Mikko Hirvonen capped an impressive competition debut for the M-Sport Fiesta Super 2000 by completing the opening leg of Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo with a 41.9-second lead over reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Kris Meeke.
Hirvonen, from Finland, went fastest on Wednesday morning’s first stage from Burzet to Lachamp Raphael and was never headed at the top of the leaderboard thereafter. He was quickest again when the 27.27-kilometre run was repeated in the afternoon and was able to extend his advantage after Peugeot 207 driver Stephane Sarrazin suffered a puncture on stage four and slipped down the order.
The French driver’s delay promoted Meeke into second place. The Briton adopted a cautious approach and drove without error throughout the day in his efforts to begin his title defence with a points finish, having crashed out of this event last season. Meeke felt he could have been closer to the leader but for a confidence-denting moment on the second stage braking for a left-hand corner.
Juho Hanninen heads the works Skoda Motorsport challenge after lead driver Jan Kopecky lost more than three minutes with a front-right puncture close to the start of the first stage. Hanninen reported a few scares in the thick fog that descended on a 12-kilometre section of the second stage from St Pierreville to Antraigues, but otherwise enjoyed a trouble-free day. Kopecky recovered to hold 12th overnight.
Nicolas Vouilloz, on a one-off drive with the Skoda squad, holds fourth overall after the first day of competition. He spent the morning acclimatising to the Fabia S2000 and admitted his choice of tyres had been too conservative.
Last year’s Monte Carlo winner Sebastien Ogier had closed to within 4.9 seconds of leader Hirvonen after two stages but his hopes of a top finish evaporated when he went off the road on the third stage on a patch of snow and damaged his front-right wheel, losing 1m30s in the process. He fought back with the quickest time on the final stage of the day to complete the leg 1m51s adrift of Hirvonen in fifth overall.
Peugeot Portugal driver Bruno Magalhaes said he was satisfied with how his Monte Carlo debut had gone so far as he adapted to driving on slippery asphalt for the first time. He lies sixth overnight, one place ahead of Finn Toni Gardemeister, the lead Abarth Grande Punto pilot.
Gardemeister lost time by running dry weather tyres on the rain-hit opening brace of stages, when he overshot a left-hander on the second run and clouted a stone wall. Damage was miraculously limited to a scuffed front-right bumper and Gardemeister was able to continue his challenge for a top-six finish.
Sarrazin, who had complained of a loss of engine power on the first stage, reached the overnight halt in Valence in eighth, clearly frustrated that his bid for victory had suffered a serious blow due to his puncture, which added almost three minutes to his total time.
Austria’s Franz Wittmann spent the morning stages adapting to his Peugeot 207, which he was using for the first time in the IRC. He improved his pace in the afternoon and completed the first leg in ninth but said he still lacked confidence.
Briton Guy Wilks lies tenth overnight in the Skoda UK Motorsport Fabia. With seldom experience of driving his car on asphalt, Wilks used the day to gather more mileage in the car and experiment with different settings. He reckoned his choice of tyres hadn’t been ideal for the conditions, while a spin on the final stage of the day cost him 20 seconds.
Leading Clio R3 European Trophy runner Mathieu Arzeno, from France, tops the IRC 2WD Cup in 13th overall with Italian Matteo Gamba second and Belgium’s Kris Princen third.
Of the 58 starters, 46 crews returned to the service in Valence following a tough day of competition in the French Ardeche region. Thursday’s action is due to get underway with the 25.30-kilometre stage from Labatie D’Andaure to St Pierre Sur Doux.

Hirvonen tops the Monte Carlo Rally in his M-Sport Fiesta S2000

DRIVER QUOTES

"This rally is so much about tyres. The car is handling well and it’s great to be leading but on this rally a 40-second lead is nothing because it can all change in a minute. We went for a combination of snow tyres and intermediates on the second loop of stages and that seemed to work quite well. You also need to have the right information to make the choice work. We’ve not made too many adjustments to the car, just been trying to drive safely. But of course we have to do the same now for the rest of the rally." Mikko Hirvonen, first overall
"We’ve had three good stages out of four. If you offered me second place before the start of today I would have taken that. I’ve got half my mind on the championship but people like Ogier and Hirvonen have got nothing to lose whereas I have because they’re not doing the full championship. In the morning we lost 40s over 20ks when I lost my confidence after hitting some slippery Tarmac. Had it not been for that we would have been very close to the lead." Kris Meeke, second overall
"I made the same combination of tyre choices for the afternoon as I did for the morning. However it did not work quite as well because the conditions were worse the second time but not full snow. It’s always a compromise and I do not think I made a bad choice. I’m very happy to be where we are overnight and when you’re competing against someone like Mikko you have to remember he’s one of the best drivers in the world." Juho Hanninen, third overall

Defending IRC champion Kris Meeke is second after leg one

TOP TEN POSITIONS (AFTER LEG ONE)

1 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen Ford Fiesta S2000 1h34m01.8s
2 Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle Peugeot 207 S2000 +41.9s
3 Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula Skoda Fabia S2000 +1m04.4s
4 Nicolas Vouilloz/Benjamin Veillas Skoda Fabia S2000 +1m20.3s
5 Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia Peugeot 207 S2000 +1m51.1s
6 Bruno Magalhaes/Carlos Magalhaes Peugeot 207 S2000 +2m28.1s
7 Toni Gardemeister/Tomi Tuominen Abarth Grande Punto S2000 +2m43.2s
8 Stephane Sarrazin/Jacques Julien Renucci Peugeot 207 S2000 +3m15.8s
9 Franz Wittmann/Klaus Wicha Peugeot 207 S2000 +3m44.1s
10 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh Skoda Fabia S2000 +4m27.1s

LEG TWO ITINERARY

Service B: Valence, 08:30hrs; SS5: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 1 (25.30 kilometres), 10:13hrs; SS6: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 1 (25.67 kilometres), 10:55hrs; SS7: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 1 (21.92 kilometres), 12:20hrs; Service C: Valence, 13:45hrs; SS8: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 2, 15:28hrs; SS9: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 2, 16:10hrs; SS10: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 2, 18:05hrs; Service D: Valence, 19:15hrs.

THURSDAY’S TV TIMES

Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will show live coverage of all six stages tomorrow, ensuring viewers will be able to follow all of the action as it happens. Highlights of the day will also available at www.rally-irc.com
10:00-11.45: SS5 and SS6 LIVE Eurosport2
12:15-13:15: SS7 LIVE Eurosport2
15:15-16:00: SS8 LIVE Eurosport2
16:00-17:00: End of SS8 and SS9 LIVE Eurosport
19:30-20:00: SS10 delayed Eurosport2*
23:45-00:15: SS10 repeated Eurosport
*SS10 LIVE on Eurosport France from 18:00-19:00
All times are CET

THE CHALLENGE
Two months after the curtain came down on the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season in Scotland, the series bursts back into life on one of motorsport’s showpiece events: Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo. And to befit a rally of such magnitude, an exciting driver line-up, including world rally star Mikko Hirvonen, Renault F1’s Robert Kubica, IRC aces Kris Meeke and Jan Kopecky, plus several leading amateurs, will take the start in the French city of Valence on Tuesday January 19.
For the second season in a row, the Monte Carlo Rally will open the 12-event IRC schedule. Just as in 2009, a demanding route has been plotted with the 63 crews expected to tackle the 405 competitive kilometres over 15 special stages prior to the finish in Monaco in the early hours of Saturday January 23.
The event will continue to be based in Valence, the capital of the department of Drome, in the Valentinois region of France. As well as the ceremonial start, the main service park will also be located in the city before the event heads south to Monaco for the final quartet of stages on the night of Friday January 22.
But it’s the narrow mountainous roads in the Ardeche region that will provide the backdrop for the bulk of the competitive action on Wednesday January 20 and Thursday January 21. On Wednesday the itinerary will consist of the Burzet-Lachamp Raphael and St Pierreville-Antraigues stages run twice with remote service in the town of Vals les Bains, where crucial tyre changes will be permitted. On Thursday the route heads to the north of Drome for three repeated stages split by service in Valence.
Friday’s final leg starts in Valence. Following a stage from Montauban sur l’Ouveze to Eygalayes, crews continue south to Monaco where they will service before the first run over the famous Col de Turini, which is included on the Peira-Cava to La Bollene Vesubie stage. After three more stages, including a second run over Col de Turini, the surviving competitors head back to Monaco and the finish just after 01:00hrs on Saturday.
In a change to the format for this year’s rally, a nine-kilometre prologue stage will get the action underway on January 19 following the ceremonial start in the Champ de Mars in Valence. The run between Lente and Col de Gaudissart will determine the starting order of the rally, which gets underway with leg one on January 20. Although the standings won’t influence the final outcome, they could be pivotal in the event of the inclement weather synonymous with the rally.
Given the rally’s mountainous location the weather is notoriously changeable and that means a stage could start in dry conditions but finish on ice-coated roads. Because opportunities to change tyres are restricted, drivers regularly have to compromise when selecting their choice of rubber for a loop of stages. The result is drivers frequently having to adopt a cautious approach on one stage if their tyres are not suited to the conditions, but then being able to push on the next test if their tyres are ideal for the stage surface.
It can lead to drivers losing chunks of time on one stage but then quickly regaining any lost ground on the subsequent run. Even in dry conditions, the varying quality of the road surface means grip levels often change.
Crews will prepare for the event with a three-day reconnaissance of the stages from Saturday January 16 to Monday January 18. They will also be able to use additional stage information gathered by their safety crews, who are authorised to pass through the stages shortly before they are used competitively to give up-to-date information on the road surface and any potential hazards that might lie in store.

