– Free entry fees for 100 participants
    – Michelin to offer 100 tyres
    – Full TV coverage, including 12 stages LIVE
    – A legendary route
    – New IRC regulations for the 2WD category
The centenary edition of the world-famous Rallye Monte-Carlo will get underway in 100 days from now when it opens the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season, from 19-22 January.
A special presentation of the Centenary Rally was made last week in Paris in the presence of Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), Laurent-Eric Le Lay, President of Eurosport Group, René Isoart, ACM General Commissioner, and Géraldine Filiol, Managing Director of Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. On this occasion, a number of exciting key decisions were announced to celebrate the rally’s 100th anniversary.
100 Competitors
The Automobile Club de Monaco has confirmed that entry fees for this historic 2011 edition will be free of charge for all of the 100 competitors that are accepted for the opening round of next season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge. As part of the celebrations for the event’s centenary, this exceptional incentive aims to encourage amateur drivers, who are long-term supporters of the event, to enter.
As a means of providing additional assistance to amateur drivers, tyre company Michelin will provide 100 free competition tyres to the 25 highest-placed amateur competitors at the end of the event.
Full TV broadcast including live coverage of 12 stages
Once again, Eurosport Events will provide large-scale TV production for live coverage of the event, using a mixture of aerial shots, on-board footage and ground-based cameras. The Monte Carlo centenary edition will benefit from a full TV production with a total of 14 hours of television over the three days of the competition, including live coverage of 12 stages combined with regular highlights each evening.
The unique media coverage throughout the world will include extensive live broadcasts on Eurosport’s network that will reach over 121 million homes across 59 countries in Europe, complemented by comprehensive coverage on Eurosport 2, Eurosport Asia-Pacific, Eurosportnews and the eurosport.com websites.
On top of the extensive live transmissions on Eurosport, 30 broadcasters from around the world have already committed to cover the event. Ongoing discussions with other television channels will continue at Sportel, the biggest international meeting of sport and television organised in Monaco from 11 to 14 October.
The groundbreaking coverage of the 2010 rally in January received widespread praise and attracted a cumulative reach of 12 million* different viewers on Eurosport.
The route of the Centenary rally
The route has been drawn up based entirely on historical roads and it will include famous locations of the Rallye Monte-Carlo selected from its very earliest days. Starting in Valence on Wednesday 19 January, the event covers 13 classic Tarmac stages in the Ardèche, Haute Loire, Drôme and Alpes Maritimes regions of France over a competitive distance of 337 kilometres, prior to the finish in Monaco’s glamorous harbour in the early hours of Saturday 22 January.
Revised regulations for the IRC 2WD Cup
In another new development from next year’s Rallye Monte-Carlo onwards, the eligibility for the IRC 2WD Cup has been revised. Drivers running in any two-wheel drive rally car built to Group A, Group N and Group R regulations – even if they are at the wheel of cars not built by a registered IRC manufacturer – will be able to score driver points on all rounds of the series and be eligible for the IRC 2WD Cup drivers‘ title. Only those car makes registered as an IRC manufacturer will be permitted to score manufacturers‘ points.
The decision is expected to pave the way for increased competition by encouraging more drivers to contest this exciting addition to the IRC, while also acknowledging the increasing number of manufacturers building cars for the emerging Group R category.
Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club de Monaco, said: "Amateurs are the bedrock on which the Monte Carlo rally event and its history have been built. We have unveiled a range of initiatives to encourage them to participate in this historic edition, and to give them the chance to compete against professional and established drivers. Our aim is to combine tradition and modernity, and to bring together the drivers, the fans, the organisers as well as the regions in a popular and friendly festive atmosphere. This is the spirit that we would like to express for the rally centenary. Finally, the thrilling live broadcasts provided by our partner Eurosport Events, will give TV viewers an extra dimension, bringing to life the ambience of this rally".
"It is a great honour to start the fifth season of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with such a famous and prestigious event as the Monte-Carlo rally, particularly during its centenary year," said Laurent-Eric Le Lay, President of Eurosport Group. "Producing 12 stages live, including the Turini stages run at night, remains a big technical and logistical challenge, but this event is synonymous with the sport of rallying and our ambitious TV production plans are worthy of an epic motorsport event like this one. Viewers will be able to experience this legendary event live and feel the drama of the Monte Carlo Rally directly as it happens!" Le Lay concluded.
(*) source: Eurometrix – AGF/GFK, SKO, BARB, TNS Global, MMS, AGB Nielsen Media Research, TNS Gallup, ARMA/GFK Romania

Laurent-Eric Le Lay (left) and Michel Boeri (right) launched the 2010 Rallye Monte-Carlo

www.rally-irc.com

* FxPro Cyprus Rally to get four hours of live coverage on Eurosport
* Two hours of live television for inaugural Golden Stage Rally
The 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season is set for a thrilling climax in Cyprus from 4-6 November – and Eurosport will be there to show four hours of live television coverage from the demanding gravel event, regarded in international rallying as one of the toughest tests of both driver and machine.
The FxPro Cyprus Rally is set to be one of the highlights of this year’s IRC. Not only will it bring the curtain down on IRC season number four, it will also confirm the respective winners of the IRC Drivers‘ and Manufacturers‘ titles, plus the IRC 2WD Cup for pilots and car makes at a special IRC awards Ceremony in Limassol on Sunday evening 7 November.
In addition, Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will transmit two hours of live coverage from the Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally, a new stand alone event which takes place over a single stage, albeit run twice, the following day (7 November) and carries a massive prize fund of 150,000 Euros.
Lumiere TV (LTV), the Cypriot channel, will also propose extensive live broadcasts of both the FxPro Cyprus Rally and the Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally.
Designed to showcase rallying in a new and exciting way by making it accessible, understandable and attractive to a wider audience, the compact, fan and television-friendly format covers a single 25-kilometre mixed-surface stage run twice. The stage will be known as the Love Cyprus Golden Stage in deference to support from the country’s tourism authority.
"Cyprus is going to be a very special weekend of rallying as the island will host the deciding round of this season’s 12-event IRC series, but also the inaugural high drama Golden Stage Rally , which aims to attract a new legion of fans to the sport through its compact, all-action format" said Geraldine Filiol, Managing Director of Eurosport Events.
"With spectacular countryside and breathtaking views, the demanding nature of the Cyprus stages will increase the task facing the crews as they battle for glory, making it ideal for live television. We are delighted to announce that rally fans will be able to enjoy this exciting and innovative rallying double-header directly as it happens thanks to a strong television coverage, including 6 hours of live broadcasts on Eurosport’s platform" she concluded.
Entries for both events are still available and more information can be found by visiting www.rally-irc.com and the newly launched Golden Stage Rally website at www.goldenstagerally.com.
Live television coverage from Cyprus
FxPro Cyprus Rally
Friday 5 November:
10:00hrs-11:00hrs: LIVE Eurosport & Lumiere TV
15:00hrs-16:00hrs: LIVE Eurosport & Lumiere TV
Saturday 6 November
10:00hrs-11:00hrs: LIVE Eurosport & Lumiere TV
15:00hrs-16:00hrs: LIVE Eurosport & Lumiere TV
Golden Stage Rally
Sunday 7 November
11:00hrs-12:00hrs: LIVE Eurosport & Lumiere TV
14:00hrs-15:00hrs: LIVE Eurosport & Lumiere TV

Skoda UK Motorsport driver Guy Wilks says viewers of Eurosport will be in for a treat when RACMSA Rally of Scotland takes place next week (15-17 October).
Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will show four stages of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event live.
Wilks, who won the inaugural Rally of Scotland last year, said: "The scenery is second to none, so spectacular, which means we’ll be using some of the best stages in the world. Eurosport do a brilliant covering the IRC and their live coverage is out of this world. Definitely one of the best places to be if it’s not in a rally car is at home watching on Eurosport."
Eurosport’s live coverage schedule is as follows:
Saturday 16 October
11:00hrs-12:00hrs CET (Eurosport): LIVE Errochty 1
17:30hrs-18;30hrs CET (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific): LIVE Errochty 2
Sunday 17 October
11:00hrs-12:00hrs CET (Eurosport): LIVE Loch Ard 1
13:45hrs-15:00hrs CET (Eurosport): LIVE Loch Ard 2
All times are CET.

Guy Wilks won the spectacular Rally of Scotland in 2009

Scotland bosses support Colin McRae Vision

RACMSA Rally of Scotland organisers have joined forces with Colin McRae Vision to raise funds for the charity, which was established in memory of the Scottish hero and rallying legend.
Several prizes will be on offer for members of the public to win by estimating the distance the Skoda Yetis, which are being provided to the event by Skoda UK, the Official Vehicle Supplier of Rally of Scotland.
Rally of Scotland clerk of the course Iain Campbell said: "Colin McRae Vision is the official charity of the IRC and as the Scottish round of the series we had to do something. We see this as a bit of fun with some cracking prizes for people to have a go at winning but to also know that they are supporting some worthwhile causes through their passion for rallying." 
To enter visit www.justgiving.com/rallyofscotlandcomp. A minimum donation is required, which will go straight to Colin McRae Vision.  

