, led from
the first stage but 2WD Cup regular Stefano Albertini’s Renault Clio
R3 was never far behind. Kroszer leads by 15.0s, with third placed
Olle Sasa 1m12.1s behind in his Suzuki Swift S1600. Ferenc Levai is
the highest placed Honda Civic Type R3 driver in fifth. Title leader
Jean-Michel Raoux holds fourth spot.
DRIVER QUOTES
Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR), SKODA Fabia S2000, first overall:
“It’s been a really good day, and to be leading overnight
is a great feeling. Even though it’s quite bumpy, these roads
are like a race track and you have to use racing lines. I’m
really enjoying myself out there. We’ve got a long way to go on
this rally. It’s been very fast and Jan has been pushing us very
hard.”
Jan Kopecky (CZE), SKODA Fabia S2000, second overall: “Andreas
pushed hard this morning so now we have to catch up. We will see. Much
depends on the conditions of the stages tomorrow. Already we have seen
a lot of loose gravel on the surface of the last stage.”
Thierry Neuville (BEL), Peugeot 207 S2000, third overall:
“It’s been a very good day and we’re exactly where
we want to be. On the last stage I couldn’t see the road properly
because it was so dark. I didn’t want to damage the car on the last
stage. Tomorrow we go on more attack!”
TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY ONE
1 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Floene (NOR) SKODA Fabia S2000
1h06m41.6s2 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) SKODA Fabia S2000
+8.7s3 Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Peugeot 207 S2000
+21.4s4 Freddy Loix (BEL)/Frederic Miclotte (BEL) SKODA Fabia S2000
+32.7s5 Bryan Bouffier (FRA)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
+1m20.9s6 Gyorgy Aschenbrenner (HUN)/Piko Zsuzsa (HUN) Ralliart Lancer
Evo IX R4 1m29.0s7 Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/Tapio Suominen (FIN) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +1m46.6s8 Robert Butor (HUN)/Igor Bacigal (HUN) Peugeot
207 S2000 1m52.8s9 Hermann Gassner Jnr (GER)/Timo Gottschalk (GER)
SKODA Fabia S2000 +1m58.2s10 Norbert Herczig (HUN)/Kalman Benics (HUN)
SKODA Fabia S2000 +2m06.3sIRC Production Cup: Gyorgy Aschenbrenner
(HUN)/Piko Zsuzsa (HUN) Ralliart Lancer Evo IX R4IRC 2WD Cup: Menyhert
Kroszer (HUN)/Gyorgy Papp (HUN) Citroen DS3 R3T
DAY TWO ITINERARY (SUNDAY 11 SEPTEMBER)
Special stages: SixSpecial stage distance: 107.40kmsLiaison distance:
183.89kmsTotal distance: 322.69kmsService F: Expo Center Pecs
(0:15hrs), 08:10hrsSS9: Zobak 1 (12.00kms), 09:08hrsSS10: Arpadteto 1
(24.00kms), 09:51hrsSS11: Nyarasvolgy 1 (17.70kms), 10:44hrsService G:
Expo Center Pcs (0:30hrs), 12:04hrsSS12: Zobak 2 (12.00kms),
13:17hrsSS13: Arpadteto 2 (24.00kms), 14:00hrsSS14: Nyarasvolgy 2
(17.70kms), 14:53hrsService H: Expo Center Pecs (0:10hrs),
15:56hrsFinish: Expo Center Pecs, 16:18hrs
TV TIMES
Owing to bad weather in the US, which has forced the US Open Tennis
to be rescheduled, Eurosport, the Intercontinental Rally
Challenge’s media partner and Europe’s leading sports
entertainment group, has amended the timing of its coverage of the
Canon Mecsek Rallye as follows:
Saturday 10 September:23:30hrs-24:00hrs: Day one highlights
(Eurosport)*26:15hrs-26:45hrs: Day one highlights (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)*Subject to the end of the US Open Tennis semi-finals
Sunday 11 September:08:30hrs-09:00hrs: Day one highlights repeated
(Eurosport)11:15hrs-11:45hrs: Day one highlights repeated (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)19:45hrs-20:15hrs: Day two highlights
(Eurosport)26:15hrs-26:45hrs: Day two highlights (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)Daily highlights will also be shown at www.rally-irc.com
and via the IRC iPhone and iPad App. All times are CET.

