Burkart chases the Junior lead at home

German driver Aaron Burkart will be looking to return to the top of the Junior World Rally Championship standings ahead of his home crowd on this week’s Rallye Deutschland.

The Suzuki driver skipped the previous round of the J-WRC in Bulgaria, but will now contest all remaining rounds of the Junior series.

Burkart’s form has been strong this season: he won the opening round in Turkey and then dropped a four-minute lead in Portugal when he hit a rock on the second day’s competition on the Algarve. He still managed to finish the Rally of Portugal third - a result which kept him in touch with series leader Kevin Abbring. From now on, though, Burkart is looking for the title.

“It wasn’t so good that we lost a big lead like we did in Portugal,” said Burkart, “but we’re now going to my stronger surface, which is asphalt, for the rest of the season, so I’m looking forward to this. It’s always nice to compete at home and Deutschland will be an interesting - but tough - rally.”

Championship leader Abbring showed the potential of him and his Renault Clio when he won his class on the Ypres Rally earlier in the summer, but it’s this week that really matters for the Dutchman. He could only manage seventh on the Rally Bulgaria following alternator failure on his Renault and he knows he’s going to be up against it to keep his championship lead.

“Our R3 car is not quite so strong as the Super 1600s on asphalt,” said Abbring. “We lose a little in areas like the braking: our car is heavier, so we have to brake earlier. But, let’s see what happens - certainly it’s going to be an interesting rally.”

One of the favourites for J-WRC success has to be Belgian ace Thierry Neuville. The Citroen C2 driver set the pace on the opening two rounds, only to hit trouble in Turkey and Portugal, but last time out in Bulgaria he collected the maiden Junior win he’d been threatening all season. Neuville will be looking to continue that fine asphalt pace through to the ever-changing stages of the Trier-based Rallye Deutschland.

Burkart’s Suzuki team-mate Karl Kruda could also threaten in Germany. The Estonian driver has finished all three Junior rounds so far this season and is just four points behind his senior team-mate Burkart ahead of the fourth of six J-WRC rounds.