Sardinia return for IRC ace Meeke

Kris Meeke will return to the island of Sardinia, venue of round five of the IRC earlier this season, when he contests Rally Costa Smeralda this week (7-9 October).
Meeke, the 2009 IRC champion, will be taking part on the Italian championship event to support Paolo Andreucci’s domestic title bid. Andreucci won the IRC-counting Rallye Sanremo last month and leads the Italian series as a result.
By tackling the gravel event, Meeke, who will drive a Peugeot 207 S2000 similar to the one he uses in the IRC, will be able to practice driving on loose surfaces ahead of RACMSA Rally of Scotland, which takes place the following weekend.
"We’re going there to help Paolo and Peugeot, pure and simple, but it will be good to get back in the car on gravel so close to Scotland," said the 31-year-old.
Meeke’s last appearance in Sardinia for the IRC-counting Rally d’Italia-Sardegna, ended in disappointment when he suffered a dramatic crash, which was captured live on Eurosport.

Hirvonen keen on more Monte magic

Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen is targeting a return to Rallye Monte-Carlo next year, having won the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season on the debut of M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta S2000.
So far, no deal has been agreed for Hirvonen to contest the event but both he and tyre firm Pirelli, which supported his bid back in January, are keen to take part.
"I’ve not heard of any plans for me to compete so far, but if the chance came along I would definitely take it," said Hirvonen. "Monte Carlo was one of the most satisfying of my wins this year, because it was a brand new car and everyone had worked so hard to get us there. It’s a great event and if you win Monte Carlo, it’s something really special."
Rallye Monte-Carlo will celebrate its centenary next season when it runs from 19-22 January, 2010.

Mikko Hirvonen is keen on a Rallye Monte-Carlo return

Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally regulations available

The sporting regulations as well as the individual entry forms for the first edition of the Golden Stage Rally are now available at the event’s website, www.goldenstagerally.com. The Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally carries a prize fund for 150,000 Euros and requires competitors to tackle two passes of a single mixed-surface 25-kilometre stage close to the event base in Limassol on Sunday 7 November.

Monte Carlo’s centenary rally to open 12-round schedule
Two new countries, France (Corsica) and Hungary added to calendar
Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge is pleased to announce the official calendar for the IRC’s fifth season in 2011. Starting with the legendary Monte Carlo Rally, the schedule will include two new countries, France (Corsica) and Hungary, plus a new event in Argentina.
Comprising 12 all-action rallies, the 2011 IRC calendar will feature a mixture of gravel and asphalt events in Europe plus a return trip to South America for the new gravel-based Rally de los Alerces (Argentina) in March. However, the most notable development is the addition of the world-famous Tour de Corse to the schedule, and the IRC’s first visit to Hungary for the mixed-surface Mecsek Rallye in Pecs, in the south-west of the country.
*The Tour de Corse, affectionately known as the ‚Rally of 10,000 Corners‘, is one of the longest established asphalt events in rallying and runs again after a one-year gap. Crossing the island from Calvi to Ajaccio, the rally is famed for the stern test it subjects both car and crew to.
*Having successfully applied for IRC Supporter Event status, the Mecsek Rallye organisers have always outlined their desire for the event to achieve a higher profile. With the participation of two Hungarian drivers in some of the IRC rounds this year, the popularity of the series in Hungary and Eastern Europe is set to go from strength to strength.
*As in the past two years, the prestigious Rallye Monte-Carlo will open the IRC season. The asphalt event, which is often prone to wintry and changeable weather conditions, will celebrate its 100th anniversary next season. Eurosport, the IRC’s international broadcast partner, is set to screen extensive live coverage of the event, one of several IRC rallies the network is due to show live in 2011.
*In addition to IRC mainstays such as the events in Madeira, Sanremo, Ypres and Zlin, the rounds in Azores and Scotland are both back for a third season while Rally Islas Canarias Trofeo El Corte Ingles, which joined the IRC family earlier this season, will also return. The season will end for the second consecutive year with the demanding mixed-surface Cyprus Rally.
"The IRC continues to go from strength and the addition of two new territories to the calendar, Corsica and Hungary, will ensure the interest and excitement is maintained when the IRC turns five in 2011," said the IRC’s General Manager Marcello Lotti. "Both events are unchartered territory for the IRC but both enjoy significant public interest and this will only multiply when they play host to the IRC. We hope that confirmation of these new events plus more groundbreaking live television coverage will be just some of the highlights on offer in next season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge."
2011 IRC calendar*
01 19-22 January (Monaco): Rallye Monte-Carlo (Asphalt)
02 04-06 March (Argentina): Rally de los Alerces** (Gravel)
03 14-16 April (Spain): Rally Islas Canarias Trofeo El Corte Ingles (Asphalt)
04 06-08 May (France): Tour de Corse (Asphalt)
05 23-25 June (Belgium): Geko Ypres Rally (Asphalt)
06 14-16 July (Portugal): Sata Rallye Acores (Gravel)
07 04-06 August (Portugal): Rali Vinho Madeira (Asphalt)
08 26-28 August (Czech Republic): Barum Czech Rally Zlin (Asphalt)
09 09-11 September (Hungary): Mecsek Rallye (Asphalt/gravel)
10 22-24 September (Italy): Rallye Sanremo (Asphalt)
11 14-16 October (Scotland): RACMSA Rally of Scotland (Gravel)
12 03-05 November (Cyprus): Cyprus Rally (Gravel)
*Subject to FIA approval
**Subject to signing the Promoter’s agreement

The 2011 IRC season will start in Monte Carlo and visit two new countries

First IRC victory for Peugeot’s Italian veteran
Hanninen closes on IRC drivers‘ title with second place

Paolo Andreucci has claimed his first victory in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge after defeating fellow Italian Giandomenico Basso in a close fight on Rallye Sanremo, which took place on the testing mountain roads of northern Italy’s Imperia province on Friday and Saturday (September 24-25).
Driving a Peugeot Italia-backed 207 Super 2000, the 45-year-old took a lead he would never relinquish on Saturday’s opening stage.
Basso, at the wheel of a factory Abarth Grande Punto, had put Andreucci under intense pressure and began the final loop of three stages 0.9s behind his countryman. However, a differential fault on stage 10 dropped Basso to an eventual seventh place and allowed Andreucci to cruise home in first place. The result also enabled Andreucci to strengthen his grip on the Italian championship, which he is on course to win for a third time.
After Luca Rossetti, in the second works Grande Punto, lost time with a slow front-right puncture on the penultimate stage and fell to fifth overall, Juho Hanninen inherited second place in his Skoda Motorsport Fabia S2000. It was the ninth time this season that the 29-year-old Finn had finished on the podium although the result wasn’t quite enough for Hanninen to be crowned the 2010 IRC drivers‘ champion.
With two events left in Scotland and Cyprus, Hanninen’s Skoda team-mate Jan Kopecky can still theoretically snatch the crown if he wins the last two rallies and Hanninen doesn’t finish second in either of them under the dropped-score system. However, Skoda’s plans for the remaining two rounds of the series have yet to be finalised.
Hanninen’s drive to second place meant he was chosen as the latest recipient of the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy by a judging panel consisting of Colin’s father Jim McRae, Eurosport’s Gilbert Roy and Jean-Pierre Nicolas, the IRC’s Motorsport Development Manager. They agreed Hanninen’s spectacular performance, which included two outright stage victories, had best embodied the spirit of the rallying legend, who was victorious in Sanremo on two occasions during his career.
Peugeot UK’s Kris Meeke, the outgoing IRC champion and last year’s Sanremo winner, thought he’d done enough for third place only for Freddy Loix, in the third factory Fabia, to beat his time on the final stage and take third place by 4.2 seconds.
Bryan Bouffier dropped out of fifth place when he picked up a front-left puncture on stage eight and lost more than three minutes after initially attempting to drive through the test with the flat tyre before stopping to change. He eventually made it home in 12th.
Guy Wilks started day two in 12th overall after losing time on Friday’s final test by selecting a wet weather tyre in the mistaken belief that the road would be damper than it was. However, the Skoda UK Motorsport driver’s challenge ended after seven kilometres of Saturday’s first stage when he slid into a low wall and damaged the left-rear corner of his Fabia S2000 to the extent he was unable to continue.
Behind the unfortunate Basso, Thierry Neuville landed the final IRC drivers‘ point in his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 following a mature drive, which culminated in him demoting Italian veteran Gianfranco Cunico on the final stage. Cunico won in Sanremo in 1993 and admitted he is still acclimatising to his 207, which he was using for a second time.
Peugeot Sport Portugal’s Bruno Magalahes completed the top 10 on his return to the IRC after missing the last round in Czech Republic. With limited experience of the various tyre compounds available to him, it was a strong performance by the 30-year-old.
Local hero Sandro Sottile won the IRC 2WD Cup in his Honda Civic Type-R, while Briton Harry Hunt bagged his second points of the season in seventh place in his Fiesta R2.

Paolo Andreucci took his first IRC victory in Sanremo

DRIVER QUOTES

Paolo Andreucci (Italy), Peugeot 207 S2000, first overall: "This is a great result for me and I am very happy. The most important thing this weekend was the Italian championship but to win overall and claim top points in the IRC is a very special feeling. The car and my Pirelli tyres have been perfect all rally."
Juho Hanninen (Finland), Skoda Fabia S2000, second overall: "I have to say this was probably my best drive on Tarmac. I pushed really hard without taking any big risks and my times were very good. The conditions were not easy at times but maybe they suited me."
Freddy Loix (Belgium), Skoda Fabia S2000, third overall: "I did not have the best feeling with my car like I had on the other rallies and the poor road position I was given for the first five stages made it very difficult. To take third is a good achievement."

