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THE CHALLENGE

Six rounds down and the battle for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge couldn't be closer with Skoda Motorsport team-mates Juho Hanninen and Jan Kopecky separated by just three points at the top of the drivers' standings prior to Sata Rallye Acores.

The gravel event, which takes place on Sao Miguel, the largest island of the Atlantic archipelago, joined the IRC for the first time last season and returns from 15-17 July with a largely unaltered route, which covers 226 kilometres over 19 stages through lush and stunning countryside.

Stages run over narrow gravel tracks that are lined by stone walls in places and pass between huge drops meaning there is little margin for error, despite the leading contenders describing the roads as largely medium-speed. To add to the challenge, several stages feature short Tarmac sections, which can catch out the unsuspecting driver due to the reduced grip they will encounter running on gravel-specification tyres.

Although the stages feature a sandy gravel surface, they do vary in terms of their layout. The Sete Cidades test in the west of the island, for example, runs around the rim of a non-active volcano, while the Grupo Marques superspecial stage, which is used on Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon, is based in a quarry. Although it is less imposing for the drivers, they are tasked with competing side-by-side through the course, which affords spectators excellent vantage points.

Crews will start in competition number order on leg one, meaning Kris Meeke, last year's winner, will start first on the road for Thursday evening's opening three stages, which are located northeast of Sao Miguel's capital Ponta Delgada, where the permanent service park is housed.

On day two, competitors will start in rally order, albeit the top five runners after leg one will run in reverse order. The starting order for day three will be determined by the rally order after leg two.

Last year's event, which ran in mid-May, was affected by heavy rainfall to the extent the final stage had to be cancelled following a torrential downpour. Although the island climate can trigger changeable conditions, the new July date should result in dryer and more predictable weather.

As well as battling for IRC points, competitors will also chase the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy for the first time. It will be handed to the driver producing the most spectacular performance in the spirit of the rallying legend, who lost his life in a helicopter accident in 2007.

The winner will be picked by a panel of judges consisting of Colin's father Jimmy McRae, IRC Motorsport Development Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas, and Eurosport's Gilbert Roy. The trophy will be presented on all remaining rounds of this season's IRC and is a key element of the new partnership between the IRC and Colin McRae Vision, which aims to improve health and education for children around the world.

   

IRC champion Kris Meeke took a debut Azores win in 2009

   

THE COMPETITORS

   

Despite crashing out of the last IRC round in Ypres, Juho Hanninen starts Sata Rallye Acores on a high after winning the recent Rally Bohemia, a round of the Czech championship. While that event took place on asphalt, Hanninen makes no secret of his preference for gravel stages and has won the last two loose-surface IRC events in Argentina and Sardinia.

While there is no doubting Hanninen's pace on gravel, the Finn admits his Skoda Fabia S2000 Facelift has undergone limited running on the loose, which means Skoda's planned pre-event test in the Azores early next week will be crucial for developing an effective set-up.

Jan Kopecky proved on Sardinia, the last IRC qualifier to take place on gravel, that he is more than just an asphalt specialist with three stage wins. The Czech's second place finish in Ypres last month has hauled him firmly into title contention. Like team-mate Hanninen, Kopecky has experience from competing in the Azores last season, where he finished second to Kris Meeke.

As the defending IRC champion, Meeke has endured a poor run of results of late, crashing out in Sardinia and Ypres while challenging for victory, which means he trails title leader Hanninen by 27 points. His Peugeot UK 207's suspension settings are better suited to the smoother gravel roads in the Azores and a repeat of his win there in 2009 would go a huge way towards making up for some of his recent disappointments, not to mention hand him a lifeline in his quest for a second title.

For Bruno Magalhaes the Azores marks the first rally of the season that the ever-present Portuguese has prior experience of and he will be expected to shine at the wheel of his Peugeot Sport Portugal 207. Magalhaes has scored points on all six rounds of the IRC and was in contention for a podium finish in the Azores last season until a gearbox fault foiled his hopes.

Andreas Mikkelsen secured his first IRC points in Ypres last month in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 and will be looking to recapture the pace he showed in Sardinia, where his recovery from an opening-stage crash netted a succession of top five stage times. Mikkelsen, from Norway, is an Azores novice but has shown plenty of adaptability throughout his career and could benefit from a more advantageous road position, the result of starting further down the order.

Portugal's Bernardo Sousa will also be at the wheel of an M-Sport Fiesta. The 22-year-old leads his domestic championship, which runs in tandem with the main IRC event, after winning the opening three rounds and is therefore intent on maximising domestic championship points rather than chasing outright pace. However, he has the speed to run at the front of the field and could prove a nuisance to the IRC regulars.