Sebastien Ogier was a shock Monte Carlo Rally winner in 2009

THE COMPETITORS

Peugeot starts 2010 on the back of winning its third IRC manufacturers‘ title. Briton Kris Meeke, who claimed the drivers‘ crown last season with four wins, tops the list of 207 runners in a Peugeot UK-backed entry. But he will face strong opposition from French drivers Sebastien Ogier, last year’s shock winner, and Peugeot development pilot Stephane Sarrazin. Portuguese Bruno Magalhaes will make his Monte Carlo debut but is a known quantity on asphalt. Austrian Franz Wittmann, who spent 2009 driving a Mitsubishi Lancer, switches to a 207 for the new campaign and will be a solid performer.
Skoda is set to provide Peugeot with its sternest test. Jan Kopecky, last year’s IRC runner-up, heads the three-strong factory effort that also includes Juho Hanninen and Nicolas Vouilloz. Hanninen led in Monte Carlo last year before rolling, while Kopecky claimed fourth overall. Vouilloz won the IRC drivers‘ title in 2008 but endured a frustrating season last year, which began when he crashed on the Monte. He switches from Peugeot Team Belux to drive a Skoda Fabia S2000 in competition for the first time. Of the other Skoda drivers, the inclusion of Guy Wilks on the entry provides added intrigue. The Briton won the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland, last year’s IRC season finale, in a Skoda UK-supported Fabia.
Abarth will count on several privateer drivers to fly the flag for the Italian make. Finn Toni Gardemeister provides the firm’s best chance of victory. His Grande Punto will be run by the Italian Astra Racing concern. He was in contention for a podium finish last season until an electrical fault intervened and forced his retirement. French drivers Olivier Marty and Renaud Poutot will also appear in Grande Puntos.
For the first time ever, M-Sport will be represented in the IRC. The British preparation firm overseas Ford’s World Rally Championship programme and is responsible for the design and development of the Fiesta S2000. Two examples of the machine will appear in Monte Carlo: WRC event winner Mikko Hirvonen will drive the lead car with French youngster Julien Maurin appearing in a second entry. Hirvonen, from Finland, finished second on the event when it last counted for the WRC in 2008. Maurin took part in 2009 in an Abarth Grande Punto but retired with mechanical woes.
Subaru also joins the IRC this season and boasts French ace Bryan Bouffier as its expected star performer. The Polish rally champion will drive for Tommi Makinen Racing and should challenge for a top ten placing. Swiss Olivier Burri and Frenchman Jerome Aymard should also show well.
Italian Gabriele Noberasco heads Ralliart’s challenge in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. Frederic Romeyer, from France, will also drive an Evo IX. Irish veteran Eamonn Boland, who has extensive Monte Carlo experience, will have a new Evo X model at his disposal. His countryman, Daniel Barry, is highly rated after winning the one-make Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge in the UK last season.
Proton is also registered for the IRC but won’t make its first appearance of the season until Rally d’Italia Sardegna in June when Alister McRae, younger brother of rally legend Colin McRae, will drive one of the two factory cars.
The Monte Carlo Rally hosts the opening round of the Clio R3 European Trophy, which will also appear on the IRC-counting Geko Ypres Rally in Belgium and Barum Czech Rally Zlin later in the season. Drivers registered for the European Trophy will be able to score points in the IRC 2WD Cup on those three rallies. While Belgian Kris Princen can count on plenty of experience, rising Corsican star Pierre Campana and Grand Prix driver Robert Kubica can be expected to challenge for the category win. Kubica, from Poland, is a self-confessed rally fan and is tackling selected events alongside his programme with the Renault F1 team.

Juho Hanninen will form part of the three-strong works Skoda team

THE EXPECTATIONS

"It’s the oldest and the most prestigious rally in the world and it really makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up just thinking about it because it’s also the most daunting and challenging event of the year. From a driving point of view your heart is in your mouth all the time because the conditions are constantly changing and you’re never always on the right tyre. You can win the rally not by going quickest on any of the stages but by reading the conditions correctly and trusting your instincts."
Kris Meeke, Peugeot UK driver and defending IRC champion
"Every driver wants to win the Monte Carlo Rally because it is so tough and never easy with the changing weather conditions. It’s not my favourite rally in the world but it’s an event I do like and, in the past, I have had some good results. To be successful you need to concentrate on your pacenotes all the time and trust the information provided by your ice note crew because the stages can be very tricky in places. You also need to be brave and have a car that is very reliable."
Toni Gardemeister, Abarth Grande Punto privateer
"I’ve always had a difficult relationship with this rally. I love the rally when I am not competing on it but when you get there and the conditions are hard then it can be tough. But it’s a great challenge and has a long history so it’s very important to win this rally. The Fiesta Super 2000 is a new car but I’ve had a good feeling with it when we have tested on Tarmac so I hope we can develop it more and try to win. But I know my rivals have a lot of experience in their cars and did Monte Carlo last year so that will help them."
Mikko Hirvonen, M-Sport Fiesta driver

TV TIMES

Eurosport, Europe’s largest television channel, will show live coverage of 14 of the 15 stages (see below), ensuring viewers will be able to follow all the action as it happens. Highlights of each day will also available at www.rally-irc.com
Wednesday January 20
11:45-14:00: SS1 and SS2 LIVE Eurosport2
14:45-16:00: SS3 LIVE Eurosport2
16:00-17:00: SS4 LIVE Eurosport
Thursday January 21
10:00-11.45: SS5 and SS6 LIVE Eurosport2
12:15-13:15: SS7 LIVE Eurosport2
15:15-16:00: SS8 LIVE Eurosport2
16:00-17:00: End of SS8 and SS9 LIVE Eurosport
19:30-20:00: SS10 delayed Eurosport2*
23:45-00:15: SS10 repeated Eurosport
Friday January 22
19:00-20:45: SS12 and SS134 LIVE Eurosport
23:00-00:45: SS15 LIVE Eurosport
Tuesday January 26
23:00-23:30: Review Eurosport    
*SS10 LIVE on Eurosport France from 18:00-19:00
All times are CET