Juho Hanninen closed on the IRC drivers‘ title with second

TOP TEN IRC POSITIONS AFTER DAY TWO

1 Paolo Andreucci/Anna Andreussi (Peugeot 207 S2000) 2h35m32.7s
2 Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula (Skoda Fabia S2000) +4.4s
3 Freddy Loix/Frederic Miclotte (Skoda Fabia S2000) +34.1s
4 Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Peugeot 207 S2000) +38.3s
5 Luca Rossetti/Matteo Chiarcossi (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) +1m21.0s
6 Jan Kopecky/Petr Stary (Skoda Fabia S2000) +1m59.9s
7 Giandomenico Basso/Mitia Dotta (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) +2m17.9s
8 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Klinger (Peugeot 207 S2000) +2m35.0s
9 Gianfranco Cunico/Rudy Pollet (Peugeot 207 S2000) +2m42.8s
10 Bruno Magalhaes/Carlos Magalhaes (Peugeot 207 S2000) +2m43.9s
Leading IRC 2WD Cup finishers: Sandro Sottile/Luca Constantini (Honda Civic Type-R)

IRC STANDINGS

Drivers after round 10 of 12 (best seven results)
1 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 58pts
2 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 47pts
3 Freddy Loix (Belgium) 36pts
4 Kris Meeke (United Kingdom) 33pts
5 Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) 30pts
6 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 27pts
7 Paolo Andreucci (Italy) 18pts
8 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) 13pts
9 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 12pts
10 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) 10pts
Manufacturers after round 10 of 12 (best seven results)
1 Skoda 120pts
2 Peugeot 87pts
3 M-Sport 31pts
4 Ralliart 22pts
5 Subaru 11pts
IRC 2WD Drivers after round 10 of 12 (best seven results)
1 Kevin Abbring 20pts
= Rafael Tulio 20pts
3 Pierre Campana 16pts
4 Harry Hunt 12pts
5 Yeray Lemes 10pts
= Kris Princen 10pts
= Duarte Ramos 10pts
= Sandro Sottile 10pts
= Marcos Tokarski 10pts
10 Carlos Oliveira 9pts
IRC 2WD Manufacturers after round 10 of 12 (best seven results)
1 Peugeot 94pts
2 M-Sport 73pts
3 Abarth 38pts
4 Honda 37pts
5 Skoda 5pts

RALLY LEADERS

SS1-3: Kris Meeke
SS4-5: Paolo Andreucci
SS6: Giandomenico Basso
SS7-11: Paolo Andreucci

STAGE WINNERS

Friday 24 September
SS1: Coldirodi 1 (12.92kms): Kris Meeke
SS2: Bignone 1 (10.62kms): Paolo Andreucci
SS3: Coldirodi 2 (12.92kms): Kris Meeke
SS4: Apricale (17.53kms): Paolo Andreucci
SS5: Bignone 2 (10.62kms): Luca Rossetti and Paolo Andreucci
SS6: Ronde (44.00kms): Giandomenico Basso
Saturday 25 September
SS7: Ceppo 1 (29.56kms): Juho Hanninen
SS8: Teglia 1 (29.03kms): Luca Rossetti
SS9: Bajardo (1.73kms): Juho Hanninen
SS10: Ceppo 2 (22.07kms): Paolo Andreucci
SS11: Teglia 2 (13:50hrs): Freddy Loix

KEY STATISTICS

Rally wins in 2010 (drivers)
Loix: 3
Hanninen: 2
Andreucci: 1
Hirvonen: 1
Kopecky: 1
Magalhaes: 1
Meeke: 1
Rally wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 6
Peugeot: 3
M-Sport: 1
Stage wins in 2010 (drivers)
Juho Hanninen: 34
Kris Meeke: 29
Freddy Loix: 26
Jan Kopecky: 25
Paolo Andreucci: 9
Sebastien Ogier: 7
Luca Rossetti: 6
Bruno Magalhaes: 4
Pavel Valousek: 4
Bryan Bouffier: 3
Mikko Hirvonen: 3
Stephane Sarrazin: 2
Giandomenico Basso: 1
Andreas Mikkelsen: 1
Bernardo Sousa: 1
Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Guy Wilks: 1
Stage wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 91
Peugeot: 52
Abarth: 7
M-Sport: 5

TV TIMES

Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will show highlights of the rally, which will also be available at www.rally-irc.com, as follows:
Saturday 25 September
22:30hrs-23:00hrs Day one highlights repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
23:00hrs-23:30hrs Day two highlights (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 26 September
08:00hrs-08:30hrs Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport 2)
24:00hrs-24:30hrs Rally review (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Monday 27 September
03:30hrs-04:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
13:00hrs-13:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
18:30hrs-19:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
19:30hrs-20:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Tuesday 28 September
16:15hrs-16:45hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
Friday 1 October
13:00hrs-13:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
Sunday 3 October
10:00hrs-10:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
All times are CET

www.rally-irc.com

The prospects for Rallye Sanremo, round 10 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, are mouth-watering after entries for the Italian event peaked at more than 90 cars.
In addition to the Skoda Motorsport trio of Juho Hanninen, Jan Kopecky and Freddy Loix, Skoda UK Motorsport will enter a Fabia S2000 for Guy Wilks, while Skoda Italia will be represented by Marco Signor.
The Peugeot challenge will be led by defending IRC champion and last year’s Rallye Sanremo winner Kris Meeke. Italian ace Paolo Andreucci, runner-up to Hanninen on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna in June, and Frenchman Bryan Bouffier will also be at the wheel of a 207 S2000s as will Bruno Magalhaes, who returns to IRC action after skipping last month’s Barum Czech Rally Zlin.
Giandomenico Basso heads the Abarth line-up, which also includes four-time IRC event winner Luca Rossetti. PROTON will field Niall McShea in one of its Satria Neo S2000s and will reveal the identity of its second driver tomorrow (Friday).
Several M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000s will also be in action with Andreas Mikkelsen and former IRC regular Andrea Navarra among those driving the new-for-2010 cars.

More thrilling IRC action is in store on Rallye Sanremo

Meeke eager for wins in Sanremo and Scotland

Kris Meeke has vowed to do all he can to win the Intercontinental Rally Challenge events in Sanremo and Scotland, even though his hopes of defending his IRC Drivers‘ title are all but over.
The Peugeot UK pilot set the pace on both events last season, but was ultimately stripped of his RACMSA Rally of Scotland victory following post-event eligibility checks.
He now hopes to end an, at times, frustrating campaign by adding to his tally of IRC wins starting with a second straight victory on the all-asphalt Italian event, which runs from 23-25 September.
"It’s fair to say it hasn’t gone as smoothly this year as it did last year but it hasn’t taken away my desire to start every event trying to achieve the maximum," said Meeke. "I want to finish this year on a high and do the best we can and to win in both Sanremo and Scotland will be special."

Live Eurosport coverage for Rally of Scotland

During a press conference at Gleneagles in Perthshire, Scotland, yesterday (15 September) Eurosport Events confirmed extensive live television coverage of RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the penultimate round of the 2010 IRC season from 15-17 October.
The promoter’s international media partner Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will broadcast live the two passes through the 17.68-kilometre Errochty stage at 11:00hrs-12:00hrs and 17:30hrs-18:30hrs CET on Saturday 16 October and the two runs through the Loch Ard stage, which measures 29.04 kilometres on Sunday 17 October at 11:00hrs-12:00hrs and 13:45hrs-15:00hrs CET.
In addition, Eurosport will also show its Rally Magazine review programme at 23:00hrs-24:00hrs CET on Tuesday 19 October. Eurosport’s Asia-Pacific platform will show the second Errochty stage live plus slightly delayed coverage of other stage action.
Between its various platforms, Eurosport will devote approximately 15 hours of coverage to the event through its live coverage and replayed highlights thereby further underlining its commitment to the IRC and Rally of Scotland.

Scotland organisers in call for volunteers

RACMSA Rally of Scotland organisers are calling on volunteers to help with the smooth running of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event, which takes place from 15-17 October.
More than 750 volunteer marshals are required to support the Perth-based event and Clerk of the Course Iain Campbell explained the rally could not run without their assistance.
"Quite simply without the volunteer marshals we do not have an event," said Campbell. "We rely on their expertise to provide radio cover, to run the time controls, to man the stages, look after the service park and to set up each of our stunning venues. In return they get as close to the action as possible and take away the satisfaction of being part of a huge event."
Guy Wilks, who won the inaugural Rally of Scotland in 2009, is backing the recruitment drive. He said: "What rally marshals do is fantastic and there is no better example of this than on last year’s Rally of Scotland. The marshals who stood out in the awful weather and did such a professional job with such good humour made a huge difference."
More information is available at www.rallyofscotland.com.

IRC ace Guy Wilks is backing the Scotland recruitment drive

No entry fee payable for Monte Carlo crews

The Automobile Club de Monaco has announced that entry fees for the 79th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo from 19-21 January, 2011, will be free of charge for all 100 competitors that are accepted for the opening round of next season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
As part of the celebrations for the event’s centenary, the ACM has decided to offer this exceptional incentive to encourage amateur drivers to register.
"Today we are very happy to confirm that entry fees will be waived," said René Isoart, the ACM General Commissioner. "Our aim is to encourage many amateur drivers to return and participate in the Monte Carlo Rally. They are the bedrock on which this event and its history have been built. We will soon be announcing further initiatives to encourage amateurs."
The final route of the 79th running of the rally has also been drawn up and is based entirely on historical routes with famous locations selected from the rally’s earliest days.

