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Michelin makes winning return to international rallying

   

Tyre company Michelin used the centenary edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo last week to make its first appearance in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and signal its return to international rallying with a dominant performance on the snow-hit event.

Michelin has been represented in international rallying through the BFGoodrich brand since the IRC was formed in 2007. However, from this season, Michelin will participate in the 12-event series.

Rallye Monte-Carlo proved the perfect return for Michelin. Not only did the top 10 overall finishers use Michelin tyres, the winners of the IRC Production Cup and IRC 2WD Cup also relied on Michelin technology during the event, which was attended by Nick Shorrock, the Director of Michelin Group’s Racing Division.

Loix confirms seven-event IRC programme

   

Freddy Loix, who has won more Intercontinental Rally Challenge events than any other driver, has confirmed that he will contest six further rounds of this year’s series in a Skoda Motorsport-prepared Fabia Super 2000.

Loix, who began his 2011 IRC campaign with second place on the centenary edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo last week, will contest the rounds in Spain (Gran Canaria), France (Corsica), Belgium (Ypres), Portugal (Madeira), Czech Republic (Zlin) and Italy (Sanremo) with backing from the financial services company BFO.

IRC regulations stipulate that drivers can only count their best seven scores, meaning Loix can’t afford to make any major errors during the season. However, with the Belgian ace including the three events he won in 2010 (Ypres, Madeira and Zlin) on his schedule, he is not unduly concerned by the prospect.

“I am extremely pleased with this programme,” said the 40-year-old winner of six IRC rallies. “But because I have no spare rallies I have to be very clean. But I work well under pressure so it won’t be a problem.”

Loix will continue to be co-driven by countryman Frederic Miclotte in 2011. The pair will also contest two rounds of the Belgian national championship.

   

Elena thrilled to finish Rallye Monte-Carlo

   

Daniel Elena, who finished 52nd overall on Rallye Monte-Carlo last week, has described the ‘special feeling’ he experienced by completing the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season-opener.

Elena, the seven-time world champion co-driver and five-time Rallye Monte-Carlo-winning navigator, was taking part in a Citroen DS3 R3 on a rare outing behind the wheel.

After overcoming a few early mechanical problems, Elena was one of 60 drivers to earn the right to tackle the four event-closing night stages, including two passes over the legendary Col de Turini, by completing stage nine inside the top-60 cut-off.

“It was a very special privilege, not just to finish the rally, but to drive the Turini stages,” said Elena, who was taking a break from his co-driving duties alongside Sebastien Loeb. “I had a big enjoyment on this rally, but now I have another more important job to do.”

Elena finished 25th in the IRC 2WD Cup, which was won by Corsican Pierre Campana. Defending champion Harry Hunt finished 20th in the division after he lost seven minutes on the first stage when he went off the road overtaking a slower car.

   

Yalta Rally presented in Monaco

   

Organisers of the Prime Yalta Rally took the opportunity to present their new Intercontinental Rally Challenge event during the opening round of the series in Monte-Carlo last week.

Several manufacturer representatives, team managers, logistics coordinators and members of the media attended the function to learn more about this exciting addition to the IRC calendar and to meet key members of the organising team.

Evgeniy Chervonenko, the Chairman of the rally organising committee, Borys Kolesnikov, Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, and Mikhail Loilenko, the rally’s Clerk of the Course, were all present at the function along with IRC General Manager Marcello Lotti.

The event will run from 2-4 June and will be based in Yalta on the banks of the Black Sea in Ukraine’s Crimea region. It will feature 261 competitive kilometres over 14 all-asphalt special stages in the hills above the city. Yalta’s roads have a reputation for being bumpy and slippery and are set to provide a stern test for the IRC regulars.

Organisers have pledged to assist with border crossings, logistics and accommodation and will arrange several functions and leisure activities during the event.

Yalta became famous for hosting the historic Yalta Conference in 1945 where US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin met to discuss Europe’s post-war reorganisation.

   

Jardine out of luck on Rallye Monte-Carlo debut

   

British television presenter Tony Jardine says he achieved his ambition on Rallye Monte-Carlo despite failing to finish the centenary edition of the event, which took place from 18-22 January.

Jardine, who was co-driven by Daily Mirror newspaper journalist Byron Young in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta ST, was in 71st overall on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier when he crashed on ice on the road section heading to the final stage of day two.

“It was a huge let down to exit the rally, especially as Byron was doing so well on his first ever international event,” said Jardine, whose exploits were featured in Eurosport’s extensive coverage of the rally. “However, it was always an ambition of mine to even get as far as the first stage – so we have achieved that.”
 
Co-driver Young added: “Tony actually had to put the car into a wall to stop us from sliding any further down the hill. We had cars going off the road behind us and in front of us all hitting the same patch of ice as us. The most frustrating thing is we could see the time control for the start of the eighth stage in the valley way below, but we just couldn’t reach it!”

   

2011 IRC Permanent Press Credentials

   

The deadline for applying for a 2011 IRC Permanent Press Credential has now expired. Any Permanent Press Credentials issued but not collected on Rallye Monte-Carlo will be available for collection on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles from April 14-16.

   

High-resolution images on rally-irc.com

   

Copyright-free, high-resolution photographs from the 2011 Rallye Monte-Carlo are available to download from the Gallery section of the official IRC website. No login details are required.

   

Next event: Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles (14-16 April, 2011)

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