EVENT ESSENTIALS

Event: 78th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo
Starts: 17:00hrs, Valence, January 19
Finishes: Monaco, January 23
Entries received: 63
IRC appearances: one (2009)
2009 winners: Sebastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
Surface: asphalt
Number of stages: 15
Special stage distance: 405.01 kilometres
Liaison distance: 1264.55 kilometres
Total distance: 1669.56 kilometres
Itinerary (all times shown are local): Prologue stage (Tuesday January 19): Lente-Col de Gaudissart (8.83 kilometres), first car due: 18:38hrs. Leg one (Wednesday January 20): Start: 09:23hrs; Tyre Service: Vals les Bains, 11:03hrs; SS1: Burzet-Lachamp Raphael 1 (27.27 kilometres), 11:51hrs; SS2: St Pierreville-Antraigues 1 (45.17 kilometres), 12:59hrs; Tyre Service: Vals les Bains, 14:14hrs; SS3: Burzet-Lachamp Raphael 2, 15:02hrs; SS4: St Pierreville-Antraigues 2, 16:10hrs; Tyre Service: Vals les Bains, 17:15hrs; Service A: Valence, 19:10hrs. Leg two (Thursday January 21): Service B: Valence, 08:30hrs; SS5: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 1 (25.30 kilometres), 10:13hrs; SS6: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 1 (25.67 kilometres), 10:55hrs; SS7: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 1 (21.92 kilometres), 12:20hrs; Service C: Valence, 13:45hrs; SS8: Labatie D’Andaure-St Pierre Sur Doux 2, 15:28hrs; SS9: St Bonnet-St Julien Molhesabate-St Bonnet 2, 16:10hrs; SS10: Lamastre-Gilhoc-Alboussiere 2, 18:05hrs; Service D: Valence, 19:15hrs. Leg three (Friday January 22-Saturday January 23): Service E: Valence, 06:30hrs; SS11: Montauban sur l’Ouveze- Eygalayes (30.42 kilometres), 09:23hrs; Service F: Monaco, 17:27hrs; SS12: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie 1 (18.42 kilometres), 19:15hrs; SS13: Lantosque-Luceram 1 (19.13 kilometres), 19:48hrs; Service G: Monaco, 21:35hrs; SS14: Peira Cava-La Bollene Vesubie 2, 23:20hrs; SS15: Lantosque-Luceram 2, 23:53hrs; Service H: Monaco, 01:05hrs. Prize giving (Saturday January 23): Place du Palais Princier, 11:00hrs.
Top ten entries:
1 Kris Meeke (GBR)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Peugeot 207 S2000
2 Mikko Hirvonen (FIN)/Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN) Ford Fiesta S2000
3 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) Skoda Fabia S2000
4 Sebastien Ogier (FRA)/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
5 Juho Hanninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000
6 Stephane Sarrazin (FRA)/Jacques Julien Renucci (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
7 Nicolas Vouilloz (FRA)/Benjamin Veillas (FRA) Skoda Fabia S2000
8 Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/Tomi Tuominen (FIN) Abarth Grande Punto S2000
9 Bruno Magalhaes (POR)/Carlos Magalhaes (POR) Peugeot 207 S2000
10 Guy Wilks (GBR)/Phil Pugh (GBR) Skoda Fabia S2000
IRC 2WD Cup (selected):
35 Pierre Campana (FRA)/Sabrina de Castelli (FRA) Renault Clio R3
36 Kris Pincen (BEL)/Eddy Smeets (BEL) Renault Clio R3
37 Robert Kubica (POL)/Jakub Gerber (POL) Renault Clio R3
38 Mathieu Arzeno (FRA)/Romain Roche (FRA) Renault Clio R3
51 Harry Hunt (GBR)/George Gwynn (GBR) Ford Fiesta R2
Remaining IRC rounds:
02: Rally Internacional de Curitiba (Brazil): March 04-06 (Gravel)
03: Rally Argentina (Argentina): March 19-21 (Gravel)
04: Rally d’Italia Sardegna (Italy): June 04-06 (Gravel)
05: Geko Ypres Rally (Belgium): June 24-26 (Asphalt)
06: Sata Rally Açores (Portugal): July 15-17 (Gravel)
07: Rali Vinho Madeira (Portugal): August 05-07 (Asphalt)
08: Barum Czech Rally Zlín (Czech Republic): August 27-29 (Asphalt)
09: Rally Principe de Asturias (Spain): September 9-11 (Asphalt)
10: Rallye Sanremo (Italy): September 23-25 (Asphalt/gravel)
11: RAC MSA Rally of Scotland (United Kingdom): October 15-17 (Gravel)
12: FxPro Cyprus Rally (Cyprus): November 04-06 (Asphalt/gravel)

www.rally-irc.com

M-Sport, the team that has run Ford’s factory rally activities since 1997, is to enter the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this year, which allows any Driver in a Ford car to score points in the Drivers and in the Manufacturers classification for both the main IRC series and the IRC 2WD Cup.
Consequently, the number of represented brands on the IRC will rise to eight for the 2010 season, with Ford drivers joining Abarth, Honda, Peugeot, Proton, Ralliart, Skoda and Subaru among the ranks of the IRC competitors. Five of them, including Ford, will be represented by state-of-the-art Super 2000 machinery.
M-Sport will make its IRC debut on the Monte Carlo Rally from January 19-23, with an entry for its star driver Mikko Hirvonen from Finland in the all-new Ford Fiesta S2000. In addition, a number of private clients are lining up entries with the brand new Ford Fiesta, which first appeared on the IRC as zero car on the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland last year.
The two-wheel drive variants of the Ford Fiesta are also expected to figure prominently on the IRC 2WD Cup.
Malcolm Wilson, the Managing Director of M-Sport, commented: "Joining the IRC allows us to offer our customers the chance to make the most out of their participation on the series, as well as the opportunity to showcase our products in new markets. Initial testing with the Ford Fiesta S2000 has gone extremely well, and we’re very much looking forward to seeing our car make its competition debut with Mikko Hirvonen in Monte Carlo later this month."
Marcello Lotti, the General Manager of the IRC, added: "We’re extremely happy to welcome M-Sport, one of the most successful and prestigious teams in the history of rallying, to the IRC family. With this important news, the 2010 IRC season promises to be the most exciting we have experienced so far, with breathtakingly close competition for all the spectators, whether watching the action on-site or live on TV."

IRC STARS COLLECT THEIR PRIZES … AND ALL THE OTHER LATEST NEWS FROM THE IRC

Peugeot UK’s Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle were amongst the IRC champions who received their awards in the lavish surroundings of the Pavillon Dauphine in Paris, at the IRC prize-giving ceremony last Monday night. The event, which also featured spectacular TV highlights from the year, was attended by drivers, teams, event organisers and media from all over the world.
Receiving his prize after a season of unprecedented success with the Kronos-run Peugeot UK 207 S2000, Meeke commented: "It was almost exactly a year ago when Peugeot UK agreed to fund my IRC campaign for this year. When I look back at how far we’ve come in one year, it’s simply incredible. There are many people who I would like to thank for what has been not only a very successful but also extremely enjoyable year. The competition has been incredibly close, and that’s what matters most in any form of sport."
Peugeot also collected the prize for winning the manufacturers‘ championship for the third year running. Olivier Quesnel, the director of Peugeot Sport, was present to pick up his team’s prize. Peugeot also claimed the honours for the two-wheel drive manufacturers‘ title.
Denis Millet and his co-driver Julien Vial collected the IRC 2WD Cup trophy after an excellent season aboard their Peugeot 207 RC Rallye. Each of the 11 event organisers were also called to the stage to receive an award in recognition of their efforts.
Marcello Lotti, the IRC’s General Manager, concluded: "Once more, it is people who have formed the key strength of our series in 2009. I’d like to thank them all individually for their valuable contributions to this memorable season. We’re now looking forward to an even more successful year in 2010."
The IRC season review is now available to watch online at www.rally-irc.com in the ‚video‘ section.

Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle collected their trophies in Paris

CIRCUIT OF IRELAND JOINS IRC SUPPORTER EVENTS

The Circuit of Ireland, the world’s second oldest rally, has received Intercontinental Rally Challenge Supporter Event status for 2010.
The IRC Supporter Event scheme allows selected national events to benefit from the prestige of being associated with the IRC, from the strengths of the IRC brand, and to promote themselves internationally through on-demand video highlights available on the IRC website, www.ircseries.com.
Accepting the IRC Supporter Event status at the recent IRC awards ceremony in Paris, Circuit of Ireland Rally Director, Bobby Willis said: "Having this prestigious charter bestowed upon the Circuit of Ireland is the first step in our strategy to re-awake the sleeping sporting giant that is the Circuit of Ireland. On top of that, Circuit of Ireland will be the only rally event to be granted "Supporter Event" in Ireland for 2010."
Present at the ceremony was Irish driver Kris Meeke who was recently crowned 2009 IRC champion. He commented: "The global success and growth of the IRC is testament to the popularity of rallying across the world and I’m delighted that Circuit of Ireland is to become part of this family."
In 2010, the Circuit of Ireland will be staged during its traditional Easter slot with precise details to be released in the near future.