IRC ACE KOPECKY WINS DRAMATIC ZLIN SHOWDOWN

Kopecky280811final

•Czech hero heads SKODA podium lockout in closest IRC finish
ever•Neuville tops Peugeot challenge as Bouffier crashes on final
morning
Jan Kopecký has claimed his first victory in the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge for more than a year after triumphing
on a thrilling Barum Czech Rally Zlín. The ŠKODA
Motorsport ace, roared on by approximately 300,000 home fans, beat
Freddy Loix by 1.2s, the closest finish in the history of the IRC.
Team-mate Juho Hänninen took third to make it a ŠKODA
podium lockout.
Kopecky started the final stage with a two-second margin over Loix.
Despite the BFO-SKODA driver going fastest through the closing test,
Kopecky was able to hold on to first place and trim Hanninen’s
title lead to three points with four IRC rounds remaining.
Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg’s Thierry Neuville was the
leading Peugeot 207 driver in fourth after Bryan Bouffier crashed his
Peugeot France entry on Sunday’s opening stage. However,
Neuville faced strong opposition from SKODA UK Motorsport’s
Andreas Mikkelsen, who slashed his margin to 6.1s with a succession of
stage wins.
Kopecky, whose last win in the IRC was on Rally Islas Canarias El
Corte Ingles in May 2010, thought his hopes of victory were over when
his car’s powersteering faltered on Sunday’s first stage,
which resulted in his overnight lead of 19.7s being slashed to 5.6s.
Although he and co-driver Petr Stary were able to fashion makeshift
repairs by using a spare pipe to bypass the oil cooler to the
powersteering pump, they were unable to prevent the advancing Loix
from closing to within one second at the midday service halt in
Otrokovice.
In a tense finish, Kopecky held his nerve to win and banish the
memories of 2010 when he crashed out of the lead of his home event on
the final day. His efforts earned him the prestigious Colin McRae IRC
Flat Out Trophy, awarded to the driver whose performance best embodies
the spirit of the rallying legend.
Hanninen began the final day equal on time with Loix in second but
dropped out of contention when he slid wide on stage 12 and lost a few
precious seconds in the mistaken belief that he had a puncture.
Anxious to preserve his championship lead, the Finn settled for third
rather than pushing for a fourth win of the campaign.
Neuville found Sunday’s faster and flowing stages more to his
liking, which increased his confidence and ability to push, despite
heavy overnight rain leaving the roads damp in places. His capture of
fourth completed an encouraging showing on his second appearance on
the demanding asphalt event following a handful of set-up issues on
day one.
Mikkelsen’s bid to make up lost ground following his puncture
on Saturday began with a brace of stage wins in his SKODA UK
Motorsport Fabia. Stage 12 proved less successful for the Norwegian
when he went off the road and then overshot a junction. But two
further stage wins in the afternoon underlined the 22-year-old’s
huge potential on his way to fifth position.
Finn Toni Gardemeister overcame two clutch failures and a 10-second
penalty for a jumped start in his TGS Worldwide SKODA to fend off
Craig Breen for sixth position. Both drivers impressed on their first
appearances in Zlin with Breen’s performance particularly
noteworthy. Seeded 20th, the 21-year-old from Ireland was the
highest-placed M-Sport Ford Fiesta driver at the finish following an
error-free outing.
Guy Wilks, languishing in 12th at the start of the day following his
costly puncture on Saturday afternoon, battled back to eight position
in his Peugeot UK 207 after posting several impressive stage times.
But his frustrating visit to Czech Republic ended with alternator
failure prior to the 13th stage.
Roman Kresta’s eagerness to secure maximum Czech championship
points after rivals Pavel Valousek and Vaclav Pech both hit trouble on
Saturday meant he was happy to settle for eighth. His only major
concern during the rally was his puncture on stage five.
Swede PG Andersson survived a spin and a broken propshaft on stage 12
to clinch his first IRC points in his PROTON Motorsports’ Satria
Neo in a highly encouraging ninth place. Estonian teenager Karl Kruuda
rounded out the top 10 in his SKODA with Pole Michal Solowow 6.3s
behind in 11th in an M-Sport Fiesta.
SKODA Sweden’s Patrik Sandell was 12th after upping his pace
and confidence on his first visit to the Zlin stages. Irishman Robert
Barrable charged a wall on Sunday morning but kept his composure to
finish 13th in his privateer Fabia, one place ahead of PROTON driver
Giandomenico Basso. SKODA Auto Deutschland duo Mark Wallenwein and
Matthias Kahle were 19th and 20th on their Zlin debuts.
Bryan Bouffier was in the thick of the battle for a podium finish
entering Sunday’s opening test only to go off the road two
kilometres from the end of the stage. Impact with a boulder ripped two
wheels from his Peugeot France 207 and resulted in his instant
retirement.
“I was trying, doing my best when I went off, hit a boulder and
broke off two wheels,” said the Rallye Monte-Carlo winner.
“For sure I’m very disappointed but this is the race and I
was trying to keep my position and also fight the guys in front of
me.”
IRC Production CupIn the fight for the IRC Production Cup Jaroslav
Orsak, in a Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX R4, triumphed by a
healthy margin over Subaru Impreza driver Daniel Behalek. Martin
Bujacek finished third in a Lancer with Vaclav Arazim next up in
another Lancer. Vaclav Pech had been leading the class when he dropped
out with suspension failure on stage six. He returned under SupeRally
regulations on Sunday. Fumio Nutahara, in his Yokohama-supported
Impreza R4, crashed into retirement on stage five.
IRC 2WD CupStefano Albertini shone on his Zlin debut to clinch IRC
2WD Cup spoils for the first time in his Clio R3. The young Italian
edged Czech rising star Vaclav Dunovsky, who struggled with rear
suspension problems for much of the event in his Ignis. Jean-Michel
Raoux boosted his IRC 2WD Cup title hopes in third position after
overcoming an exhaust failure on his Clio. Overnight leader Petr
Zednik, in an M-Sport Fiesta, dropped back to fourth following
intercom and engine problems on the final day. Martin Kangur was the
leading Honda Civic finisher in sixth place.
DRIVER QUOTES
Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic), SKODA Fabia S2000, first overall:
“It was a nice fight with Freddy until the last metre of the
last stage and we enjoyed it a lot. Many people were much more nervous
than me, I was quite relaxed and felt no pressure. I have to say it is
my best win and we come back in the championship now but there is
still a long way to go.”
Freddy Loix (Belgium), SKODA Fabia S2000, second overall: “I
was hoping I could win but the first four stages I wasn’t so
quick and didn’t have the feeling with the car. I was also
missing a bit the rhythm. But then we changed the car and started to
fight back from sixth to a few seconds from Jan. It was a great race
for me and Jan was very quick.”
Juho Hanninen (Finland), SKODA Fabia S2000, third overall:
“Okay I wanted to win but sometimes it’s better to accept
not winning and take some points, which is important for the
championship. The boys in front of me were on full attack and when I
made a small mistake on stage 12 and thought I had a puncture they won
eight seconds from me and that was it.”
 
TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY TWO
1 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) SKODA Fabia S2000 2h15m51.7s2
Freddy Loix (BEL)/Frederic Miclotte (BEL) SKODA Fabia S2000 +1.2s3
Juho Hanninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) SKODA Fabia S2000 +37.4s4
Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL) Peugeot 207 S2000
+1m59.6s5 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Fløene (NOR) SKODA Fabia
S2000 +2m05.7s6 Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/Tapio Suominen (FIN) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +3m43.2s7 Craig Breen (IRL)/Gareth Roberts (GBR) M-Sport
Ford Fiesta S2000 +3m47.4s8 Roman Kresta (CZE)/Petr Gross (CZE) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +4m21.5s9 PG Andersson (SWE)/Emil Axelsson (SWE) PROTON
Satria Neo S2000 +4m41.1s10 Karl Kruuda (EST)/Martin Jarveoja (EST)
SKODA Fabia S2000 +4m54.4sIRC Production Cup: Jaroslav Orsak
(CZE)/Karel Vajik (CZE) Ralliart Lancer Evolution IX R4IRC 2WD Cup:
Stefano Alberto (ITA)/Simone Scattolin (ITA) Renault Clio R3
IRC STANDINGS
Drivers after round seven of 111 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 98pts2 Jan
Kopecky (Czech Republic) 95pts3 Freddy Loix (Belgium) 88pts4 Bryan
Bouffier (France) 61pts5 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 60pts6 Andreas
Mikkelsen (Norway) 58pts7 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 47pts8 Toni
Gardemeister (Finland) 28pts9 Hans Weijs (Netherlands) 18pts10 Karl
Kruuda (Estonia) 15pts= Michal Solowow (Poland) 15pts etc
Manufacturers after round seven of 111 SKODA 275pts2 Peugeot
184pts3 M-Sport 70pts4 Subaru 51pts5 Ralliart 49pts6 PROTON 33pts7
Honda 28pts8 Abarth 14pts
IRC Production Cup after round seven of 111 Florian Gonon
(Switzerland) 50pts2 Jose Luis Barrios (Spain) 25pts= Jonas
Langenakens (Belgium) 25pts= Ricardo Moura (Portugal) 25pts= Jaroslav
Orsak (Czech Republic) 25pts= Volodymyr Pechenyk (Ukraine) 25pts7
Vojtech Stajf (Czech Republic) 24pts8 Toshi Arai (Japan) 18pts= Daniel
Behalek (Czech Republic) 18pts= Vitor Lopes (Portugal) 18pts= Anthony
Martin (Belgium) 18pts= Yuriy Shapovalov (Ukraine) 18pts etc
IRC 2WD Cup drivers after round seven of 111 Jean-Michel Raoux
(France) 64pts2 Stefano Albertini (Italy) 40pts3 Pierre Campana
(France) 25pts= Pierre-Antoine Guglielmi (France) 25pts= Paulo Maciel
(Portugal) 25pts= Kris Princen (Belgium) 25pts= Joan Vinyes (Spain)
25pts8 Eric Mauffrey (France) 22pts9 Gorka Antxustegi (Spain) 18pts=
Michael Burri (Switzerland) 18pts= Vlad Cosma (Romania) 18pts= Tommy
Doyle (Ireland) 18pts= Vaclav Dunovsky (Czech Republic) 18pts= Guy
Fiori (France) 18pts etc
IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers after round seven of 111 Honda 158pts2
Peugeot 149pts3 M-Sport 116pts4 Abarth 58pts5 SKODA 30pts
RALLY LEADERS
SS1: Juho HanninenSS2: Andreas MikkelsenSS3-15: Jan Kopecky
STAGE WINNERS
Day one (Friday 26 August and Saturday 27 August):SS1: SSS Zlin
(9.36kms): Juho HanninenSS2: Biskupice 1 (8.89kms): Guy WilksSS3:
Pindula 1 (12.95kms): Jan KopeckySS4: Trojak 1 (28.69kms): Jan
KopeckySS5: Semetin 1 (11.49kms): Bryan BouffierSS6: Biskupice 2
(8.89kms): Freddy LoixSS7: Pindula 2 (12.95kms): Juho HanninenSS8:
Trojak 2 (28.69kms): Freddy Loix and Jan KopeckySS9: Semetin 2
(11.49kms): Freddy Loix 
Day two (Sunday 28 August):SS10: Majak 1 (22.69kms): Andreas
MikkelsenSS11: Kudlovice 1 (10.48kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS12:
Halenkovice 1 (24.37kms): Freddy LoixSS13: Majak 2 (22.69kms): Andreas
MikkelsenSS14: Kudlovice 2 (10.48kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS15:
Halenkovice 2 (24.37kms): Freddy Loix
KEY STATISTICS
IRC rally wins in 2011 (drivers)Juho Hanninen: 3Bryan Bouffier: 1Jan
Kopecky: 1Freddy Loix: 1Thierry Neuville: 1
IRC rally wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 5Peugeot: 2 
IRC stage wins in 2011 (drivers)Andreas Mikkelsen: 18Juho Hanninen:
17Jan Kopecky: 14Freddy Loix: 14Thierry Neuville: 12Guy Wilks: 8Bryan
Bouffier: 8Stephane Sarrazin: 4Giandomenico Basso: 1Francois Delecour:
1Bruno Magalhaes: 1Patrik Sandell: 1Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Stage wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 65Peugeot: 34