Like Mikkelsen, Burcu Cetinkaya also began her IRC campaign in Sardinia in her Peugeot Sport Turkey 207. Sadly, damage to her car caused in an accident on the Ypres Rally means she won't be competing in the Azores although she will still travel to the event to drive one of the course cars.

Daniel Oliveira had also been due to take part in his Stohl Racing Peugeot 207, but a hefty crash in Ypres, which left co-driver Carlos del Barrio with a collapsed lung, has scuppered those plans. Del Barrio is making a swift recovery and the pair is set to return to IRC duty on round eight in Madeira next month. Franz Wittmann is also missing from the entry in his Interwetten Racing 207.

With Guy Wilks still recuperating from the back injuries he sustained in a high-speed crash in Sardinia in early June and Proton trio Chris Atkinson, Tom Cave and Alister McRae pulling their entries while a solution to the engine problem that sidelined all three Satria Neos in Ypres is found, several Portuguese drivers are expected to battle for IRC points, which are handed out to the top eight finishers. They include Vitor Pascoal (Peugeot 207), Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer driver Ricardo Moura and Sergio Silva, who pilots a Subaru Impreza.

Former IRC 2WD Cup champion Marco Cavigioli had been expected to challenge for the class laurels in the Azores but a pre-event testing crash badly damaged his diesel-powered Fiat Abarth Grande Punto. Cavigioli's absence is set to play into the hands of event newcomer, the Brazilian Rafael Tulio, who claimed the two-wheel drive division in Argentina back in March in his Peugeot 206. Portuguese driver Paulo Antunes will also be a contender for honours in another 206.

   

Juho Hanninen tops the IRC standings after six rounds

   

THE EXPECTATIONS

   

Juho Hanninen (Finland), Skoda Fabia S2000: "I prefer gravel rallies so from that side I am excited. But it's a rally where you have to be quite precise and patient because the stages are narrow in places and it is easy to lose a wheel from your car. We haven't tested the Fabia Facelift so much on gravel but there is no reason why we won't be on the right level."

Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal), Peugeot 207 S2000: "I know this rally well and won it in 2008. It's a technical rally, very narrow and fast in places. I will try for a podium but there are some other guys in the IRC who are very fast so it will be difficult. At least I can take some motivation from the crowd who will be waving the Portuguese flag to support me."

Kris Meeke (United Kingdom), Peugeot 207 S000: "It's an event I feel quite comfortable on and obviously enjoyed last year because we won. You have to be very disciplined because there is little over a width of the car between the stone walls. On gravel grip is always progressive and it's easy to push the limit, slide wide and touch a wall."

   

Portugal's Bruno Magalhaes is a former Azores winner

   

TV TIMES

   

Eurosport, Europe's largest television sports channel, show daily highlights of the rally, which will also be available at www.rally-irc.com, as follows:

Thursday 15 July
23:00hrs-23:30hrs Day one highlights (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Friday 16 July
09:00hrs-09:30hrs Day one highlights repeated (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
23:00hrs-23:30hrs Day two highlights (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Saturday 17 July
09:00hrs-09:30hrs Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport)
10:15hrs-10:45hrs Day one highlights repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
10:45hrs-11:15hrs Day two highlights repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
23:00hrs-23:30hrs Day three highlights (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 18 July
08:30hrs-09:00hrs Day three highlights repeated (Eurosport)
23:00hrs-23:30hrs Rally review (Eurosport and Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Monday 19 July
13:00hrs-13:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
Tuesday 20 July
03:30hrs-04:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
17:30hrs-18:00hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport 2)
25:00hrs-25:30hrs Rally review repeated (Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
All times are CET

   

EVENT ESSENTIALS

   