The Circuit of Ireland will be an IRC Supporter Event next year

MONTE CARLO TEST FOR SKODA’S KOPECKY

Skoda Motorsport driver Jan Kopecky continued his preparations for the new Intercontinental Rally Challenge season by testing close to a very famous stage.
Kopecky, who finished runner-up to Kris Meeke in the 2009 drivers‘ standings, was sampling Skoda’s latest-specification Fabia Super 2000 at a test site near the legendary Col de Turini stage last week. The stage will be used on the Monte Carlo Rally in January, the opening round of the 2010 IRC.
"The test went well, although the weather was a bit warmer than we had hoped: around four degrees Centigrade with no snow," said Kopecky. "The car feels good, although it’s not so different than before. We just tried one or two things that were maybe slightly better, but no real change. It’s hard to be sure."
Kopecky covered approximately 400 kilometres of running during the test and reported no problems with the works Fabia. He was due to carry out further testing this week.
OGIER TIPPED FOR MONTE CARLO RETURN
Sebastien Ogier is on course to repeat his shock Monte Carlo Rally victory of last January after being linked to a drive in a Peugeot 207 Super 2000. Ogier, was competing for the BFGoodrich Drivers Team when he won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season opener almost 12 months ago.
It was the French driver’s first time in a Super 2000 car and his first time contesting the famous event. After winning the event, Ogier spoke of his desire to tackle more rounds of the IRC. He said at the time: "It was very exciting to be doing the Monte Carlo Rally and I enjoyed it very much and also the IRC."
Stephane Sarrazin is confirmed to run in Monte Carlo, driving a privately-run Peugeot 207 S2000 with help from the Peugeot factory. Sarrazin, who is currently testing in preparation of the event, said: "I’m really looking forward to the Monte Carlo Rally. I feel that I have improved a lot as a rally driver after the last year and I have benefitted from having more experience. However, there are going to be some very strong drivers there this year, with a field that is even stronger than last year, so I don’t want to make too many predictions. I feel that I can challenge though, and I am certainly going to enjoy it."

Stephane Sarrazin will drive a Peugeot again in Monte Carlo next year

COUNTDOWN TO MONTE CARLO: -31 DAYS

In just 31 days‘ time, the Monte Carlo Rally from 18-23 January 2010 promises to be one of the highlights of the 2010 motorsport season, not only from a sporting point of view but also from a television perspective.
This legendary event will benefit from an unprecedented total of 14 hours of live television coverage and entries are already coming in. As part of the IRC, the Monte Carlo Rally is open not only to the top professional teams but also to talented amateur crews – who now have the opportunity to match themselves against the top stars of the sport.
All information including rally guide, itinerary, regulations are available at www.acm.mc.

Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, announced last week that Subaru will join the IRC next year with the aim of supporting its customer competition business with the legendary Group N Impreza.
In the 2009 IRC season, seven manufacturers were represented with Abarth, Honda, Peugeot, Proton, Ralliart, Skoda and Volkswagen going head-to-head on spectacular events. The IRC series is designed not only to showcase these unique events through the use of innovative live television coverage, but also to provide competitors with an excellent promotional platform

Subaru drivers can now score IRC points

VOUILLOZ JOINS SKODA FOR MONTE CARLO

Skoda has announced that it will field three factory Fabia Super 2000 cars at the Rallye Monte Carlo in January, following the decision to sign 2008 Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion, Nicolas Vouilloz.
Vouilloz, who competed in a Kronos Racing-run Peugeot Super 2000 last season, will link up with regulars Jan Kopecky and Juho Hanninen for what is the first event in the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
"The Monte Carlo Rally is an extremely challenging event and we see it as one of the most important races of the upcoming season," said Michal Hrabanek, head of Skoda Motorsport. "The 2009 Monte Carlo event successfully started off our new project Fabia Super 2000 and then the whole 2009 season was a success for our crews and a great motivation for the entire team to work hard also in the future."

Vouilloz will drive for Skoda in Monte Carlo

MEEKE AND NAGLE TO STAR AT IRC AWARDS CEREMONY

Kris Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle will be at the centre of attention among the 2009 IRC champions when the IRC Awards Ceremony takes place in Paris next Monday, December 14.
Meeke secured the Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers‘ title alongside Nagle in a Peugeot UK 207 Super 2000. The awards for the IRC manufacturers‘ title (Peugeot) and 2WD cups for drivers‘ (Dennis Millet) and manufacturers‘ (Peugeot) will also be handed out on the night.
Meeke and Nagle plan to defend their crown next season in a Kronos Racing-run Peugeot 207 starting on Monte Carlo Rally from January 19-23. They won a total of four IRC rounds this season and claimed the title by 11 points over Skoda Motorsport pair Jan Kopecky and Petr Stary.
WITTMANN TRIES SKODA AHEAD OF NEW IRC SEASON
Franz Wittmann will try a Skoda Fabia Super 2000 this weekend as he continues his preparations for next season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
The rising Austrian star finished 14th in the IRC standings this season at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer E9. He has driven a Peugeot 207 S2000 subsequently and could use the French car for his programme in 2010.
He will enter the Slusovice Rally Sprint in the Skoda. The event uses asphalt roads close to Zlin, venue of Czech Republic’s IRC round."Testing the Skoda will give us figures to compare with the Peugeot," said Wittmann Jr. "I would like to run with the leaders but it will be difficult because it is my very first time in the car and I can’t make any mistakes.
Wittmann Jr scored IRC points on two occasions in 2009, in the Azores and Russia.

Wittmann has driven a Mitsubishi in 2009; now he will try a Skoda

IRISH DRIVERS TEMPTED BY MONTE CARLO IRC

Two leading Irish drivers are planning to enter next year’s Monte Carlo Rally, which will feature extensive live coverage on Eurosport
Eamonn Boland, the 2008 Irish Tarmac champion, and Daniel Barry, who won the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge in the UK this season, are due to compete in a pair of Mitsubishi Lancers.
Boland, who will drive a latest specification Lancer E10, said: "It can be a hard rally but it’s also a great rally to go and do at that time of the year."
Entries for the event close on January 7 and are available at www.acm.mc.
YPRES PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY
The preparations for the 2010 Geko Ypres Rally are already well underway, with the rally taking place during the last weekend of June.
Geko Woonwereld, a large furniture supplier from Zulte, will sponsor the Belgium Ypres Rally for the next two seasons. Geko has already supported several well known drivers and is now looking forward to partnering with the Belgium Ypres Rally.
Alain Penasse, rally manager of the Belgium Ypres Rally said: "We are really pleased to be able to work with a company like Geko. It is a large player in the market and they understand rallying. In these difficult times, it was a good thing for Geko to partner up with the Belgium Ypres Rally and we are convinced that this partnership will allow us to grow the event over the coming years."
BIG CELEBRATIONS PLANNED FOR IRC’S CZECH ROUND
Barum Czech Rally Zlin might be more than eight months away but organisers are already planning a series of celebrations to mark the event’s 40th anniversary.
The popular asphalt rally, which was won by Skoda Motorsport driver Jan Kopecky this season, is due to form the eighth round of next year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge from August 27-28.
Some 265,000 spectators attended the event last summer and rally bosses are promising plenty of surprises for fans lining the route on next year’s event.
"The time at the end of the summer holidays proved to be good and we are preparing many surprises for the spectators next year," said clerk of the course Milos Regner.

Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally
Challenge, is delighted to announce that Subaru will join the IRC next
year with the aim of supporting its customer competition business with
the legendary Group N Impreza.
In the 2009 IRC season, seven manufacturers were represented with
Abarth, Honda, Peugeot, Proton, Ralliart, Skoda and Volkswagen going
head-to-head on spectacular events. The IRC series is designed not
only to showcase these unique events through the use of innovative
live television coverage, but also to provide competitors with an
excellent promotional platform.
Marcello LOTTI, the IRC’s General Manager, commented: "We are very
honoured to welcome Subaru competitors into the IRC family, which gets
bigger and better. Subaru is an iconic name in motorsport, which has
been a mainstay of customer competition for many years. Subaru’s
strategy fits in perfectly with the philosophy of the IRC and we are
convinced that our series will offer Subaru teams plenty of success
and strong international media exposure."
Shigeo SUGAYA, Motorsports Director of Subaru added: "We are very
happy to join the IRC, a series that we have been keenly observing
since its creation three years ago. The IRC provides an ideal arena to
develop our customer competition activities. With approximately 1,000
Subaru cars rallying around the world, this is a great opportunity for
our customers to take part in the famous rallies showcased by the IRC
and to benefit from the excellent promotion that comes with it."

RALLY OF SCOTLAND BOSSES PROUD OF IRC DEBUT … AND OTHER NEWS FROM THE IRC

Organisers of RACMSA Rally of Scotland believe they have a lot to be proud about after the country hosted its first Intercontinental Rally Challenge event earlier this month.
The gravel rally, which enjoyed live television coverage on Eurosport, brought the curtain down on the IRC season and received glowing praise from competitors.
Iain Campbell, the clerk of the course, said: "It’s been a team that has put this all together and I’m proud of the whole team. It’s been a steep learning curve but all stages started on time despite the difficult weather conditions. Also, the battle for the lead was nip and tuck to the finish and that made it very exciting."
Rally of Scotland will return to the IRC calendar in 2010 when it forms the 11th and penultimate round of the series from October 14-16. Before then, Campbell plans to have introduced several improvements.
"We’re looking mainly for sunshine but we will be making some tweaks to the format," he said.