Wallenwein expects strong competition in Zlin

Wallenwein180811

Mark Wallenwein is expecting a tough fight when he returns to the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge on Barum Czech Rally Zlin next week.
Wallenwein, who will form part of a two-strong team from SKODA Auto
Deutschland on the asphalt event, began his IRC campaign with
SKODA’s German importer on the centenary edition of Rallye
Monte-Carlo back in January.
“The IRC is the strongest competition for Super 2000 cars
anywhere in the world,” said Wallenwein. “It’s not
just maybe five cars that can win but many more than that. It’s
good for learning but it’s also a real challenge.”
Wallenwein, who will be partnered at SKODA Auto Deutschland by
multiple German rally champion Matthias Kahle, is lowering his
expectations ahead of the Czech event, which he has never tackled
previously.
“All the guys will be very fast and many of them have done the
rally before so I have no expectations,” said the 24-year-old.
“It will only be my second time in this car and I want to
improve my speed for the next event in Hungary, which takes place two
weeks later. But I feel quite good about the rally – I am
ready.”
Wallenwein and co-driver Stefan Kopczyk finished 21st on Rallye
Monte-Carlo following several delays.
Kronos chief relishing competitive Zlin line-up
Kronos Racing team boss Marc van Dalen says he is relishing the
prospect of running three potential event winners on Barum Czech Rally
Zlin, round seven of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which takes
place later this month.
The Belgian squad will field a trio of Peugeot 207 Super 2000s for
Thierry Neuville, Pavel Valousek and Guy Wilks. All three are being
tipped as capable of claiming victory on the asphalt event.
“I am very happy to have three very good crews who are all in a
position to make a very strong result,” said van Dalen, who
guided Nicolas Vouilloz and Kris Meeke to back-to-back IRC
drivers’ crowns in 2008 and 2009 respectively. “Each of
them knows the car and the roads and we will also make a two-day test
beforehand so it is a positive situation.”
Asked what he would do in the event of having to adopt team orders,
van Dalen said: “The first objective is that we win for Peugeot.
After that we have to consider we have three different importers,
Belgium-Luxembourg, Czech Republic and United Kingdom. Like always we
will provide the same equipment, the same ideas, the same weather
information, the same chances for all.”
Mikkelsen: season has turned a corner
Andreas Mikkelsen believes his run to second place on last
month’s Sata Rallye Acores is proof that his Intercontinental
Rally Challenge season has been transformed following a luckless start
to his campaign with SKODA UK Motorsport.
The 22-year-old Norwegian had suffered a number of setbacks during
the opening five events of the season but hit back with a sensational
second place finish on the gravel event in his SKODA UK Fabia Super
2000.
“Yes we’ve had some disappointments but this sport is a
lot of good things and a lot of bad things,” said Mikkelsen.
“We’ve been very unlucky this year and hopefully our luck
has now changed and it will continue like this.”
He added: “The result [in the Azores] brings me a lot of
confidence. I have been quick on gravel and on Tarmac in Ukraine and
also in Ypres on the second day. The next round, Barum Czech Rally
Zlin, is Tarmac and I have done the rally two times before and
it’s probably the Tarmac rally I know best. But these guys will
be flat out so we will see what we can do. For sure if we’re
pushing to the maximum maybe we can try to win but it will be
difficult.”
After six rounds, Mikkelsen is seventh in the standings on 46 points.
Barum Czech Rally Zlin takes place from 26-28 August.
Cavigioli makes IRC return in Zlin
Marco Cavigioli, the winner of the inaugural IRC 2WD Cup in 2008, is
returning to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge for a shot at the
new-for-2011 IRC Production Cup.
The Italian veteran is best known for his exploits behind the wheel
of a two-wheel-drive Abarth Grande Punto. However, he will switch to a
four-wheel-drive Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX for a five
round-bid starting with next week’s Barum Czech Rally Zlin.
Cavigioli, who will be co-driven by Lorenzo Granai, will use a Lancer
supplied by GMA Racing and run by Island Motorsport. He will use
Yokohama tyres and will enjoy the support of the Cavigioli promotional
‘girls’.
Following his outing on Barum Czech Rally Zlin, which he is entering
for a 13th time, Cavigioli will contest Mecsek Rallye, Rallye Sanremo,
RACMSA Rally of Scotland and Cyprus Rally. Swiss Subaru Impreza driver
Florian Gonon currently tops the IRC Production Cup classification.
This week’s news from www.rally-irc.com
Monday… Intercontinental Rally Challenge event winner Freddy
Loix will get back behind the wheel of a rally car today when he
contests Rally van Staden in his native Belgium. However, he will be
doing so without his regular co-driver Frederic Miclotte by his side.
Instead, the BFO-SKODA Rally Team ace, winner of June’s GEKO
Ypres Rally, will by accompanied in his Fabia Super 2000 by Evelyn
Moreels, the wife of his principal backer, the BFO boss Stefaan
Vallaeys. See the full story at www.rally-irc.com or by downloading
the IRC App for the iPhone and iPad.
Tuesday… A total of 122 crews will contest Barum Czech Rally
Zlin – round seven of the 11-event Intercontinental Rally
Challenge – later this month. The impressive entry will feature
all eight registered IRC manufacturers – Abarth, Honda, M-Sport,
Peugeot, PROTON, Ralliart, ŠKODA and Subaru – and will
also include 29 pacesetting Super 2000 cars. See the full story at
www.rally-irc.com or by downloading the IRC App for the iPhone and
iPad.
Wednesday… Patrik Sandell achieved his pre-event target when
he took part on the famous CykelVasan in his native Sweden last
weekend. The Intercontinental Rally Challenge stage winner was among
4055 competitors who reached the finish of the grueling 90-kilometre
cycle ride on 13 August. He beat his personal best time by completing
the course in 3h24m12s. See the full story at www.rally-irc.com or by
downloading the IRC App for the iPhone and iPad. 