Al Qassimi considers Golden Stage entry

Khalid Al Qassimi, a former Middle East rally champion, is considering entering the Golden Stage Rally, which takes place in Cyprus on 7 November.
Featuring a single 25-kilometre mixed-surface stage run twice, the Golden Stage, the event is scheduled for the day after the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season concludes with the FxPro Cyprus Rally (4-6 November).
As well as counting for IRC points, the Cyprus Rally is a scoring round of the Middle East championship and a large contingent of crews from the regional series could also tackle the Golden Stage Rally, which is open to all teams and drivers competing with Super 2000, Group N and Group A (up to A7) cars, in both two- and four-wheel drive configuration..
"Nothing is decided but it’s something we are looking at," said Abu Dhabi driver Al Qassimi, who campaigns an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Super 2000 in the Middle East championship. "I’ve never been to and IRC event before so it will be interesting to see what happens. If the timings work out it could be possible."

Khalid Al Qassimi is considering a Golden Stage Rally entry

www.rally-irc.com

Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, is pleased to confirm extensive live television coverage of RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the penultimate round of the 2010 IRC season from 15-17 October.
The promoter’s international media partner Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will broadcast live the two passes through the 17.68-kilometre Errochty stage at 11:00hrs-12:00hrs and 17:30hrs-18:30hrs CET on Saturday 16 October and the two runs through the Loch Ard stage, which measures 29.04 kilometres on Sunday 17 October at 11:00hrs-12:00hrs and 13:45hrs-15:00hrs CET.
In addition, Eurosport will also show its Rally Magazine review programme at 23:00hrs-24:00hrs CET on Tuesday 19 October. Eurosport’s Asia-Pacific platform will show the second Errochty stage live plus slightly delayed coverage of other stage action.
Between its various platforms, Eurosport will devote approximately 15 hours of coverage to the event through its live coverage and replayed highlights thereby further underlining its commitment to the IRC and Rally of Scotland.
Géraldine Filiol, Managing Director of Eurosport Events, said: "Producing rallying live is probably one of the most complex TV operations, but this is our ambition to continue giving viewers the opportunity to experience the excitement of the IRC directly as it happens. We started the IRC season with our landmark coverage of Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, and we are delighted to bring our innovative broadcast package back to Rally of Scotland. Once again we will build our coverage of the event around four live stages over the two days, including the impressive Loch Ard stage, which will mark the climax of this year’s rally."
Guy Wilks, a regular in the IRC this season for Škoda UK Motorsport and the winner of the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland in November 2009, said: "Live television for rallying is very important. It’s a very difficult thing to do because the cars are moving over a massive distance, not like on a circuit. It’s obviously a major challenge to broadcast it live, paint a picture and tell a story. It’s something that’s been missing from rallying for a number of years so it’s credit to Eurosport for taking up the challenge and doing a fantastic job."
Rally of Scotland will mark the third time this season that a round of the IRC has enjoyed extensive live airtime on Eurosport, following the network’s groundbreaking coverage of Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo in January. Four stages of Rally d’Italia-Sardegna in June were also shown live and a similar commitment has been made for FxPro Cyprus Rally, which is scheduled to bring the curtain down on the IRC season in early November.
RACMSA Rally of Scotland live broadcast schedule on Eurosport
Saturday 16 October
11:00hrs-12:00hrs CET (Eurosport): LIVE Errochty 1
17:30hrs-18;30hrs CET (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific): LIVE Errochty 2
Sunday 17 October
11:00hrs-12:00hrs CET (Eurosport): LIVE Loch Ard 1
13:45hrs-15:00hrs CET (Eurosport): LIVE Loch Ard 2 

IRC aces Guy Wilks (left) and Kris Meeke attended today’s Rally of Scotland media launch and will star on Eurosport’s live coverage of the event

Guy Wilks, who returned to Intercontinental Rally Challenge action on Barum Czech Rally Zlin last month after recovering from injury, believes he is already back at his best, despite a persistent mechanical fault masking his true pace on the asphalt event.
The 29-year-old Briton was sidelined for almost three months after fracturing his first and second lumbar vertebrae in a high-speed crash on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna in early June. He marked his comeback with the Skoda UK Motorsport squad by finishing seventh on the Czech round in his Fabia S2000 after being hampered by a rear differential glitch that proved impossible to rectify.
"It was a chaotic rally and we battled against lots of problems but ultimately we came away with some points and some pace as well, which is the most important thing," said Wilks. "If we get the car 100 per cent we can say we’re back in the dry although it’s difficult to say how close to the game we are in the wet. But my confidence is back and I can’t wait for the next event."
After nine rounds, Wilks has 27 points and is in sixth place in the IRC drivers‘ standings. His next event is in Sanremo, Italy, from 23-25 September.

Guy Wilks was happy with his pace on IRC return in Zlin

Mikkelsen satisfied with ongoing IRC progress

Twelve months on from his debut in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Andreas Mikkelsen says his maiden campaign in the series is continuing to go in “the right direction” after he landed drivers’ points for the third time this season on Barum Czech Rally Zlin in late August.
Mikkelsen, 21, made his IRC debut on the Tarmac event in August 2009, and secured fifth overall on his return to the demanding rally last month at the wheel of his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.
“We were much closer to the guys at the head of the field than we were in Ypres, which was the last Tarmac rally we did,” said the Norwegian. “We still have some work to do to be even more competitive but it’s definitely going in the right direction. Zlin was a very difficult rally because you never knew how much grip you would have in the difficult conditions. A lot of things happened but I am very pleased to have finished in the points once again.”
Mikkelsen will return to IRC action on round 10 of the series, Rallye Sanremo in Italy from 23-25 September.

Andreas Mikkelsen says he continues to make IRC progress

Loix tops all-time list of IRC event winners

Freddy Loix’s victory on Barum Czech Rally Zlin last month has moved him ahead of Kris Meeke to the top of the all-time list of Intercontinental Rally Challenge event winners.
Loix, who took first place in the Czech Republic at the wheel of a Skoda Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, has now won six IRC rallies, a new record for the series.
Hailing from Belgium but now living in the south of France, the 39-year-old Loix captured his first IRC success on his home event, the Ypres Rally, in 2008. He notched up further wins in Zlin and Valais that season before triumphing again in Ypres and Madeira this year.
He said: “I am very happy with this win, my third of the season and my sixth in the IRC. I would like to thank my sponsor BFO and Skoda Motorsport to give me the possibility to do three rallies no with this fantastic car. You’ll see me back in Sanremo.”
Other IRC event winners (selected):
Five wins: Kris Meeke (Brazil 2009, Azores 2009, Ypres 2009, Sanremo 2009, Brazil 2010)
Four wins: Giandomenico Basso (Madeira 2007, Asturias 2008, Sanremo 2008, Madeira 2009)
Four wins: Juho Hanninen (Russia 2008, Russia 2009, Argentina 2010, Sardinia 2010)
Four wins: Luca Rossetti (Ypres 2007, Sanremo 2007, Istanbul 2008, Portugal 2008)
Four wins: Nicolas Vouilloz (Turkey 2007, Zlin 2007, Valais 2007, Madeira 2008)
Three wins: Jan Kopecky (Zlin 2009, Asturias 2009, Canarias 2010)

www.rally-irc.com

Keith Cronin says he wants to get back behind the wheel of a PROTON Satria Neo S2000 in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge following a promising debut for the Malaysian manufacturer on Barum Czech Rally Zlin last week.
The 24-year-old Irishman had posted a succession of top 10 fastest stage times when he crashed out close to the finish of the penultimate stage of the opening day of the demanding asphalt event.
He said: "I want to do something with PROTON again but I don’t know when at the moment. It took me a little while to get to grips with the car but it was perfect, a fantastic car. I couldn’t believe it when I went off. It was so disappointing and I hurt my wrist a bit but that was nothing compared with the feeling of being out of the event. But it was a fantastic chance for me and one I’m not going to forget for a long time."
Cronin and co-driver Barry McNulty were in 14th overall when they crashed. They were fifth fastest on stage six of the event and seventh quickest on stage seven, despite overshooting a junction.
PROTON’s next IRC outing is currently scheduled for October’s RACMSA Rally of Scotland.

Keith Cronin impressed on his debut for the PROTON IRC team

Route changes for Rally of Scotland revealed

The penultimate round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, October’s RACMSA Rally of Scotland, has undergone a few changes with the addition of a new stage on the final day of the spectacular gravel event.
A new stage, Clashmore, has been introduced to replace Achray, which can no longer be used due to access issues, on day two of the event. As a result, the Loch Ard stage will be trimmed from 33.52 kilometres to 29.04 kilometres to accommodate the new test.
Furthermore, the finish at Stirling Castle on Sunday 17 October will also be 30 minutes earlier than scheduled at 15:04hrs local time, while the remote service on Sunday has been switched from Callander to Aberfoyle.
Clerk of the Course Iain Campbell said: "The new stage is more of a technical challenge than we had before. The start is very narrow with off-camber corners before joining a new forest road that takes in part of the Loch Ard stage. The final two-thirds are very fast and the committed driver will make the most of this test."
More information on the event can be found via the official website www.rallyofscotland.com.