Event: Sata Rallye Acores
Starts: Thursday 15 July
Finishes: Saturday 17 July
Entries received: 48
IRC appearances: One (2009)
2009 winners: Kris Meeke (GBR)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Peugeot 207 S2000
Surface: Gravel
Number of stages: 19
Special stage distance: 226.32 kilometres
Liaison distance: 573.67kms
Total distance: 799.99kms
Itinerary (all times shown are local): Shakedown (Thursday 15 July): Remedies-Lagoa, 09:00hrs-13:00hrs; Leg one (Thursday 15 July): Start: Ponta Delgada, 16:00hrs; Service A: Ponta Delgada, 16:05hrs; SS1: Lagoa/Marques 1 (14.90kms), 16:40hrs; SS2: Coroa da Mata (7.50kms), 17:19hrs; SS3: Grupo Marques 1 (2.00kms), 17:55hrs; Service B Ponta Delgada, 18:19hrs. Leg two (Friday 16 July): Service C: Ponta Delgada, 09:30hrs; SS4: Batalha Golfe 1 (7.90kms), 10:03hrs; SS5: Feteiras 1 (7.47kms), 10:38hrs; SS6: Sete Cidades 1 (18.30kms), 11:03hrs; Service D: Ponta Delgada, 12:18hrs; SS7: Batalha Golfe 2 (7.90kms), 12:57hrs; SS8: Feteiras 2 (7.47kms), 13:32hrs; SS9: Sete Cidades 2 (18.30kms), 13:57hrs; Service E: Ponta Delgada, 15:12hrs; SS10: Lagoa/Marques 2 (14.90kms), 15:57hrs; SS11: Achada das Furnas 1 (8.42kms), 16:50hrs; SS12: Lomba da Maia 1 (7.80kms), 17:13hrs; Service F: Ponta Delgada, 18:38hrs. Leg three (Saturday 17 July): Service G: Ponta Delgada, 09:09hrs; SS13: Achada das Furnas 2 (8.42kms), 10:17hrs; SS14: Graminhais 1 (20.68kms), 10:45hrs; SS15: Tronqueira 1 (21.94kms), 11:33hrs; SS16: Grupo Marques 2 (2.00kms), 13:20hrs; Service H: Ponta Delgada, 13:59hrs; SS17: Lomba da Maia 2 (7.80kms), 15:22hrs; SS18: Graminhais 2 (20.68kms), 15:53hrs; SS19: Tronqueira 2 (21.94kms), 16:41hrs; Service I: Ponta Delgada, 18:46hrs; Finish: Ponta Delgada, 19:10hrs.

   

LEADING ENTRIES

   

1 Kris Meeke (GBR)/Paul Nagle (IRL) Peugeot 207 S2000
2 Juho Hanninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000
4 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) Skoda Fabia S2000
6 Bruno Magalhaes (POR)/Carlos Magalhaes (POR) Peugeot 207 S2000
7 Ricardo Moura (POR)/Sancho Eiro (POR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
9 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Floene (NOR) M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000
12 Bernardo Sousa (POR)/Nuno Silva (POR) M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000
14 Vitor Pascoal (POR)/Mario Castro (POR) Peugeot 207 S2000
16 Radik Shaymiev (RUS)/Maxim Tsvetkov (RUS) Peugeot 207 S2000
17 Sergio Silva (POR)/Paulo Leal (POR) Subaru Impreza WRX

   

IRC STANDINGS

   

Drivers after round six of 12
1 Juho Hanninen (Finland) 42pts
2 Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic) 39pts
3 Guy Wilks (United Kingdom) 25pts
4 Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal) 20pts
5 Kris Meeke (United Kingdom) 15pts
6 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) 11pts
7 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) 10pts
= Freddy Loix (Belgium) 10pts
9 Paolo Andreucci (Italy) 8pts
10 Nicolas Vouilloz (France) 6pts etc

Manufacturers after round six of 12
1 Skoda 98pts
2 Peugeot 55pts
3 M-Sport 21pts
4 Subaru 10pts
5 Ralliart 8pts

IRC 2WD Drivers after round six of 12
1 Pierre Campana 16pts
2 Kevin Abbring 10pts
= Harry Hunt 10pts
= Yeray Lemes 10pts
= Kris Princen 10pts
= Marcos Tokarski 10pts
= Rafael Tulio 10pts
8 Pierre Campana 8pts
= Enrique Cruz 8pts
= Luis Gius 8pts
= Pablo Pelaez 8pts
= Colin R Smith 8pts
= Luis Tedesco 8pts etc

IRC 2WD Manufacturers after round six of 12
1 M-Sport 68pts
2 Peugeot 36pts
3 Abarth 19pts
4 Honda 16pts
5 Skoda 5pts

   

KEY STATISTICS

   

Rally wins in 2010 (drivers)
Hanninen: 2
Hirvonen: 1
Kopecky: 1
Loix: 1
Meeke: 1

Rally wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 4
M-Sport: 1
Peugeot: 1

Stage wins in 2010 (drivers)
Juho Hanninen: 22
Kris Meeke: 21
Jan Kopecky: 16
Freddy Loix: 9
Sebastien Ogier: 7
Paolo Andreucci: 5
Mikko Hirvonen: 3
Stephane Sarrazin: 2
Nicolas Vouilloz: 1
Guy Wilks: 1

Stage wins in 2010 (manufacturers)
Skoda: 48
Peugeot: 35
M-Sport: 3

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