IRC AZORES GLORY FOR FLYING FINN HANNINEN

Hanninen160711FINAL

•Defending champion heads SKODA one-two-three on island
thriller•Bouffier upholds Peugeot honour in fourth to maintain
title attack
Juho Hanninen has made it three wins from four starts in this
year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge to move back into the
lead of the all-action series with a dramatic victory on Sata Rallye
Acores. Driving a SKODA Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, the defending IRC
champion was embroiled in a close battle with rising star Andreas
Mikkelsen starting the final day of the gravel event. But a courageous
run through Saturday’s second stage handed him a slender
advantage over the Norwegian that he maintained to the finish.
A hat trick of stage wins on Friday afternoon had propelled Mikkelsen
to within 1.3s of Hanninen starting day three. And the fight for glory
took another dramatic twist when Mikkelsen went faster than Hanninen
on Saturday’s opening run to snatch the lead by 2.7s, despite
bashing his Fabia’s left-rear wheel on an earth bank in thick
fog.
With fog still proving a nuisance on stage 14, Mikkelsen admitted he
was too cautious through the run and slipped back as Hanninen threw
caution to the wind to regain the lead with a blistering drive.
Mikkelsen won the Grupo Marques superspecial to narrow the
Finn’s margin to 10.9s with two stages remaining when a decision
was made for both drivers to hold station to ensure a dominant finish
for the Czech manufacturer, which now heads Peugeot in the
makes’ standings by 48 points.
The result also means Hanninen, who was using Michelin tyres and has
won more IRC rounds than any other driver with eight victories,
secured the prestigious Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy, which is
presented on all rounds of the IRC to the driver best embodying the
spirit of the rallying legend. 
Although he ultimately had to settle for second place, the
22-year-old Mikkelsen can take plenty of positives from his mature
performance in the Azores after he recorded a total of six stage wins
and his first podium since RACMSA Rally of Scotland last season.
Bruno Magalhaes, the winner in the Azores in 2010, was in third place
at the start of day three when the rear differential support on his
Peugeot Sport Portugal 207 broke, forcing the 31-year-old’s
retirement following Saturday’s first stage. “The support
was almost on the ground and there was nothing we could do,” he
said. “One more time it is bad luck when we are fighting for the
podium. I’m very disappointed.”
Magalhaes’ misfortune enabled Kopecky to claim a comfortable
third place despite the onset of a powersteering problem on Saturday
morning, which proved a particular hindrance to the Czech driver on
the very narrow and twisty stage 14. With a clear margin over Bryan
Bouffier in fourth, the mechanical failure went unpunished and Kopecky
took his fourth podium finish of the season.
Bouffier was the highest-placed event newcomer at the wheel of his
Peugeot France 207. The Rallye Monte-Carlo winner ran first on the
road on the final day and his capture of fourth overall means he
remains firmly in contention for the IRC drivers’ crown.
Patrik Sandell said he lacked the confidence to attack on
Saturday’s opening fog-hit stage and adopted a cautious approach
to finish fifth in his SKODA Sweden-entered Fabia, his best result in
the IRC to date. He rounded out a solid performance by winning the
last stage.
Ricardo Moura dominated the IRC Production Cup category in his
Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer and finished sixth overall in the process.
Little troubled the local hero who resisted the temptation to try to
replicate the fifth place he achieved in the Azores in 2010 in order
to secure maximum points in the Azorean and Portuguese championships.
Vitor Lopes finished seventh in a Subaru Impreza with Vitor Pascoal
eighth at the wheel of another Lancer.
Behind Sergio Silva in ninth, Yokohama-backed Fumio Nutahara claimed
his maiden IRC drivers’ championship point on his first
appearance in Subaru’s R4-specification Impreza. The Japanese
thought his challenge was over when his car’s engine cut
following a water splash on stage 14 but he fought back to clinch 10th
overall.
Jean-Michel Raoux extended his lead of the IRC 2WD Cup by finishing
an impressive second in class to Paulo Maciel. Defending champion
Harry Hunt’s challenge ended on Saturday’s opening stage
when he got beached on an earth bank.
After retiring when he broke his suspension nudging an earth bank on
Friday morning, Guy Wilks elected not to restart on Saturday under
SupeRally regulations in his Peugeot UK 207. Nutahara’s Subaru
team-mate Toshi Arai did restart under SupeRally following his exit on
Friday with an electrical fault but he suffered further delay when he
had to stop to change a tyre on stage 14.

DRIVER QUOTES
Juho Hanninen (Finland), SKODA Fabia S2000, first overall:
“It’s been a good weekend and big thanks to the team. We
had three ŠKODAs on the podium so that’s a great result.
We had a good fight with Andreas, especially yesterday and this
victory feels very good.”
Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway), SKODA Fabia S2000, second overall:
“Second place is very good for the whole team who did a
fantastic job all weekend. Juho has been incredibly quick and there
was nothing we could do about that. Maybe next time.”
Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic), SKODA Fabia S2000, third overall:
“It was a pity for Bruno because we were having a nice battle
for third and the feeling is always better when you have a nice
battle. But I am happy to be third on my first gravel rally for one
year.”

TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY THREE
1 Juho Hanninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) SKODA Fabia S2000
1h07m45.8s2 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Fløene (NOR) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +42.3s3 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) SKODA Fabia
S2000 +1m46.0s4 Bryan Bouffier (FRA)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Peugeot 207
S2000 +3m36.2s5 Patrik Sandell (SWE)/Staffan Parmander (SWE) SKODA
Fabia S2000 +4m33.3s6 Ricardo Moura (POR)/Sandro Eiro (POR) Ralliart
Lancer Evolution IX +6m07.0s7 Vitor Lopes (POR)/Hugo Magalhaes (POR)
Subaru Impreza STI WRX +9m52.1s8 Vitor Pascoal (POR)/Luis Ramalho
(POR) Ralliart Lancer Evolution X +12m47.3s9 Sergio Silva (POR)/Nelson
Cordeiro (POR) Subaru Impreza STI WRX +14m00.3s10 Fumio Nutahara
(JPN)/Hakaru Ichino (JPN) Subaru Impreza R4 +18m10.8sIRC Production
Cup: Ricardo Moura (POR)/Sandro Eiro (POR) Ralliart Lancer Evolution
IXIRC 2WD Cup: Paulo Maciel (POR)/Filipe Gouveira (POR) Citroen Saxo
VTS

IRC STANDINGS
Drivers after round six of 111 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 83pts2 Bryan
Bouffier (France) 79pts3 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 70pts= Freddy
Loix (Belgium) 70pts5 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 48pts6 Andreas
Mikkelsen (Norway) 46pts7 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 45pts8 Toni
Gardemeister (Finland) 18pts9 Hans Weijs (Netherlands) 15pts10 Bruno
Magalhaes (Portugal) 14pts= Patrik Sandell (Sweden) 14pts
etcManufacturers after round six of 111 SKODA 229pts2 Peugeot
181pts3 Subaru 49pts4 M-Sport 45pts5 Ralliart 42pts6 Honda 28pts7
PROTON 17pts8 Abarth 12pts
IRC Production Cup after round six of 111 Florian Gonon (Switzerland)
50pts2 Jose Luis Barrios (Spain) 25pts= Jonas Langenakens (Belgium)
25pts= Ricardo Moura (Portugal) 25pts= Volodymyr Pechenyk (Ukraine)
25pts6 Toshi Arai (Japan) 18pts= Vitor Lopes (Portugal) 18pts= Anthony
Martin (Belgium) 18pts= Yuriy Shapovalov (Ukraine) 18pts= Vojtech
Stajf (Czech Republic) 18pts etcIRC 2WD Cup drivers after round six of
111 Jean-Michel Raoux (France) 49pts2 Pierre Campana (France)
25pts= Pierre-Antoine Guglielmi (France) 25pts= Paulo Maciel
(Portugal) 25pts= Kris Princen (Belgium) 25pts= Joan Vinyes (Spain)
25pts7 Gorka Antxustegi (Spain) 18pts= Michael Burri (Switzerland)
18pts= Vlad Cosma (Romania) 18pts= Tommy Doyle (Ireland) 18pts= Guy
Fiori (France) 18pts etcIRC 2WD Cup manufacturers after round six of
111 Peugeot 137pts2 Honda 125pts3 M-Sport 91pts4 Abarth 58pts5 SKODA
12pts

RALLY LEADERS
SS1: Andreas MikkelsenSS2-12: Juho HanninenSS13: Andreas
MikkelsenSS14-17: Juho Hanninen
STAGE WINNERS
Day one (Thursday 14 July):SS1: Lagoa-Marques 1 (13.06kms): Andreas
MikkelsenSS2: Coroa Da Mata 1 (7.50kms): Bruno MagalhaesSS3: Grupo
Marques Super Special Stage 1 (2.00kms): Juho Hanninen
Day two (Friday 15 July):SS4: Batalha Golfe 1 (7.90kms): Juho
HanninenSS5: Feteiras 1 (7.47kms): Stage cancelled due to safety
reasonsSS6: Sete Cidades 1 (18.30kms): Juho HanninenSS7: Batalha Golfe
2 (7.90kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS8: Feteiras 2 (7.47kms): Juho
HanninenSS9: Sete Cidades 2 (18.30kms): Stage cancelled due to safety
reasonsSS10: Remedios-Agua De Pau (7.15kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS11:
Lagoa-Marques 2 (13.06kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS12: Coroa Da Mata 2
(7.50kms): Andreas Mikkelsen
Day three (Saturday 16 July):SS13: Graminhais 1 (20.80kms): Jan
KopeckySS14: Tronqueira 1 (21.94kms): Juho HanninenSS15: Grupo Marques
Super Special Stage 2 (2.00kms): Andreas MikkelsenSS16: Graminhais 2
(20.80kms): Juho HanninenSS17: Tronqueira 2 (21.94kms): Patrik Sandell
KEY STATISTICS
IRC rally wins in 2011 (drivers)Juho Hanninen: 3Bryan Bouffier:
1Freddy Loix: 1Thierry Neuville: 1IRC rally wins in 2011
(manufacturers)SKODA: 4Peugeot: 2 
IRC stage wins in 2011 (drivers)Juho Hanninen: 15Andreas Mikkelsen:
14Thierry Neuville: 12Jan Kopecky: 11Freddy Loix: 10Guy Wilks: 7Bryan
Bouffier: 6Stephane Sarrazin: 4Giandomenico Basso: 1Francois Delecour:
1Bruno Magalhaes: 1Patrik Sandell: 1Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Stage wins in 2011 (manufacturers)SKODA: 52Peugeot: 32

TV TIMES
Eurosport, Europe’s leading sports entertainment group and the
media partner of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, will show
coverage of Sata Rallye Acores as follows:
Saturday 16 July23:00-23:30: Day two highlights
(Eurosport)23:00-23:30: Day two highlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 17 July24:00-24:30: Rally Review (Eurosport)**This programme
will be shown at 24:30-25:00 on Eurosport France24:00-24:30: Rally
Review (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Monday 18 July07:00-07:30: Rally Review replayed (Eurosport
Asia-Pacific)Daily highlights will also be shown at www.rally-irc.com
and via the IRC iPhone and iPad App. All times are CET.