Zlin Subaru Individual Award for Stajf

The latest Subaru Individual Award has gone to Vojtech Stajf following his run to 17th place on Barum Czech Rally Zlin, which took place in southeast Czech Republic from 27-29 August.
Driving for the Czech National Subaru Team, Stajf was making his second start in this year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge following his appearance on Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo in January where he finished 14th alongside regular co-driver Marcela Doleckova.
The Subaru Individual Award is presented on each of the 12 IRC rounds this year to the highest-placed Subaru finisher and demonstrates the support that Subaru is extending to its customer drivers in the IRC in 2010.
Olivier Burri (Monte Carlo), Juan San Martin (Curitiba), Gabriel Pozzo (Argentina), Jose Barrios (Canary Islands), Teemu Arminen (Sardinia), Florian Gonon (Ypres), Sergio Silva (Azores) and Pedro Meireles (Madeira) are the other Subaru Individual Award winners so far this season.

Vojtech Stajf is the latest Subaru Individual Award winner

Miclotte reveals late scare in Zlin

Barum Czech Rally Zlin-winning navigator Frederic Miclotte has revealed that he and driver Freddy Loix suffered a dramatic moment of their own in the closing stages of the thrilling Intercontinental Rally Challenge event, which featured three changes of lead on the final four stages.
The Belgian pair secured their third win in as many starts in the IRC this season on the rain-hit asphalt rally in their Skoda Motorsport Fabia S2000. Despite being a relatively comfortable 25 seconds clear of closest rivals Juho Hanninen and Mikko Markkula at the finish in Zlin on Sunday afternoon, there was a moment when Miclotte feared their bid for victory would end prematurely.
"From looking at the data the team realised there was a problem with the gearbox and that it would have to be changed in the final service," said Miclotte. "We only had 20 minutes and it normally takes more than this. But the guys changed it in 14 minutes, which was really amazing. The team did a perfect job so we’re very happy even though it was quite a tense finish."

www.rally-irc.com

Jan Kopecky’s disappointment at losing out on victory on Barum Czech Rally Zlin on Sunday (29 August) has been eased slightly after he was chosen as the winner of the third Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy, which is presented to the most spectacular driver who best embodies the spirit of the rallying legend on rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
Kopecky, who follows in the footsteps of previous winners Bruno Magalhaes and Freddy Loix, was handed the prestigious award by a panel of judges consisting of the IRC’s Motorsport Development Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Gilbert Roy, the Director of Editorial and Programme Development for Eurosport Events, and Colin’s father Jim McRae, who was in Zlin to make the presentation to Skoda Motorsport driver Kopecky.
Chasing his second win in a row on the demanding asphalt event, Kopecky had led from the start and was 26 seconds clear in front when he crashed into retirement with three stages remaining. Nevertheless his performance, which included setting the fastest time on five of the rain-hit stages, was enough to earn him the prestigious accolade on round nine of the 2010 IRC season.
An emotional Kopecky said: "I have to say it’s a big honour. Colin was an official Skoda driver and [on Rally GB in 2005] I did the whole recce with him. He was a very good guy and it’s really sad what happened to him."
The judges also considered Keith Cronin, who set several top 10 stage times in the emerging PROTON Satria Neo S2000, and Vaclav Pech, who was battling for a top five finish in his showroom-specification Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX before an off dented his hopes. However, Jim McRae said that Kopecky was most deserving of the award because of the pace he displayed in the changeable conditions at the wheel of his Fabia Super 2000.
"I went to a few stages on Saturday and Sunday," said McRae, a five-time winner of the British Rally Championship and a trustee of the Colin McRae Vision charity. "The conditions were very difficult but Jan drove very well and was unlucky not to win. It’s for this reason that he was chosen."
The Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy will be presented on all remaining rounds of the IRC with an end of season trophy, the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Driver of the Year, also being handed over at the IRC’s end of season awards ceremony.
It was conceived following the formation of an official partnership in June between Eurosport Events, the promoter of the IRC, and Colin McRae Vision, a charity established following the death of the 1995 world rally champion, his young son Johnny and two family friends in a helicopter accident in 2007, which aims to improve health and education for children around the world.
Eurosport Events and Colin McRae Vision will work with organisers of selected rounds of the IRC to identify suitable projects and initiatives that help young people*.
The 2010 IRC season continues with Rallye Sanremo, round ten of the series, from 23-25 September when the next Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy will be presented.
*Prior to the start of Barum Czech Rally Zlin, reigning IRC champion Kris Meeke, an ambassador of Colin McRae Vision, presented a cheque for 90,000 CZK (about 3700 Euros) to a local Zlin-based charity, the Children’s Traffic Foundation.

Jan Kopecky (left) receives the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy

www.rally-irc.com

Belgian maintains remarkable sequence of victories
Podium lockout hands Skoda first IRC makes‘ award
Freddy Loix has become the most successful driver in the history of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge by taking a record-breaking sixth win and his third in as many starts this season after a dramatic climax to Barum Czech Rally Zlin today (Sunday) when the lead changed hands three times on the final four stages.
Juho Hanninen claimed second to maintain his title advantage while third place for local hero Pavel Valousek not only ensured a Skoda Fabia one-two-three but also enabled the Czech firm to clinch the 2010 IRC manufacturers‘ crown for the first time with three rounds remaining.
Overnight leader Jan Kopecky had looked set to triumph on the demanding all-asphalt rally for a second year in a row but spun into retirement with three stages left to run when he was 26 seconds out in front.
Kopecky, who was on a charge in his efforts to make up lost time following a spin earlier on stage 14, broke too late for a left hander and slid off the road. Although his Fabia was largely undamaged it was beached on a large branch. Unable to regain the stage, Kopecky and co-driver Petr Stary were forced to retire having led the rally from the very first stage through the streets of host city Zlin on Friday evening.
"There was some vibration after the first spin and I was a little afraid I had a puncture," said the 28-year-old Czech driver. "My thinking was too much for this and I went off. I’m very disappointed and sorry for Skoda because the car was absolutely perfect and also to the crowd who gave me so much support all weekend."
His misfortune promoted Bryan Bouffier, at the wheel of a Peugeot 207, into first place. But Bouffier’s challenge came unstuck when he damaged his rear suspension sliding wide on the penultimate stage. Although he managed to soldier through the run, his delay dropped him to second, 3.8s behind Loix heading into the final test.
Any hopes Bouffier had of regaining top spot were dashed when a broken pipe, the legacy of an earlier compression, dumped water over his Peugeot’s front tyres and caused him to go off into a ditch five kilometres from the start of the stage.

Freddy Loix (right) celebrates his dramatic IRC win in Zlin

Loix and co-driver Frederic Miclotte had settled for second place when Bouffier pulled clear on stage 15. A cautious run through the mud-strewn penultimate stage ensured they moved in front when Bouffier hit trouble and the Belgians kept their composure to claim what had been an unlikely victory leaving midday service.
Rain and cool temperatures were a factor throughout the event in southeast Czech Republic. Not only did the unseasonable conditions add to the challenge facing the competitors by making the inconsistent stage surface more slippery than usual, they also made tyre choice a lottery as crews gambled over compound choices to suit the changeable weather.
Juho Hanninen was one of a number of drivers to fall foul of the conditions when he slid off backwards into a tree at high speed on stage four. Although the moment dropped him out of contention, an error-free performance thereafter helped the Finn to land his eighth podium finish of 2010.
Pavel Valousek trailed IRC champion Kris Meeke by 18.4s with one stage left to run but moved ahead of the Northern Irishman when Meeke’s Peugeot UK 207 suffered a broken front differential two kilometres into the stage. Meeke started Sunday’s final eight stages confident he could fight for second place but a series of incorrect tyre choices wrecked his chances. A sticking throttle on stage 14 caused more anguish before the differential fault dropped him to fourth behind Valousek.
Valousek, who lives close to Zlin, made the most of his local knowledge and some inspired tyre choices to beat his previous best finish of fourth place in his semi-works Fabia. The pick of these was when he opted for dry weather hard-compound tyres for Sunday’s opening loop of stages when most of his rivals believed it would rain.
Andreas Mikkelsen took a solid fifth in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 with Vaclav Pech rounding out the top six in his Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer. Pech had been in a close fight with Czech championship rival Valousek only for an off to drop him back and leave his car with a punctured front-right tyre and damaged suspension.
Guy Wilks marked his return from injury with seventh place in his Skoda UK Motorsport Fabia although his true pace was masked by a rear differential fault, which his mechanics were unable to cure due to a component supply issue. The glitch hindered braking stability and traction on the, at times, treacherous stage surfaces. Jaromir Tarabus secured the final IRC drivers‘ point in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.
Kevin Abbring took his second IRC 2WD Cup win of the season in his Clio R3 with rising Czech driver Lobomir Minarik second in a similar machine. Abbring, from the Netherlands, moves joint top of the drivers‘ standings with Rafael Tulio, who wasn’t competing in Zlin.
There was some consolation for Jan Kopecky, however, when he was handed the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy for his efforts. Colin’s father Jim McRae, who was in Zlin, was part of the three-person judging team. He said that Kopecky’s spectacular performance had best embodied the spirit of the rallying legend, who lost his life in a helicopter accident in 2007.

