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Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, formally launched its 2011 motorsport programme during an event in the German city of Munich on Tuesday (April 12).

The Eurosport Events’ Motorsport Launch, New Horizons 2011 was hosted by Eurosport Germany and took place at the Upside East rooftop venue in the Bavarian capital. More than 250 guests were in attendance for the fifth running of the gathering.

Eurosport Events took the opportunity to formerly present its competitions and championship series for 2011, including the IRC and the World Touring Car Championship, plus its participating manufacturers and partners.

Motorsport-Total.com, Eurosport Germany’s media partner, hosted an onstage discussion with Skoda Auto Deutschland driver Mark Wallenwein and Karel Pokorny of Skoda’s corporate communications department representing the IRC.

Wallenwein, who finished 21^st overall on Rallye Monte-Carlo in January, his IRC debut, said: “The IRC combines the most spectacular rallies. It is a real tough fight. After a very successful season in the German championship last year, it was the next big step for me to compete in an international championship. Being part of the famous ‘Monte’ was an amazing start.”

Pokorny added: “One of the big differences to other series is that the brand Eurosport is behind the championship.”

                

IRC stars to show support for Japan

               

 

The Intercontinental Rally Challenge will show its support to the people of Japan on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles this week.

IRC promoter Eurosport Events has been working in partnership with the local event organiser to arrange a charity run, which will be open to all drivers, co-drivers, teams, media representatives and members of the public. It will take place tomorrow morning (Friday 15 April).

All participants will be asked to make a minimum donation of five Euros to enter the run, which will take place on the Las Canteras beach over a distance of 500 metres. The beach is located a short walk from the rally’s permanent service park in Las Palmas and the runners will be flagged away at 10:00hrs local time.

Prior to the run taking place, all competing crews will assemble for a group photograph, where they will display a large banner featuring the words ‘Save Japan’. The photograph will take place on Playa Las Canteras at 09:45hrs on Friday.

All cars contesting the event will carry windscreen strips displaying a Japanese flag and the ‘Save Japan’ message.

“Every member of the IRC community has been deeply saddened by the events in Japan during the last month and all our thoughts remain with the Japanese people at this time,” said Xavier Gavory, the IRC General Co-ordinator. “With this initiative, we want to show our support and our full solidarity to Japan.”

 

               

Bertrand: preparation key to Canarias glory

               

 

Peugeot Sport’s customer competition department manager Frederic Bertrand believes meticulous set-up preparation could be the key to success on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles this week.

Bertrand’s operation will be overseeing four importer-backed 207 Super 2000s plus two privateer versions on round two of the 12-event Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

“The competition is likely to be extremely fierce, so we will need to hit the ground running,” said Bertrand. “That is why our technical team worked hard on optimising the 207 S2000’s set-up to match the specific characteristics of the Gran Canaria stages. The drivers running in the colours of our subsidiaries have tried this set-up and seem pleased with it.

“Our policy is to provide all the crews who choose to run a 207 S2000 with identical, competitive cars and ensure contained competing costs. That has been our chief focus since [winning] Rallye Monte-Carlo.”

Peugeot heads Skoda by 10 points in the manufacturers’ standings while Bryan Bouffier tops the drivers’ table following his victory on January’s Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Kris Meeke was the highest-placed Peugeot finisher on Rally Islas Canarias last year in fourth overall. However, the former IRC champion was extending his lead when he suffered a tyre deflation caused by his car hitting a compression at high-speed.

 

                                

Basso braced for tough Canarias challenge

               

 

Giandomenico Basso is prepared for a “tough challenge” when he makes his first competitive appearance for PROTON Motorsports on Rally Islas Canarias.

The Italian, 37, is embarking on an expanded programme of Intercontinental Rally Challenge events with the Malaysian car make at the wheel of an uprated Satria Neo Super 2000.

He said: “It’s good to be out competing again in the IRC, it’s a very strong championship and this week’s second round will, I’m sure, be a tough challenge. I have not competed on this round of the IRC before, but I do have good memories of the IRC in Spain – I won the Rallye Principe de Asturias in 2008.”

Basso, a four-time winner in the IRC, starts the event in the back of tests in Italy and on the island of Gran Canaria on Monday.

“I had a good test with the PROTON in Italy earlier this year,” Basso explained. “Since then, the team have made some changes with the car and I’m really looking forward to trying them.”

Basso and co-driver Mitia Dotta will start second on the road on the opening day of the event.

 

                                

Mikkelsen: 2011 starts on Rally Islas Canarias

               

 

Andreas Mikkelsen says Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles will signal the real start of his Intercontinental Rally Challenge title campaign for Skoda UK Motorsport.

The 21-year-old Norwegian crashed on the very first stage of Rallye Monte-Carlo, the IRC season-opener, back in January. He plans to hit back on the Canary Islands this week.

“Gran Canarias will be where our IRC campaign starts, so for us it’s important we leave the island with good points on the table,” said Mikkelsen. “That was our plan before we arrived and we’ll be sticking to it throughout the event. Results-wise, a finish in the points is what we’re aiming for.”

Mikkelsen will be a Rally Islas Canarias novice when the event gets underway with a ceremonial start at 20:30hrs local time tonight (Thursday). However, he’s not daunted by the challenge.

 I’ve never rallied on Gran Canarias before, but I hear it’s like a typical Spanish asphalt rally – and I have experience on this type of abrasive asphalt,” he said.

 

               

Scotland stage chance for national crews

               

 

RACMSA Rally of Scotland bosses are encouraging lesser-funded drivers to experience the thrills of an Intercontinental Rally Challenge event by creating a shorter national rally on the back of the main IRC qualifier.

The event is geared towards competitors with lower grade competition licences and non-homologated cars and will be contained within a two-day period. Crews will cover approximately 112 stage kilometres and use the same stages as their IRC heroes.

“In what is only the third running of this event we recognised that we have access to some incredible roads and from using what we have learned over the last two years we knew we could open these up to more competitors,” said clerk of the course Iain Campbell. “People whose car is maybe no longer, or never was homologated, or don’t have the necessary license to compete at international level can now take on the likes of Andreas Mikkelsen and Guy Wilks on the same stages to see how they compare with Europe’s best.”

Campbell added: “While the route is very much in a draft form we are offering around 10 stages, split between the two days. The format is for scrutineering on Saturday morning, rally Saturday afternoon and then all day Sunday before the podium ceremony.”

Organisers plan to release more information in June with the regulations available in August.

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