Stary returns from injury for Azores start

Stary140711

Co-driver Petr Stary will make his comeback from injury on Sata
Rallye Acores, the sixth round of the Intercontinental Rally
Challenge, which starts in Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel
this afternoon (14 July).
Stary, who partners Jan Kopecky in the factory SKODA Motorsport team,
injured his right collarbone during a crash in shakedown for the
previous IRC round in Belgium, the GEKO Ypres Rally. He has since made
a recovery and will team-up with his fellow Czech on the first gravel
event of the IRC season.
“I am pleased that my co-driver has recovered from his injury
and that we can take part in this rally,” said Kopecky, 29.
“We achieved excellent times in the Azores last year and we want
to make use of the experience we’ve gained here, although this will be
our first appearance on gravel after a whole year.”
Kopecky and Stary will be anxious to avoid a repeat of last
year’s Sata Rallye Acores when they crashed out of the lead on
the final stage of the event.
Subaru enters two R4 Imprezas in Azores
Two R4-specification Subaru Imprezas will contest Sata Rallye Acores
this week as the Japanese manufacturer increases its commitment to the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge in conjunction with tyre partner
Yokohama.
Experienced drivers Toshi Arai and Fumio Nutahara will pilot the two
Imprezas run by Manfred Stohl’s Austria-based team, Stohl
Racing.
The veteran Japanese duo are expected to head the challenge for IRC
Production Cup honours in what will be the first competitive
appearance on an international gravel event for the R4 Imprezas. The
R4 regulations were introduced for this season to bridge the
performance gap between traditional Group N cars and the pacesetting
Super 2000 machines.
Japanese tyre firm Yokohama is supporting Subaru’s IRC campaign
and has brought three compound options to the Azores based on its A053
pattern.
But while the Yokohama-supported Imprezas are lighter and more
technically advanced than their standard Group N counterparts, few
drivers get close to Azores resident and multiple regional champion
Ricardo Moura when it comes to experience of the demanding gravel
stages.
The Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer pilot finished a fine fifth overall
last season and is more than capable of achieving a similar result
this year. Other contenders include Group N Impreza driver Vitor Lopes
and Vitor Pascoal, who switches from the Peugeot 207 he took to sixth
overall in 2010 to a Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.
Subaru will host a presentation of its Impreza R4 at 14:00hrs local
time on Thursday 14 July in the Sata Rallye Acores service park in
Ponta Delgada prior to the start of the event. Visit the Media section
of www.rally-irc.com for more details.
High hopes for Peugeot runners in Azores
Frederic Bertrand, the boss of Peugeot Sport’s customer
competition department, has backed his trio of drivers Bryan Bouffier,
Bruno Magalhaes and Guy Wilks, to run at the front on Sata Rallye
Acores, round six of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
Peugeot has won both editions of the gravel event since it joined the
IRC two years ago with Kris Meeke taking victory in 2009 before
Magalhaes triumphed last season in a thrilling finish.
“It promises to be a very competitive weekend and I have every
confidence in the ability of the three Peugeot drivers to clock up top
results,” said Bertrand.
Three of the eight Super 2000 cars in action in the Azores are
Peugeot 207s, but Bertrand is unconcerned by the numerical
disadvantage. “That won’t prevent the Peugeot runners from
setting their sights high,” he said. “They tend to be the
outsiders, but that’s a role that actually suits them.”
Eurosport announces Azores broadcast schedule
Eurosport, Europe’s leading sports entertainment group and the
media partner of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, will show
coverage of Sata Rallye Acores as follows:
Friday 15 July23:00-23:30: Day one highlights (Eurosport)23:00-23:30:
Day one highlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)Saturday 16
July23:00-23:30: Day two highlights (Eurosport)23:00-23:30: Day two
highlights (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)Sunday 17 July24:00-24:30: Rally
Review (Eurosport)**This programme will be shown at 24:30-25:00 on
Eurosport France
24:00-24:30: Rally Review (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)Monday 18
July07:00-07:30: Rally Review replayed (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)Daily
highlights will also be shown at www.rally-irc.com and via the IRC
iPhone and iPad App. All times are CET.
Hunt tries Super 2000 car for size
Harry Hunt will resume the defence of his IRC 2WD Cup crown on Sata
Rallye Acores this week on the back of a test in a SKODA Fabia Super
2000.
The 22-year-old was handed the opportunity as part of the British
motorsport governing body’s Team UK driver training scheme in
conjunction with SKODA UK Motorsport, which runs Andreas Mikkelsen in
the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
“The car is something else,” said the London-based
driver. “The power is incredible but so is the steering and
handling. Being able to control the car mid-corner on the power is
awesome. This has been a fantastic opportunity for me. When I finished
I went through the data with the engineers and I did much better than
I thought I would. I was a bit nervous at first, but once I’d
settled into it, I really started to get more out of the car.”
After making four appearances in the IRC 2WD Cup this year Hunt, who
is co-driven by fellow Briton Robbie Durant, is 12th in the standings.
He is competing in the Azores for the first time.
No rest for IRC regular Gardemeister
Toni Gardemeister won’t have any time to relax this summer,
despite not contesting Sata Rallye Acores in his TGS Worldwide SKODA
Fabia Super 2000 this week.
Gardemeister is eighth in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge
drivers’ standings having scored points on all five rounds run
so far this season. However, he won’t be in action in the
mid-Atlantic because his Fabia’s engine is currently undergoing
a rebuild in preparation for the next round of the series, Barum Czech
Rally Zlin, at the end of August.
Instead, Gardemeister will take part on Rally Estonia from 15-16 July
in his self-built BMW M3, which he uses for fun on selected events.
“I like this event so I decided to make a surprise for the
spectators and bring my own M3,” said Gardemeister.
“I’ll come with my team TGS Worldwide, my main aim is the
victory in our class.”
Gardemeister is not the only IRC regular competing on the high-speed
gravel event: Estonian teenager Karl Kruuda, who has scored points on
his last two IRC appearances, will also be competing in an M-Sport
Ford Fiesta S2000. 