 
Bryan Bouffier lost victory with two stages remaining

DRIVER QUOTES

Freddy Loix (Belgium), Skoda Fabia S2000, first overall: "It’s my second victory in Zlin but definitely my hardest and definitely my most exciting. The conditions were extremely difficult and it was a big fight with Bryan at the end. I always had a good feeling with my car but I was missing something in my driving. It was a question to be as quick as possible without making any mistakes."
Juho Hanninen (Finland), Skoda Fabia S2000, second overall: "My goal was to be first or second to improve my points. I was second so I am happy but it was very interesting because the weather kept changing on almost every stage. It started well on my side and I had the speed but then I had my big moment although I was lucky not to retire."
Pavel Valousek (Czech Republic), Skoda Fabia S2000, third overall: "This is my best position on this rally and I’m really glad we’ve achieved it. Today we chose the right tyres and this was very important. I would like to thank my team for all their help."

 
Juho Hanninen remains in control of the IRC title chase

TOP TEN IRC POSITIONS AFTER LEG TWO

1 Freddy Loix/Frederic Miclotte (Skoda Fabia S2000) 2h31m31.0s
2 Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula (Skoda Fabia S2000) +25.0s
3 Pavel Valousek/Zdenek Hruza (Skoda Fabia S2000) +1m20.2s
4 Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Peugeot 207 S2000) +1m57.6s
5 Andreas Mikkelsen (M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000) +2m33.9s
6 Vaclav Pech/Petr Uhel (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX) +3m07.4s
7 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Skoda Fabia S2000) +3m41.1s
8 Jaromir Tarabus/Daniel Trunkat (M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000) +5m18.0s
9 Tomas Kostka/Vit Houst (Skoda Fabia S2000) +6m13.1s
10 Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri (Peugeot 207 S2000) +6m52.2s
Leading IRC 2WD Cup finishers: Kevin Abbring/Erwin Mombaerts (Clio R3)

IRC STANDINGS

Drivers after round nine of 12 (best seven results)
1 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 56pts
2 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 47pts
3 Freddy Loix (Belgium) 30pts
= Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) 30pts
5 Kris Meeke (United Kingdom) 28pts
6 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 27pts
7 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) 13pts
8 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 11pts
9 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) 10pts
10 Paolo Andreucci (Italy) 8pts etc
Manufacturers after round nine of 12 (best seven results)
1 Skoda 128pts
2 Peugeot 79pts
3 M-Sport 31pts
4 Ralliart 22pts
5 Subaru 11pts
IRC 2WD Drivers after round nine of 12 (best seven results)
1 Kevin Abbring 20pts
= Rafael Tulio 20pts
3 Pierre Campana 16pts
= Harry Hunt 10pts
= Yeray Lemes 10pts
= Kris Princen 10pts
= Duarte Ramos 10pts
= Marcos Tokarski 10pts
9 Carlos Oliveira 9pts
10 Filipe Carvalho 8pts
= Enrique Cruz 8pts
= Luis Gius 8pts
= Lubomir Minarik 8pts
= Pablo Pelaez 8pts
= Colin R Smith 8pts
= Luis Tedesco 8pts etc
IRC 2WD Manufacturers after round nine of 12 (best seven results)
1 Peugeot 80pts
2 M-Sport 68pts
3 Abarth 29pts
4 Honda 27pts
5 Skoda 5pts

RALLY LEADERS

SS1-13: Jan Kopecky
SS14-15: Bryan Bouffier
SS16-17: Freddy Loix

STAGE WINNERS

Friday 27 August
SS1: SSS Zlin (9.36kms): Jan Kopecky
Saturday 28 August
SS2: Biskupice 1 (9.01kms): Jan Kopecky
SS3: Zadverice 1 (14.95kms): Jan Kopecky
SS4: Semetin 1 (11.71kms): Juho Hanninen
SS5: Trojak 1 (29.09kms): Bryan Bouffier
SS6: Biskupice 2 (9.01kms): Pavel Valousek
SS7: Zadverice 2 (14.95kms): Jan Kopecky
SS8: Semetin 2 (11.71kms): Juho Hanninen
SS9: Trojak 2 (29.09kms): Freddy Loix
Sunday 29 August
SS10: Halenkovice 1 (24.90kms): Pavel Valousek
SS11: Kudlovice 1 (11.39kms): Bryan Bouffier
SS12: Velky Orechov 1 (7.14kms): Jan Kopecky
SS13: Pindula 1 (19.76kms): Pavel Valousek
SS14: Halenkovice 2 (24.90kms): Freddy Loix
SS15: Kudlovice 2 (11.39kms): Bryan Bouffier
SS16: Velky Orechov 2 (7.14kms): Juho Hanninen
SS17: Pindula 2 (19.76kms): Pavel Valousek

KEY STATISTICS

Rally wins in 2010 (drivers)
Loix: 3
Hanninen: 2
Hirvonen: 1
Kopecky: 1
Magalhaes: 1
Meeke: 1
Rally wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 6
Peugeot: 2
M-Sport: 1
Stage wins in 2010 (drivers)
Juho Hanninen: 32
Kris Meeke: 27
Jan Kopecky: 25
Freddy Loix: 25
Sebastien Ogier: 7
Paolo Andreucci: 5
Bruno Magalhaes: 4
Luca Rossetti: 4
Pavel Valousek: 4
Bryan Bouffier: 3
Mikko Hirvonen: 3
Stephane Sarrazin: 2
Andreas Mikkelsen: 1
Bernardo Sousa: 1
Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Guy Wilks: 1
Stage wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 88
Peugeot: 46
M-Sport: 5
Abarth: 4

TV TIMES

Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will show highlights of the rally, which will also be available at www.rally-irc.com, as follows:
Sunday 29 August
22:00hrs-22:30hrs Day two highlights (Eurosport)
23:15hrs-23:45hrs Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
24:45hrs-25:15hrs Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport)
Monday 30 August
08:30hrs-09:00hrs Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport)
Tuesday 31 August
15:30hrs-16:00hrs Rally review (Eurosport, Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Wednesday 1 September
05:00hrs-05:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Thursday 2 September
13:00hrs-13:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
Saturday 4 September
09:45hrs-10:15hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
11:00hrs-11:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
All times are CET

www.rally-irc.com

Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will show live coverage from Barum Czech Rally Zlin, round nine of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, this weekend (27-29 August).
In addition to the live broadcasts, Eurosport will also screen extensive highlights of both legs of the IRC qualifier, which has attracted a 130-car capacity entry.
Eurosport will broadcast live or slightly delayed (subject to timing) from the stop point at the end of special stage six from 15:00hrs-15:30hrs CET on Saturday August 28. It will also broadcast live from the event parc ferme from 19:00hrs-19:30hrs CET later that day. On Sunday, coverage from the rally’s service park will be shown live from 12:30hrs-13:00hrs CET.
A full schedule is available by visiting www.rally-irc.com and clicking on the TV Times section.
On top of this international coverage, national TV channels Czech Television, TV Prima and RTA will also cover the event.
Barum Czech Rally Zlin begins with a ceremonial start on Friday 27 August at 17:00hrs local time. The opening stage is a 9.36-kilometre run through the streets of host city Zlin. Crews will tackle the course in reverse number order with the first car due to start at 21:15hrs.

Zlin’s IRC qualifier will get live TV coverage on Eurosport

Fast Freddy expects tough fight in Czech Republic

Freddy Loix has conceded that his bid to make it three wins from three starts in this season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge will be a tall order.
Belgian Loix starts Barum Czech Rally Zlin on Friday aiming to preserve his 100 per cent winning record at the wheel of his Skoda Motorsport Fabia S2000 Facelift.
Loix, who will be co-driven by countryman Frederic Miclotte, said: "I hope so but I know it will be very difficult because there are a lot of quick guys who will take the start. It’s Jan Kopecky’s home rally and he will be more motivated than ever to win. It will be a big fight with lots of good cars and good drivers. I hope I can fight with them."
The 39-year-old won Barum Czech Rally Zlin in 2008. He prepared for the event with a test last week, which lasted for one and a half days. However, because Miclotte was contesting another rally in Germany, Loix recruited former navigator Isidor Smets to co-drive.
"The first test base was quite quick, the second one bumpy and more technical," said Loix. "I did not drive a lot but we worked very efficiently."

Neuville plans new approach for IRC return

Thierry Neuville plans to adopt a new strategy when he resumes his Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign on Barum Czech Rally Zlin this week.
Although the 22-year-old claimed a podium finish on Geko Ypres Rally in June, his third of six-planned starts in the IRC this season, he admits he has yet to show any real pace at the wheel of his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207.
"I showed in Sardinia and Ypres that I can drive clever rallies by finishing," said Neuville. "Now I need to show some speed. Marc [van Dalen, his Kronos Racing team boss] wants me to still be careful but I have to begin to set some good stage times although I know that won’t be easy because the speed of the main IRC guys is very high."
Although Neuville will be a Zlin novice when he takes the start in the city centre on Friday evening, his French co-driver Nicolas Klinger has competed on the event in the past, finishing second alongside Nicolas Vouilloz in 2008.