Scotland made a big impact on the IRC

WILKS DECLARED SCOTTISH WINNER

Skoda UK driver Guy Wilks has been declared the winner of the Rally of Scotland after a stewards‘ hearing found that the front subframe of Kris Meeke’s Peugeot 207 S2000 was 150 grams lighter than it should have been. There was however no intention to break the rules on Peugeot’s part, as Meeke’s car was actually heavier than the Skoda when it was weighed prior to the rally start.
Peugeot Sport director Olivier Quesnel stated: "We acknowledge the stewards‘ decision. We’re responsible for what happened, but not guilty of anything. This was down to an administrative mistake, which we intend to rectify. The mistake had no influence on the performance of the 207 Super 2000 and we must apologise to Kris Meeke, whose talent and championship title this year are beyond question."
INDYCAR STAR FRANCHITTI SAVOURS RIDE WITH IRC CHAMPION
Kris Meeke interrupted his preparations for RACMSA Rally of Scotland by giving his friend, the IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, a high-speed ride in his Peugeot 207 Super 2000.
Meeke, who clinched the Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers‘ crown earlier this season, was testing for the IRC season finale at a site close to where Franchitti owns a house.
"I know Dario from my days when Colin McRae was helping me," said Meeke. "I got chatting to him recently and found out the test was two miles from his home so I invited him along and he had two runs in the car later in the day. It was dark and the stage we were using in the forest was slippery but I think he enjoyed the experience."
Franchitti’s younger brother Marino was among a 3,500-strong crowd for the event’s opening superspecial stages at Scone Palace near Perth, where Meeke set the fastest time on both runs.
PROTON TEAM PLANS TWO-CAR IRC ASSAULT
The British-based works Proton squad is set to field a two-car team in next year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
With backing from the Malaysian car giant, the team made its IRC debut on the Belgium Ypres Rally last June. Although it expanded to running two cars on Barum Czech Rally Zlin in August, it concentrated on fielding a single entry on all other events it has contested.
"Next year is going to be a busy year for us with two cars in the IRC," said team principal Chris Mellors.
Alister McRae, who scored Proton’s first IRC podium on Rally of Scotland, is likely to continue with the team in 2010 although several other drivers are also under consideration.
"We hope Alister will be involved with the programme next year but there are a lot of drivers we’re talking to," said Mellors. "We’re going to be testing the car in December with some very interesting people. We’re very excited."

Proton will be a regular sight of the 2010 IRC

KOITLA AIMS FOR MORE IRC OUTINGS IN 2010

Kaspar Koitla celebrated finishing third in the final IRC 2WD Cup standings by revealing plans to contest more rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge next season.
The Estonian driver took his Honda Civic Type-R to the 2WD category laurels in sixth overall on RACMSA Rally of Scotland earlier this month. He now wants to return to the series in 2010.
"I came to Scotland to try to finish third in the IRC 2WD Cup and I achieved my objective by winning," said Koitla. "It was my first time in the UK so I am very pleased because it was a difficult rally. It is all down to finding the sponsorship but I would like to do some more rallies in the IRC next year and come back to Scotland."
Koitla, 20, won the 2WD Cup on Rally Russia in July. He finished third behind Denis Millet and Manuel Villa in the final standings.
COUNTDOWN TO MONTE CARLO: MINUS 53 DAYS
With less than two months to go before the start of the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the IRC next year, preparations are well underway.
With entries open since November 16, the first competitors are already adding their names to the entry list. The recce for the event will take place from Saturday 16 January to Monday 18 January, allowing teams to concentrate the whole rally within a week. The rally’s ceremonial start will take place at 17:00 on Tuesday 19 January, at the Champs de Mars in Valence.
Entry fees for amateur drivers remain unchanged from last year and competitors will be able to supply their own tyres and fuel. For more information, please visit www.acm.mc

Monte Carlo is getting closer and closer

www.rally-irc.com

Scotland promises a fine finale to the 2009 IRC

Final preparations for the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland this weekend (November 19-21) have reached fever pitch, with the teams, crews and organisers readying themselves for a true winter festival. The final round of this year’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge is set to be all-action in the forests around Perth and Stirling.
The rally route takes in more than 1000km over the three days, with 225km of timed special stages. Starting at the fabled Scone Palace, where the kings of Scotland were once crowned, Thursday night will see two special spectator stages in the grounds of the historic Perthshire venue. A full day’s action on Friday will incorporate some of Scotland’s most famous and demanding special stages, many of which have lain dormant for over 20 years since the heyday of the great RAC Rally.
Throughout the day the crews will tackle Craigvinean, Blackcraig, Errochty and Drummond Hill stages, where a carpet of pine needles guarantees minimal grip for the front-runners. The greatest challenge of all will come on Saturday, when the staggering 33km blast through Loch Ard will close the morning leg and will return as a rousing finale to the event itself.
Newly-crowned series champion Kris Meeke starts as favourite but has had a testing start to his home event, after damaging the suspension on his Peugeot UK-entered 207 S2000 on the official test. While there was some dismay in the headlines, Meeke himself brushed off the incident: “It was an innocuous-enough thing,” he said. “I clipped a log which was hidden in the grass about three inches off the road and that dinked a steering arm.”
More serious was the engine failure that afflicted his team-mate for this weekend, 22-year-old Adam Gould. The Englishman, who was nominated to drive the BFGoodrich Drivers’ Team Peugeot 207 S2000 by a panel of expert journalists, had his all-important familiarisation with the car truncated by engine failure. His total experience of the car – which is very different from the Group N machine he campaigned in this year’s British championship – has been limited to a little over 50km.
Nevertheless the youngster remains undaunted: “I just can’t wait to get to the start line,” he said. “The car is absolutely fantastic – just amazing! The noise is sensational.”
With six manufacturers and the cream of British-based talent preparing to go head-to-head in this final round of the IRC, many big names will be vying for a shot at beating Meeke on home soil. None more so than Meeke’s career-long rival Guy Wilks, who has competed with Proton on this year’s IRC but switches to a Skoda UK-entered Fabia S2000 in Scotland.
It was the Fabia that ran Meeke closest to the title in this year’s IRC points battle, with the works drivers Jan Kopecky and Juho Hanninen both claiming rally victories. On home ground and at the head of Skoda UK’s first international event since its all-girl team on the 1997 RAC Rally, Wilks is ready to take the fight to Meeke.
"The car looks mega in Skoda UK colours – and it drives as good as it looks!” Wilks said. "It inspires confidence in you as a driver. It has loads of grip and we felt right at home straight away. I can’t wait for the rally to start now."
Taking Wilks’s seat in the Proton Satria Neo S2000 is none other than former British and Asia Pacific rally champion, Alister McRae. The younger brother of 1995 world champion, the late Colin McRae, Alister has flown back from the Rally of China with hours to spare in order to join in the first international series to visit his native soil for 14 years.
Adding further spice to the line-up are two newly-crowned champions of Britain – Ireland’s Keith Cronin, who has a works-prepared Abarth Grande Punto S2000 – and Scotland, in the form of local hero David Bogie in his familiar Ralliart Lancer Evo IX. Leading Honda’s assault on the 2WD Cup – and hoping to repeat his overall points finish on this summer’s Rally Russia – is Estonian hotshoe Kaspar Koitla.
All the 60 entrants in this weekend’s event must brave the elements both night and day. The weather will be crucial for tyre choices and strategy in Scotland – and heavy rain is set to be the main feature of the event. An absolute deluge forecast until Thursday night’s opening stage is completed. Friday will however dawn brighter and without rain – but it is nevertheless set to return for Saturday’s closing action.
Ticket sales to the spectator stages is undiminished despite the worst that autumn can throw at the event, and the RACMSA Rally of Scotland will be a national celebration led by First Minister Alex Salmond and three-time Formula One world champion Sir Jackie Stewart. For fans wishing to catch the action at home there will be a premier TV experience including four hours of live coverage across the Eurosport global platform – with Australia joining the Eurosport Asia Pacific network coverage for the first time.
With British Eurosport viewers benefitting from the addition of 2001 world championship-winning co-driver Robert Reid to the commentary team, it’s clear that a high quality high octane finale to the 2009 season is in store. The stage is set and the contenders are ready: let the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland begin…
Ends
Notes to Editors
Rally Schedule*
Thursday 19 November
Ceremonial Start: Scone Palace 19:50
SS1: Scone Palace 1 (1.53km) 20:11
SS2: Scone Palace 2 (1.53km) 20:26
Friday 20 November
SS3: Craiginvean 1 (20.49km) 08:50
SS4: Blackcraig (11.5km) 10.03
SS5: Errochty (21.56km) 12:12
SS6: Drummond Hill (18.66) 13:23
SS7: Craiginvean 2 (20.49km) 16:05
Saturday 21 November
SS8: Achray 1 (16.41km) 08:00
SS9: Fairy Knowe 1 (7.59km) 08:34
SS10: Loch Ard 1 (33.52km) 09:10
SS11: Achray 2 (16.41km) 12:56
SS12: Fairy Knowe 2 (7.59km) 13:30
SS13: Loch Ard 2 (33.52km) 14:06
Finish – Stirling Castle 16:30
International TV Scheduling **
EUROSPORT
Friday 20th November
09:45-10:40 LIVE Day 1
17:00-18:00 LIVE Day 1
Saturday 21st November
10:00-10:55 LIVE Day 2
14:45-16:00 LIVE Day 2
Sunday 22nd November
23:15-23:45 Review
EUROSPORT 2
Wednesday 25th November
19:00-19:30 Review
Thursday 26th November
13:00-13:30 Review
18:30-19:00 Review
EUROSPORT ASIA-PACIFIC
Friday 20th November
09:45-10:40 LIVE Day 2
17:00-18:00 LIVE Day 2
Saturday 21st November
06:00-07:00 Day 1 Review
10:00-10:55 LIVE Day 2
14:45-16:00 LIVE Day 2
Thursday 26th November
03:30-04:00 Review
15:15-15:45 Review
British Eurosport and Eurosport HD Scheduling *
Friday 20th November           