Exciting entry for Sata Rallye Acores

Azores070711

More than 40 crews will contest Sata Rallye Acores, round six of the
Intercontinental Rally Challenge, from 14-16 July.
Eight Super 2000 cars will be in action with Bryan Bouffier topping
the entry in his Peugeot France-backed 207. The Rallye Monte-Carlo
winner forms part of the three-strong Peugeot attack on the all-gravel
event, which also includes Peugeot UK’s Guy Wilks and Peugeot
Sport Portugal’s Bruno Magalahes, who claimed a dramatic
final-stage victory on the rally in 2010.
Defending IRC champion Juho Hanninen is one of four SKODA Fabia S2000
drivers competing on the Atlantic archipelago. His factory SKODA
Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecky will also be in taking part at the
wheel of another Fabia S2000, as will SKODA UK Motorsport’s
Andreas Mikkelsen and SKODA Sweden’s Patrik Sandell. Frenchman
Julien Maurin will pilot the sole M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 on the
entry.
Toshi Arai and Fumio Nutahara head the Yokohama-supported Subaru
challenge in a brace of R4-specification Imprezas. As well as aiming
to claim their first IRC points of the season, the Japanese drivers
will be favourites for the IRC Production Cup laurels, where Azores
resident Ricardo Moura is set to provide strong opposition in his
Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX.
The IRC 2WD Cup has attracted an impressive entry with series’
leader Jean-Michel Raoux and defending class champion Harry Hunt among
the contenders for victory. A copy of the full entry list is available
at www.rally-irc.com. 
Italian victory boosts Mikkelsen for Azores
Andreas Mikkelsen’s SKODA UK Motorsport team boss Pierfrancesco
Zanchi reckons his driver’s victory on Rally di San Marino last
weekend will hand him a major boost as he prepares to tackle Sata
Rallye Acores for a second time next week.
Mikkelsen, who was competing on the Italian Gravel Trophy round in a
SKODA Rally Team Italia Fabia Super 2000, similar to the one he uses
in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, finished fourth in the Azores
last season in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.
“We needed to win in San Marino and that’s exactly what
we did,” said Zanchi. “We are pleased to be leading the
[Italian Gravel] championship and are very confident ahead of Sata
Rallye Acores.”
Of his victory on the gravel stages in and around San Marino,
Mikkelsen said: “The strategy was to take a lead and maintain it
carefully. We watched our competitors and maintained a comfortable
lead without pushing so hard that we made errors.”
Mikkelsen, from Norway, is seventh in the IRC drivers’
standings after five rounds. 
Peugeot UK keen on more IRC action in 2012
Peugeot UK could continue its participation in the Intercontinental
Rally Challenge for a fourth season in 2012.
The importer began its involvement in the series in 2009 when it
backed Kris Meeke’s IRC title triumph in a 207 Super 2000 run by
the Belgian Kronos Racing operation.
Meeke was third in 2010 before he handed over the reins to countryman
Guy Wilks, who is embarking on a full programme of IRC events this
season alongside co-driver Phil Pugh.
A spokesperson for Peugeot UK said: “Nothing is decided and
it’s really far too early to be making any decisions because
it’s something we tend to do when we have our budget meetings in
September. But we’re really pleased with the IRC programme. For
sure we’d like to be winning but we also have to be realistic
because it’s a very competitive championship. The dealer network
interest [in the UK] has been brilliant, much more so than when we
started in 2009. They’re really behind the project and Peugeot
Sport is too. We like the IRC and we hope to be here next year."
Wilks is sixth in the IRC drivers’ table following his run to
fifth on last month’s GEKO Ypres Rally. The 30-year-old’s
best result this season was his third place on Rallye Monte-Carlo in
January.
Mecsek Rallye plans take shape
The Mecsek Rallye, which joins the Intercontinental Rally Challenge
schedule for the first time this season, is set to be another
successful addition to the all-action series.
That’s the view of IRC Motorsport Development Manager
Jean-Pierre Nicolas and IRC General Co-ordinator Xavier Gavory, who
visited the event’s base in the Hungarian city of Pecs last
month to meet officials from the rally and visit the stages and
various facilities.
“The stages are incredible and a good mixture of layouts and
surfaces,” said Nicolas, a former international-level rally
driver. “In some places they are like the old Nurburgring race
circuit in Germany, but in other places quite wide. They will be a
good challenge for the drivers.”
Gavory added: “The rally was assessed last year and the
organisers did a very good job then. They will benefit from the
infrastructure put in place when Pecs became European Capital of
Culture in 2010. We saw a number of impressive sites including a new
service park area.”
The 45th running of the Mecsek Rallye takes place from 9-11
September. More information will be available soon on the
event’s official website, www.mecsekrallye.hu.