Thierry Neuville plans to up his pace on his IRC return

Hunt talks down IRC 2WD chances in Zlin

Leading IRC 2WD Cup competitor Harry Hunt says it will be virtually impossible for him to claim his second victory of the season in the two-wheel drive category on Barum Czech Rally Zlin this week.
The 21-year-old topped the IRC 2WD Cup standings on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna in June in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2. However, a huge contingent of 2WD competitors in Czech Republic means the British driver has restricted his expectations to merely reaching the finish of the 17-stage event.
"I feel I am better on Tarmac than on gravel but there’s going to be so many top drivers I’ll be competing against and it’s also a specialist rally that I have no experience of," said Hunt. "At least we’ll get three passes during the recce so that will give me more confidence in my pacenotes."
Hunt’s main rivals include Clio R3 drivers Kevin Abbring, Pierre Campana and young Czech Jan Cerny. Honda Civic Type-R pair Laszlo Vizin and Martin Kangur will also be in contention.

Harry Hunt says second IRC 2WD Cup win won’t be easy

www.rally-irc.com

Guy Wilks will mark his comeback from injury when he tests a Skoda UK Motorsport-run Fabia S2000 Facelift for the first time on August 23.
The test in Czech Republic, which is in preparation for Barum Czech Rally Zlin, round nine of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge from 27-29 August, will take place 80 days after Wilks suffered two fractured lumbar vertebrae during a high-speed crash on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna on 5 June.
Wilks said: "I’m massively looking forward to getting back into the Skoda Fabia S2000. It’s been very frustrating since Sardinia, being on the outside of the IRC looking in. I’ve missed three rallies but it was important that I’m 100 per cent fit before getting back into the car. My motivation to get back into a rally car and win rallies has never been higher than it is right now."
The British driver has resumed full training following his most recent round of x-rays and has also been driving a road car for several weeks.
He added: "I’m sure we’ll have a good test and be well prepared for the Barum Rally. I’ve got no problems with getting back into a rally car and driving flat-out. If we’re able to begin from near where we left off [in Sardinia], I’m sure we’ll have a good run and be able to score IRC points."

Guy Wilks is due to return to the IRC in Czech Republic later this month

New driver line-up for PROTON R3 Rally Team

The PROTON R3 Rally Team has confirmed that Irishman Keith Cronin and Niall McShea from Northern Ireland will drive its brace of Satria Neo Super 2000s on Barum Czech Rally Zlin from August 27-29.
Run by the British MEM organisation, the PROTON R3 Rally Team is embarking on its second appearance in this year’s IRC following its entry on Geko Ypres Rally in June when Chris Atkinson and Alister McRae drove its two factory machines.
Cronin is the reigning British rally champion, while McShea is a former PROTON driver and the winner of the Production Car World Rally Championship title in 2004.
"Niall has done some testing for us in the development of the Satria and we wanted to put him in the car for an IRC round this season and Zlin fits perfectly," said PROTON R3 Rally Team principal Chris Mellors. "And it’s hard to ignore Keith Cronin. He’s a British champion and one of the hottest young talents around."

Meireles scoops Madeira Subaru Individual Award

Pedro Meireles has become the eighth Subaru Individual Award recipient of the season following his run to 12th overall on Rali Vinho Madeira last weekend, round eight of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
Co-driven by fellow Portuguese Jorge Henriques, Meireles had the honour of being the only Subaru representative on the asphalt rally, which was based in Madeira’s capital Funchal.
The Subaru Individual Award is presented on each of the 12 IRC rounds this year to the highest-placed Subaru finisher and demonstrates the support that Subaru is extending to its customer drivers in the IRC in 2010.
Olivier Burri (Monte Carlo), Juan San Martin (Curitiba), Gabriel Pozzo (Argentina), Jose Barrios (Canary Islands), Teemu Arminen (Sardinia), Florian Gonon (Ypres) and Sergio Silva (Azores) are the other Subaru Individual Award winners so far this season.

Pedro Meireles has won the latest Subaru Individual Award

More Rallye Sanremo details emerge

Organisers of Rallye Sanremo, round 10 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, have revealed further details of their event, which runs in Italy from 23-25 September.
The event will be divided into two legs and will consist of 220 competitive kilometres over 11 all-asphalt special stages.
Leg one, which gets underway on the afternoon of Friday 24 September, will feature five special stages. The second leg, which is made up of six special stages, starts on the morning of Saturday 25 September and finishes later that afternoon.
Once again, the service park and event headquarters will be located on Sanremo’s picturesque seafront.

New website launched for FxPro Cyprus Rally

The FxPro Cyprus Rally, which brings the curtain down on the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season from November 4-6, has launched a new website at www.cyprusrally2010.com.
With full historical information on the event, a guide to Cyprus and outline details of this year’s rally, visitors to the site can register to receive regular updates on the IRC qualifier.

Madeira victory puts Belgian joint top in all-time list of winners
Skoda dominates asphalt rally with podium lockout
Freddy Loix has made it two wins from two starts in this season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge by heading a Skoda one-two-three on Rali Vinho Madeira. Loix’s victory was his fifth since the IRC began in 2007 and means he joins Kris Meeke at the top of the list of all-time IRC event winners.
Juho Hanninen continues to lead the IRC drivers‘ standings but, by finishing behind team-mate Jan Kopecky in third, the Finn’s title advantage has now been trimmed to seven points with four rounds remaining. It was the third time this season that Skoda has filled all three podium places.
Co-driven by fellow Belgian Frederic Miclotte, Loix didn’t put a wheel wrong throughout the event in his Fabia S2000 Facelift. Following an early battle with Abarth Grande Punto driver Luca Rossetti, Loix moved into a lead he would never relinquish on stage seven. To underline his dominance he was fastest on 14 of the rally’s 21 all-asphalt stages, despite nursing an injured left shoulder, which he sustained falling off his motorbike two weeks ago.
Defending IRC champion Kris Meeke started leg two in second but failed to go beyond stage 17 when his Peugeot UK 207 suffered a terminal engine failure 2.8 kilometres into the test. Meeke had been embroiled in a close scrap with Kopecky for the runner-up spot. After dropping behind the Czech when an alternator glitch developed on stage 15, Meeke hit back following rapid repairs by going fastest of all on stage 16 to retake the place only to stop on the very next run.
"It was very sudden and is a real blow," said Meeke. "It leaves the championship hanging by a thread but I have to be pleased with my performance because I don’t think I’ve ever driven as well on a Tarmac rally as I did this weekend."
Meeke’s retirement almost brought about disaster for Kopecky and Hanninen, who were both competing in Madeira for the first time. The Skoda drivers were running behind Meeke on the road when they encountered a coating of oil on the road, which had been dropped by Meeke’s stricken Peugeot.
Kopecky managed to survive a wild slide on the third-gear sweeping left-hand corner, while Hanninen could not avoid brushing a concrete retaining wall. The impact caused damage to his Fabia’s right-rear corner, which triggered a puncture eight kilometres from the end of the stage and dropped the Finn behind local driver Miguel Nunes.
But with Nunes concentrating on maximising points in the Madeira championship rather than maintaining third place, Hanninen faced little opposition on his charge to the final podium spot. Nunes, who only began competing in 2006, revealed his surprise at his final position at the wheel of a Peugeot 207, especially after his original engine failed during a pre-event test.
Vitor Sa overcame an oil pressure problem to claim fifth with Filipe Freitas finishing as the leading Group N runner in sixth overall following Rui Pinto’s crash on stage 16 in a similar Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer. The final IRC points went to Joao Magalhaes in seventh and Pedro Peres in eighth. Ricardo Moura took ninth with Belgian Dominique Bruyneel completing the top 10 on his first visit to Madeira since 1993.
Burcu Cetinkaya achieved her objective of reaching the finish in her Peugeot Sport Turkey 207 as she continues to gain vital experience during her transition to four-wheel drive competition. Brazil’s Daniel Oliveira also completed the full distance in his Stohl Racing-prepared 207 after a mature drive.
Duarte Ramos secured IRC 2WD Cup honours in his Peugeot 206 after long-time leader Luis Serrado went out on Friday’s final stage. Not only did Ramos, who becomes the seventh different winner in the two-wheel drive class this season, cover the event’s 298.20 competitive kilometres, he also doubled as a mechanic due to a shortage of helpers in his privately-run team. Filipe Carvalho, at the wheel of a Peugeot 106, finished second.
Luca Rossetti’s challenge came to an end with a sizeable accident on Friday’s penultimate stage. Although his Procar-run machine was badly damaged, neither Rossetti nor co-driver Matteo Chiarcossi suffered any injuries.
Loix had double reason to celebrate after the finish in Funchal when he was handed the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy, which is presented to the most spectacular driver on all remaining rounds of this year’s IRC as part of the association between Eurosport Events, promoter of the IRC, and the Colin McRae Vision charity. Loix was chosen as the winner by IRC’s Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Eurosport’s Gilbert Roy and Jim McRae, Colin’s father.

Freddy Loix landed his second IRC win of 2010 in Madeira

DRIVER QUOTES

Freddy Loix (Belgium), Skoda Fabia S2000, first overall: "It’s been a good, clean drive from the start. I had a two-hour test on Wednesday evening and straightaway I had a perfect feeling with the car and there was never a problem. Okay, I hurt my shoulder but it was fine in the stages because this car is so good and easy to drive. I’m very happy."
Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic), Skoda Fabia S2000, second overall: "It was a shame when Kris stopped because we were having a nice battle but it also caused me to have a big moment. I had a great test in Spain before the rally and this is a really good result."
Juho Hanninen (Finland), Skoda Fabia S2000, third overall: "Before the start I would not have believed I could be third because this is such a specialist rally and it has not been easy for me. But I am lucky to finish because I hit the wall really hard on stage 17."