08:45-09:45 LIVE Day 1
16:00-17:00 LIVE Day 1_
Saturday 21st November
09:00-10:00 LIVE Day 2
13:45-15:00 LIVE Day 2
Sunday 22nd November
22:15-22:45 Review
Thursday 26th November
17:30–18:00 Review
19:10–19:40 Review
Saturday 28th November
22:00–22:30 Review
*Times in GMT
**Times in CET

www.rally-irc.com

More than 60 crews have entered the RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge on November 19-21, with 2009 champion driver Kris Meeke heading the list of runners.
Meeke, who will drive a Peugeot UK 207 Super 2000, is expected to face strong opposition from what amounts to the single biggest gathering of British-based talent in recent years. Heading the competition for Meeke will be British driver Guy Wilks in a Skoda Fabia S2000, new factory Proton pilot Alister McRae and British champion Keith Cronin – who will appear at the wheel of an Abarth Grande Punto.
“To have 60-plus cars, which is more than our target, is great news and we’re very pleased,” said clerk of the course Iain Campbell, who confirmed upwards of 30 entries had been received from international crews.
Andrew Coe, the event’s chief executive, added: “It is shaping up to be a great finale to the 2009 IRC series. The lochs and hills of Stirling and Perth and Kinross will provide a stunning backdrop for what we hope will be the first visit of many visits for the IRC to Scotland.”

Scotland can look forward to an all-star event to end the 2009 IRC

World champion joins British Eurosport commentary team for Scotland

Robert Reid, winner of the 2001 World Rally Championship as co-driver to the late Richard Burns, joins the Eurosport commentary team for next weekend’s RACMSA Rally of Scotland.
Scotsman Reid, is currently the Performance Director of the MSA and deeply involved with encouraging young talent from the grassroots of the sport to international level. He brings his experience and expertise of the sport to a growing IRC TV audience.
“It’s a little bit daunting in some ways, as a new challenge, but I’m looking forward to contributing to Eurosport’s fabulous rally coverage,” said Reid. “Of course I’m used to talking through the stages from the inside of the car, and I’m really looking forward to sharing the excitement of what promises to be a landmark event with so many viewers.”
Four stages will be shown live on Eurosport, including the event closing Loch Ard test on Saturday November 21.
RACMSA Rally of Scotland Broadcast Package
Eurosport & Eurosport Asia Pacific
Friday 20th November
09:45-10:40 LIVE Day 1
17:00-18:00 LIVE Day 1
Saturday 21st November
10:00-10:55 LIVE Day 2
14:45-16:00 LIVE Day 2
Sunday 22nd November
23:15-23:45 Review Programme
Eurosport 2
Wednesday 25th November
19:00-19:30 Review Programme
Thursday 26th November
13:00-13:30 Review Programme
18:30-19:00 Review Programme
(All times are in C.E.T. please check local listings)

Robert Reid will bring his experience from the cockpit to the TV audience

Interest surges towards 2010 Rallye Monte Carlo

The revised route, premier TV package and incentives for amateur and top professional teams to compete in the 2010 Rallye Monte Carlo has met with a strong positive reaction from competitiors in readiness for the event on January 18-23.
With a much better chance of snow from being based in the high mountain passes of the Ardeche region, and innovations along the 550km route including a selection stage to be run on the evening of Tuesday 19 January to decide the running order of the rally, there are more opportunities than ever for fans and competitors.
With the opening day’s action leaving Valence for the Burzet and St Pierreville stages and the cost-cutting lack of service, there are many more variables to open up the competitiveness of the rally. The crews will be permitted a change of tyres between the two loops, but otherwise the cars will remain untouched by the mechanics throughout the leg.

Looking ahead to Monte Carlo – interest is high for the revised event

Skoda extends 2010 IRC campaign

Skoda will send its factory team to the Monte Carlo Rally next season ahead of an expanded Intercontinental Rally Challenge assault.
The Czech firm used the asphalt event last January to debut its all-new Fabia Super 2000. It ended the season second in the IRC manufacturers’ table with works pilot Jan Kopecky securing second in the drivers’ standings.
Skoda’s Motorsport boss, Michal Hrabanek, said: “This year’s rallying agenda is now over. The priority for the next season is IRC. Just like this year, we are planning to take part in selected events, but this time the number of our appearances is supposed to be higher.
"I can say with certainty that we are going to appear at the Monte Carlo Rally in January, which, thanks to the already announced scope of Eurosport TV coverage, will be a big milestone in the worldwide history of rallying.”
Skoda’s factory team contested six IRC rounds this season.

Skoda will return to Monte Carlo to kick-start its IRC campaign

End-of-season awards in Paris

The end-of-season awards for the winning drivers and manufacturers in the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge and IRC 2WD Cup will take place in Paris on the evening of Monday December 14.

IRC stars will be hitting the French capital next month

www.rally-irc.com

The inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland was treated to an all-star launch event in Glasgow this week, with three-time Formula One world champion Sir Jackie Stewart leading the way towards this year’s IRC grand finale.
“Scotland has an amazing heritage when it comes to motor sport – and rallying in particular,” said Sir Jackie. “Traditionally the RAC Rally was one of the biggest in the world and it went through England and Wales but it was Scotland that was the largest part, with probably the best special stages anywhere in the world.
“We’ve had world class rally drivers such as Andrew Cowan, Jimmy McRae and his sons Colin and Alister as well as great teams and great circuit racing drivers, so it is entirely fitting for Scotland to join the likes of Monte Carlo and Sanremo on the IRC calendar.”
IRC series coordinator Xavier Gavory added: “It is a great privilege for the IRC, in only its third full season, to start out in Monte Carlo back in January and to end the year on these legendary Scottish stages. This is the ideal event for our premier TV package, with four stages being broadcast live in their entirety.”
Sir Jackie declared Scotland to be the ‘best-kept secret in world travel’ and was upbeat about the positive effect the event would have on trade and tourism.
“I think the importance of the Rally of Scotland is clear because the Scottish parliament has put its backing behind the event,” he said. “I’m looking forward to watching the action in Stirling alongside our First Minister, Alex Salmond. We can project ourselves as Scots and as a tourism and business destination in a better way through sport and through the RACMSA Rally of Scotland.”

Sir Jackie blazed a trail for Scotland in motor sport – and believes IRC will too

Gould for BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team in Scotland

English youngster Adam Gould has been offered the chance to break into the big time at the wheel of the BFGoodrich Drivers´ Team Peugeot 207 S2000 on the RACMSA Rally of Scotland.
21-year-old Gould was nominated by a panel of journalists from his home country by a landslide margin, and will represent Britain on its inaugural round of the IRC on November 19-21.
In a stirring season for the Kronos-prepared BFGoodrich car, it took victory on the Monte Carlo Rally in January with Sebastien Ogier at the wheel and has shown competitively with Thierry Neuville in Ypres, Martin Prokop in Zlin and Luca Cantamessa in Sanremo. For the final outing of the season, the BFGoodrich drive deservedly goes to the maturing talent of Gould, who contested this year’s British Rally Championship.
"This is absolutely fantastic news." said Gould. "I’ve got to say a big thanks to everybody who voted for me and assure them that I will do my absolute best when I get to the event. It’ll be a privilege to drive for Kronos and to represent the MSA and Kronos."

Adam Gould will take over the Monte-winning BFGoodrich Peugeot

BRC Champion Cronin to make S2000 debut in Scotland

Keith Cronin will make his debut in a Super 2000 car on RACMSA Rally of Scotland.
Cronin, from Ireland, won this season’s British Rally Championship in a Ralliart Lancer E9. He had been due to use that car on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge finale but will instead switch to an Abarth Grande Punto S2000, run by the Italian Procar team. He was due to complete a test in Italy this week.
He said: “Super 2000 is the way rallying is going in the future and I want to be a part of it. That means I need to drive a Super 2000 car as soon as possible. I could probably get a better result in my Ralliart because of my experience and I would like to have more time in one before Scotland but it’s a great opportunity for me and I’ll be doing my best to make the most of it.”

Keith Cronin and co-driver Greg Shinnors will compete in S2000 Abarth

British legend savours ‚monster‘ Scottish stage

Rallying legend Jimmy McRae has described the final stage of RACMSA Rally of Scotland as a “monster” after driving through the route recently.
The five-time British Rally champion and father of 1995 WRC champion Colin McRae will see his youngest son Alister – himself a former British and Asia-Pacific champion – competing on the event in a Proton Satria Neo Super 2000. Looking forward to the event, McRae declared that the Loch Ard stage will be a major challenge for crews.
Totalling 33.52 kilometres, the stage will be used twice on Saturday November 21, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It will be televised live throughout the Eurosport network.
McRae said: “The organisers have found a true monster stage to create a sting in the tail and this will ensure the result will remain in doubt until the cars clear the stage.
“The stage is medium narrow throughout on a good hard based surface but there will never be a time for the drivers to take a breather and their powers of concentration and fitness will be tested to the limit.”

Jimmy McRae sees a big challenge ahead for competitors in Scotland

Rallye Monte Carlo entries open on Monday

The Automobile Club de Monaco will open the entries for next year’s eagerly-anticipated event on Monday November 9th. With a record-setting 14 stages of live TV coverage, an unrivalled package for teams, sponsors and fans – and a much-praised new event route, entries for the most famous rally in the world are available at www.acm.mc
While the 78th Rallye Monte Carlo is an historic and prestigious occasion on the global sports calendar, as part of the IRC it is open not only to the top professional teams but also to talented amateur crews. As an added incentive to amateur crews wishing to take part on this famous event the entry fees have been kept at the 2009 level of € 3000 and additionally they will be free to choose their own tyres and petrol supplier.

Massive incentives for all competitors await on the 2010 Rallye Monte Carlo

www.rally-irc.com

Giandomenico Basso will attempt to make up for the disappointment of losing out on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers’ title when he contests Rallye International du Valais this weekend.
The event, which has become established as Switzerland’s biggest rally, is a round of the European Rally Championship and also qualifies for IRC Supporter Event status.
Basso, who will drive an Abarth Grande Punto Super 2000 alongside co-driver Mitia Dotta, only requires a handful of points to deny Pole Michal Solowow, his nearest challenger, the prestigious European title.
The Italian driver is currently fifth in the IRC standings having won Rali Vinho Madeira back in August. He hasn’t competed in the series since Rally Principe de Austurias in Spain back in September due to his European championship commitments.
Swiss Olivier Burri, who finished seventh on the opening round of the IRC in Monte Carlo back in January, will also be in action at the wheel of another Grande Punto S2000.

Giandomenico Basso aims to recapture the success he found in Madeira

S2000 opportunity for Wittmann

Franz Wittmann Jr will drive a Super 2000 car in competition for the first time when he contests Rallye Waldviertel in Austria on October 30/31.
Wittmann Jr, who is normally found at the wheel of a Ralliart Lancer E9, will drive a ROMO Motorsport-prepared Peugeot 207 S2000, which he tested for the first time earlier this month.
He said: “Our goal is simply to gather kilometres. That’s what you need with this kind of car. It is comparatively easy to reach 80 per cent of what’s possible but the remaining 20 percent takes time and a lot of patience. I’m not putting myself under pressure but I want to be successful.”
Wittmann Jr, who will be co-driven by Bernhard Ettel, will return to his Lancer E9 for RACMSA Rally of Scotland on November 19-21, the final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. He is currently 12th in the standings. His best result to date is the fifth place he claimed on Rally Russia in July.

Wittmann has impressed in his Ralliart this season

RACMSA Media Day

The organisers of the RACMSA Rally of Scotland are hosting an international media day in Glasgow on Wednesday, November 4.
The day will be split into two parts consisting of an exclusive event overview and Q&A session with motorsport legend Sir Jackie Stewart, former World Rally Championship navigator Robert Reid and drivers including Scottish Rally Champion David Bogie. Also Chief Executive of the event Andrew Coe and Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland.

Sir Jackie Stewart joins the RACMSA Rally of Scotland build-up

Al-Attiyah plans IRC future

Qatari hero Nasser Al-Attiyah is contemplating a move to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2010.
The 2006 Production Car World Rally Champion will make a decision on which car he will use in the coming weeks – but has confirmed he will again be partnered by Italian navigator Giovanni Bernacchini.
However, because the opening round of next year’s IRC, the Monte Carlo Rally, clashes with the first event in the Middle East championship, which Al-Attiyah is contesting, he is unlikely to begin his campaign until the second round in Brazil in early March.
“The IRC is really interesting for me but I have yet to decide exactly my programme for next year,” Al-Attiyah said. “There are some exciting events on the calendar that I know from the World Rally Championship.”
Al-Attiyah is planning an entry on the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland from November 19-21, the final round of this year’s IRC.

Qatar’s top rally driver Al-Attiyah aims for IRC glory in 2010

BFGoodrich entries for Scotland now closed

The deadline for applications for the BFGoodrich Drivers’ Team entry on RACMSA Rally of Scotland has passed. On Friday November 6 an expert jury consisting of UK-based journalists, plus representatives of BFGoodrich, Kronos Racing and the Motor Sports Assocation, the governing body of British motorsport, will meet to determine the winner from a shortlist of five drivers.
On offer is a prize of a free drive on the final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in a Kronos Racing-run Peugeot 207 Super 2000.
“The BFGoodrich Drivers’ Team is a unique operation which represents an exceptional opportunity for the selected driver,” said Kronos director Marc van Dalen.”
Colin Hilton, the chief executive of the MSA, added: “The UK is blessed with some extremely talented drivers. Whichever one of them is selected will make the most of the opportunity.”
As well as an outing on the IRC finale, the winner will get a day’s test on November 16 to acclimatise to the Peugeot 207 and the range of BFGoodrich tyres.

Final BFGoodrich Drivers‘ Team star of 2009 soon to be announced

Champion’s praise for 2010 Monte Carlo TV package

The IRC’s unprecedented total of 14 hours of live television coverage for next year’s Monte Carlo Rally has received glowing praise from this year’s drivers’ champion Kris Meeke.
Fourteen special stages will be shown live, including on Eurosport, making the 2010 Monte the most televised rally in the sport’s history.
“You have to take your hat off to the IRC organisers for what they have done with the television coverage,” said Meeke. “Fourteen stages will be live on TV – that’s 14 hours of live coverage including live in-car footage, which is just awesome.
“With the TV package for Monte Carlo and the 12-event calendar for next year, the IRC has definitely got all the ingredients of what made rallying so popular in the 1980s.”
Due to run from January 19-23, the event will form the first round of the next year’s 12-event IRC calendar.

Meeke is looking forward to the most televised rally in history

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Eurosport Events, promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) is delighted to announce the 2010 IRC calendar, featuring 12 rounds with a mix of legendary and well-established events across Europe and South America.
For the second consecutive year, the series will start with the oldest and most prestigious event: the Rallye Monte Carlo. In 2010, it will become the most-televised rally in the sport’s history with full live coverage from the stages.
The three new events joining the IRC calendar next year include the Rally Argentina, the Rally d’Italia Sardegna and the FxPro Cyprus Rally which will form the grand finale of the season in November.
Next year’s IRC season will be run on a 50-50 mix of asphalt and gravel rallies, plus two mixed-surface events.
2010 IRC CALENDAR *
Round 1 19-23 January Rallye Monte-Carlo Monaco (a)
Round 2 4-06 March Rally Internacional de Curitiba Brazil (g)
Round 3 19-21 March Rally Argentina** Argentina (g)
Round 4 04-06 June Rally d’Italia Sardegna Italy (g)
Round 5 24-26 June Belgium Ypres Rally Belgium (a)
Round 6 15-17 July Sata Rally Açores Portugal (g)
Round 7 05-07 August Rally Vinho Madeira Portugal (a)
Round 8 27-29 August Barum Czech Rally Zlín Czech Republic (a)
Round 9 09-11 September Rally Principe de Asturias Spain (a)
Round 10 23-25 September Rallye Sanremo Italy (a-g)
Round 11 14-16 October RAC MSA Rally of Scotland UK (g)
Round 12 04-06 November FxPro Cyprus Rally Cyprus (a-g)
*Pending FIA approval
** Pending commercial agreement with rally event promoter
(a) asphalt / (g) gravel / (a-g) mix-surface
“This exciting calendar reflects the increasing status of IRC in world motorsport, with more and more prestigious events joining our series. We have taken a number of major steps forward with high levels for both competition and ground-breaking live TV coverage. This contributes to the spectacular rise in the profile of the series" said Géraldine Filiol, Managing Director of Eurosport Events.
"For 2010, we are embarking on our most ambitious season yet: not only do we start the season with the legendary Monte Carlo Rally with fully 14 hours of live action, but we will extend this innovative Live television production to 4 other events across the year, to provide unrivalled access for fans and great value to competitors and commercial partners" she added.

The 2010 IRC starts its most exciting season yet in Monte Carlo

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Alister McRae is gearing up to return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge when the season draws to a close on RACMSA Rally of Scotland on November 19-21.
McRae, the younger brother of the late 1995 world rally champion Colin, won the IRC pilot event – Zulu Rally South Africa – in May 2006.
He is due to drive a Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 for the factory-backed MEM World Rally Team operation from the UK.
Now 38, McRae, made his debut in the car during a round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship in Indonesia recently, and said he would relish driving it on his home event.
“It would be great to be in the car again,” said McRae, who currently lives in Australia. “I know the nature of the stages being used on Rally of Scotland because I have done some of them before. It would obviously be great to be competing in the IRC in Scotland.”

McRae will return with Proton to the IRC

Honda ready for IRC finale

Honda will be hoping to secure the coveted runner-up spot in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge’s 2WD Cup on the final round in Scotland next month.
The company is just two points behind rival Abarth with the Scottish gravel event remaining. With a strong turn-out of Civic Type Rs expected on the season finale, the prospect of finishing second behind winner Peugeot is very realistic indeed.
Honda’s optimism was increased following a successful participation on Rallye Sanremo in Italy last month. Italian driver Sandro Sottile won the two-wheel-drive class in 17th overall in a Civic Type R, while Hungarian Laszlo Vizin finished sixth in the highly competitive category.
Alessandro Mariani, the boss of JAS Motorsport, which overseas Honda’s IRC attack, said: “Once again our cars proved to be both quick and reliable. Despite having no permanent entries on the IRC this year, we have managed to challenge for second place in the IRC 2WD Cup. We now look forward to more success.”

JAS-built Civic Type R3C has set the pace on asphalt in IRC

British champion ready for IRC in Scotland

British rally champion Keith Cronin is set to boost the Ralliart assault on RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in November.
Cronin, from Ireland, won the British title for the first time last month at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer E9. He now hopes to underline his stunning achievement this season by entering the gravel event.
“I’ve proved my pace in the British championship this season against good drivers like Mark Higgins and now I want to see how I get on against the top drivers from the IRC like Kris Meeke,” said Cronin.
Cronin, 23, is also planning to contest more rounds of the IRC next season as he looks to further his experience of competing on international rallies.
“At the moment it will all come down to getting enough sponsorship but if I can get the money then I would like to do some IRC rounds next year,” he said.

Cronin will campaign his title-winning Evo IX in Scotland

Neuville wants more IRC in 2010

Thierry Neuville doesn’t want his starring drive in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge to be a one-off and is considering further outings in the series next season.
Neuville, a German-speaking Belgian, impressed at the wheel of the BFGoodrich Drivers’ Team Peugeot 207 Super 2000 on the Belgium Ypres Westhoek Rally in June. He ran as high as fourth before crashing out close to the end of the opening leg of the event.
“I would like to drive in a car with more power next year so a Peugeot 207 in the IRC could be a good thing for me,” said Neuville, 21. “The level of drivers in the IRC is very high and there are some very good rallies but, at the moment, I have to cross my fingers because I do not have the budget to do this.”
Neuville said he was also considering tackling RACMSA Rally of Scotland, the IRC finale in November, but that it would depend on his Belgian championship programme.

Neuville got a taste for the IRC in Ypres

Meeke praises 2010 Rallye Monte Carlo route

Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion, Kris Meeke, has praised the changes being planned for the Monte Carlo Rally, which will open the 2010 IRC season from January 19-22.
Meeke, who has driven his Peugeot UK-backed 207 Super 2000 to victory on four rounds of the IRC so far this season, said the decision by the Monte Carlo organisers to run a five-mile selection stage to determine the starting order of the rally, was inspired.
“It’s what rallying needs – a team of organises who are prepared to play around with the format of an event rather than being sterile all of the time,” said Meeke. “The selection stage is a fantastic idea and it’s something that should be done on all rallies.”
Guy Wilks, Meeke’s fellow Briton who has competed in several rounds of this year’s IRC for the factory Proton squad, added: “It’s an awesome event and an awesome challenge often in variable weather conditions. It will be great for the IRC and fantastic for the spectators.”

Meeke ready to take on revived Monte in 2010

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Kris Meeke has claimed the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge title in fine style, with victory on this weekend’s Rallye Sanremo.
The Peugeot UK driver fought back from fourth place overnight to take the lead on the final morning in the mountains on the Italian Riviera. Despite the pounding given to his brakes on the twisting asphalt stages, he prevailed for his fourth win of the season to become the first British driver to win the IRC.
“We never could have expected this to happen,” said a slightly disbelieving Meeke as he crossed the line. “There’s so many people I have to thank for the opportunity, I’m only one link in the chain and there’s a long chain of people who helped make it happen and without any one of the them the chain would have been broken.”
The rally began with Meeke just one point ahead of Czech ace Jan Kopecky in the works Skoda Fabia S2000. Kopecky got off to a flying start to win the first stage, but then crashed in the middle of the second stage and suffered irreparable suspension damage.
This left the way clear for a major battle for honours between two Italian drivers – the works Abarth Grande Punto S2000 of Luca Rossetti and the Peugeot 207 S2000 of Paolo Andreucci – while Meeke suffered from overheating brakes in fourth place.
At the overnight halt Andreucci held a slender advantage while Rossetti was unable to get the car handling how he wanted it to. At the start of the final day, however, Rossetti was far happier in his car while Andreucci’s Pirelli tyres – unique among the front-runners – struggled for grip and left him fighting a defensive battle for the rest of the rally.
Meeke, meanwhile, had started the second day in a champion’s style, winning the first stage by 10 seconds and the second stage by a further 8.3 seconds. On the final stage of the morning he lost 10 seconds after more brake trouble and a nervous time was had at the service halt.
“The opening night’s stages were interesting to say the least, then it all just clicked and I got a rhythm,” Meeke said. “The pacenotes were inch-perfect and I honestly couldn’t believe the times!
“I had a few troubles with the brakes on the second stage this morning,” he explained. “I was able to drain it while driving to the next stage, but I couldn’t put all the fluid back because of a defective pipe so we had next to no brakes at all – but fortunately it was short and up-hill!”
While Rossetti was able to regain ground on Meeke through the short stage, last year’s IRC champion Nicolas Vouilloz was unable to capitalise in his Peugeot Benelux-entered 207 S2000. A puncture on the first stage of the day cost him time that blunted his challenge for victory, and passed the initiative to team-mate Freddy Loix in their battle for third place in the overall points.
Both Vouilloz and Meeke recovered their earlier pace on the penultimate stage, however. Meeke extended his lead once again and Vouilloz reclaimed third position from the struggling Andreucci, but then lost ground to local man Roberto Travaglia who just edged him into fourth place at the finish by 0.4 seconds.
In a dramatic twist, Travaglia then incurred a 30 second time penalty on the road, dropping him to sixth and promoting Vouilloz back to the podium=

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