 
Madeira victory was Freddy Loix’s (right) fifth in the IRC

TOP 10 IRC POSITIONS AFTER LEG TWO

1 Freddy Loix/Frederic Miclotte (Skoda Fabia S2000) 3h08m14.3s
2 Jan Kopecky/Petr Stary (Skoda Fabia S2000) +37.8s
3 Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula (Skoda Fabia S2000) +2m25.8s
4 Miguel Nunes/Victor Calado (Peugeot 207 S2000) +2m42.7s
5 Vitor Sa/Nuno Rodrigues (Peugeot 207 S2000) +3m13.7s
6 Filipe Freitas/Daniel Figueiroa (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X) +9m03.2s
7 Joao Magalhaes/Jorge Pereira (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X) +9m29.0s
8 Pedro Peres/Tiago Ferreira (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX) +10m39.8s
9 Ricardo Moura/Antonio Costa (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX) +11m06.3s
10 Dominique Bruyneel/Lara Vanneste (Peugeot 207 S2000) +12m38.9s
Leading IRC 2WD Cup finishers: Duarte Ramos/Luis Ramos (Peugeot 206 S1600)

IRC STANDINGS

Drivers after round eight of 12
1 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 54pts
2 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 47pts
3 Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) 30pts
4 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 25pts
5 Kris Meeke (United Kingdom) 23pts
6 Freddy Loix (Belgium) 20pts
7 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 11pts
8 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) 10pts
9 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) 9pts
10 Paolo Andreucci (Italy) 8pts etc
Manufacturers after round eight of 12
1 Skoda 116pts
2 Peugeot 79pts
3 M-Sport 26pts
4 Ralliart 19pts
5 Subaru 11pts
IRC 2WD Drivers after round eight of 12
1 Rafael Tulio 20pts
2 Pierre Campana 16pts
3 Kevin Abbring 10pts
= Harry Hunt 10pts
= Yeray Lemes 10pts
= Kris Princen 10pts
= Duarte Ramos 10pts
= Marcos Tokarski 10pts
9 Carlos Oliveira 9pts
10 Filipe Carvalho 8pts
= Enrique Cruz 8pts
= Luis Gius 8pts
= Pablo Pelaez 8pts
= Colin R Smith 8pts
= Luis Tedesco 8pts etc
IRC 2WD Manufacturers after round eight of 12
1 Peugeot 72pts
2 M-Sport 68pts
3 Abarth 19pts
4 Honda 16pts
5 Skoda 5pts

RALLY LEADERS

SS1: Kris Meeke
SS2: Freddy Loix
SS3: Luca Rossetti
SS4: Freddy Loix
SS5-6: Luca Rossetti
SS7-21: Freddy Loix

STAGE WINNERS

Thursday 5 August
SS1: Av. Do Mar (2.18kms): Kris Meeke
Friday 6 August
SS2: Campo de Golfe 1 (15.99kms): Freddy Loix
SS3: Terreiros 1 (21.77kms): Luca Rossetti
SS4: Campo de Golfe 2 (15.99kms): Freddy Loix
SS5: Terreiros 2 (21.77kms): Luca Rossetti
SS6: Serra D’Agua 1 (13.77kms): Freddy Loix
SS7: Boaventura 1 (10.76kms): Freddy Loix
SS8: Cidade de Santana 1 (13.85kms): Freddy Loix
SS9: Referta 1 (14.29kms): Luca Rossetti
SS10: Serra D’Agua 2 (13.77kms): Freddy Loix
SS11: Boaventura 2 (10.76kms): Luca Rossetti
SS12: Cidade de Santana 2 (13.85kms): Freddy Loix
SS13: Referta 2 (14.29kms): Freddy Loix
Saturday 7 August
SS14: Paul 1 (10.92kms): Freddy Loix
SS15: Ponta do Pargo 1 (13.13kms): Freddy Loix
SS16: Rosario 1 (11.52kms): Kris Meeke
SS17: Chao da Lagoa 1 (22.01kms): Freddy Loix
SS18: Paul 2 (10.92kms): Freddy Loix
SS19: Ponta do Pargo 2 (13:13kms): Freddy Loix
SS20: Rosario 2 (11.52kms): Jan Kopecky
SS21: Chao da Lagoa 2 (22.01kms): Freddy Loix

KEY STATISTICS

Rally wins in 2010 (drivers)
Hanninen: 2
Loix: 2
Hirvonen: 1
Kopecky: 1
Magalhaes: 1
Meeke: 1
Rally wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 5
Peugeot: 2
M-Sport: 1
Stage wins in 2010 (drivers)
Juho Hanninen: 29
Kris Meeke: 27
Freddy Loix: 23
Jan Kopecky: 20
Sebastien Ogier: 7
Paolo Andreucci: 5
Bruno Magalhaes: 4
Luca Rossetti: 4
Mikko Hirvonen: 3
Stephane Sarrazin: 2
Andreas Mikkelsen: 1
Bernardo Sousa: 1
Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Guy Wilks: 1
Stage wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 73
Peugeot: 43
M-Sport: 5
Abarth: 4

TV TIMES

Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will show highlights of the rally, which will also be available at www.rally-irc.com, as follows:
Saturday 7 August
20:45hrs-21:15hrs Day two highlights (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 8 August
22:30hrs-23:00hrs Rally review (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Monday 9 August
08:30hrs-09:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport)
13:00hrs-13:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
24:30hrs-25:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Tuesday 10 August
16:15hrs-16:45hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
Friday 13 August
17:30hrs-18:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
All times are CET

www.rally-irc.com

With a little more than three months remaining until the inaugural Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally, more details of the event, which takes place in Cyprus on 7 November, and carries a prize fund of 150,000 Euros, have been released.
Designed to showcase rallying in a new and exciting way by making it accessible, understandable and attractive to a wider audience, the compact, fan and television-friendly format covers a single 25-kilometre mixed-surface stage run twice. The stage will be known as the Love Cyprus Golden Stage in deference to support from the country’s tourism authority.
Regulations for the Limassol-based event, which runs the day after the FxPro Cyprus Rally, the 12th and final round of the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (4-6 November), will shortly be finalised by event organiser the Cyprus Automobile Association, while representatives from Eurosport Events, which is promoting the competition, have completed a thorough inspection of the planned course.
“It will be exciting with most of the stage running in a downhill direction,” said Jean-Pierre Nicolas, the Motorsport Development Manager of the IRC and a former international rally driver. “The gravel section was in a good condition when we visited and the road was not so narrow although bumpy in places, which adds to the challenge for the drivers. But the biggest test they will face will be how they handle the downhill sections because it can be easy to make a mistake under braking.”
The Golden Stage Rally is open to all teams and drivers competing with Super 2000, Group N and Group A (up to A7) cars, in both two- and four-wheel drive configuration. The entry fee will be 2,000 Euros per car and regulations and entry forms will be available from September onwards on the IRC website, www.rally-irc.com, and the FxPro Cyprus rally website, www.cyprusrally.com.cy.
The event begins with scrutineering from Saturday 6 November for cars not contesting the FxPro Cyprus Rally and on Sunday 7 November for crews taking part on the FxPro Cyprus Rally. The reconnaissance will take place on Thursday 4 November when crews are permitted to complete two passes of the Love Cyprus Golden Stage, which starts 31 kilometres from Limassol. The first competitor is due to tackle the stage late morning on Sunday with the second run going live in the early afternoon. The prize ceremony is due to take place in Limassol in conjunction with the IRC End of Season Awards Ceremony.
The event will enjoy extensive live television coverage with a number of networks around the world showing the action as it happens or highlights following the event. Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will broadcast the rally live in its entirety through its network, which reaches out to 117 million homes across 59 countries.
Eurosport Events, which has successfully pioneered live coverage from the stages of several IRC rounds, will manage the live production and will also be responsible for the distribution of the worldwide media rights, including television.
Gilbert Roy, Eurosport Events’ Director of Editorial and Programme Development and the man in overall charge of the live television coverage of the Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally said: “The scenery is beautiful and the changes of surface will lead to a lot of big slides, so it will be very exciting for the TV viewer. The finish is by a lake close to a dam and there is a good view of Limassol.”
Antonios Michaelides, Chairman of the Organising Committee, said: “Rallying is a hugely popular sport in Cyprus and we, the organisers, are always keen to seek out ways to break new ground and bring fresh, new, innovative ideas to the sport. The Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally promises to be a standout, memorable event this year and shows that not only are we dedicated to stretching the boundaries of world motorsport, but also to making the very best of our island’s beautiful countryside.”
Title sponsor and long-term supporter of international motorsport in Cyprus, Cyprus Tourism Organisation Chairman Alecos Oroundiotis, added: “Every year, the hosting of world-class rally events attracts sports fans new and old to our beautiful island and our rallying heritage has come to play a major part in promoting Cyprus overseas. The Cyprus Tourism Organisation is therefore extremely proud to sponsor the Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally, which is sure to attract even more attention to our island and provide a thrilling sporting spectacle.”

Cypriot Nicos Thomas hopes to contest the Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally