IRC news before Rally Ireland (part 1)

Kopecký ready for step into the unknown

Jan Kopecký admits the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland, round three of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, will be a step into the unknown.

Kopecký, runner-up in the IRC for the past three seasons, has never competed in Ireland or Northern Ireland before.

After winning the previous round in Gran Canaria, the Czech wants to continue his strong start to his 2012 IRC campaign in his efforts to help ŠKODA capture a third-straight manufactuers’ crown.

“Ireland is an unknown event to us,” said the 30-year-old. “The route is full of bumpy, narrow roads with highly slippery asphalt, but we will do our best to continue the streak of successful performances and help ŠKODA reinforce its position in the manufacturers’ category by winning some more valuable points.”

Arzeno to be patient in new Peugeot

Mathieu Arzeno says he is planning a cautious start to his Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign in Peugeot’s latest-specification 207 Super 2000.

Arzeno, a 24-year-old from France, will contest at least four rounds of the IRC this year with the Saintéloc Racing – Mister Auto Team, starting with this week’s Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally from 6/7 April.

He said: “My priority is to get to grips with the car on this type of terrain and that’s going to be a big challenge. I feel pretty relaxed and there’s no question of putting myself under a lot of pressure. I feel ready from a physical point of view but my aim is to gather a lot of experience with the new Peugeot in the IRC to create the best possible conditions for myself in the coming events.”

In addition to running Arzeno’s Peugeot on this week’s Circuit of Ireland Rally, Saintéloc will field an identical 207 S2000 for Irishman Craig Breen, plus a Citroën DS3 R3T for IRC 2WD Cup contender Marty McCormack, from Northern Ireland.

Fløene back on form for Circuit of Ireland

Ola Fløene says he will be well enough to co-drive Andreas Mikkelsen’s ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia Super 2000 on this week’s Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally, round three of the 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Fløene missed the first day of Mikkelsen’s pre-event test on Monday after delaying his departure from Norway to continue his recuperation from a bout of ‘flu, although he was able to partner Mikkelsen during the final day of testing at a venue south west of Monaghan on Tuesday.

“I will be okay,” said Fløene. “The recce schedule is quite easy, as the stages are so close together, and I’ll do everything I can to be fit and well for the start of the rally on Friday.”

In contrast to the warm weather experienced last week, ambient temperatures were as low as five degrees centigrade during Mikkelsen’s test on Tuesday, while there has been some snow and sleet around parts of the rally route earlier this week.

Breen praises Peugeot following Irish test run

Craig Breen has praised Peugeot’s latest evolution 207 Super 2000 following a one-day test in Ireland earlier this week.

The 21-year-old Irish talent is starting a minimum four-event Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign with the French Saintéloc Racing – Mister Auto team from this week’s Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

Following the test, Breen said: “The wider track suspension is going to make it difficult on the narrow lanes, but you’re only talking a couple of millimetres wider. The car will be more stable and it’s a good package.”

Breen is one of the favourites for IRC glory on the Armagh-based event, which begins with the spectacular Titanic Super Special Stage in Belfast on Friday. However, he insists he doesn’t have any extra knowledge of the Circuit of Ireland stages than his key rivals.

“The minute Ireland is mentioned people assume I know the stages but I’m from the polar opposite end of the country from where the rally is on,” said Breen. “I’ve done the rally twice before, the first time it was in a different region I crashed out early on. I’m just going to get the recce under my belt and approach it in the same way I do any other rally, pushing hard from the beginning.”

IRC champion Mikkelsen ready for Tarmac mission

Andreas Mikkelsen is all set for the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally after he covered 200 kilometres during a successful pre-event test earlier this week.

ŠKODA UK Motorsport driver Mikkelsen, the defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion and currently title leader, ran on Monday and Tuesday at two different locations in the Republic of Ireland, where he last competed in 2007 during the formative years of his rallying career

On Monday, Mikkelsen and stand-in co-driver Mikko Markkula were on a 2.8-kilometre road near Aughnacloy and covered 170 kilometres, focusing on damper and differential settings. They also ran at night to test the spotlights on their Fabia Super 2000 test car.

The following day, Mikkelsen was reunited with regular co-driver Ola Fløene after his fellow Norwegian had recovered sufficiently from a bout of ‘flu. They ran their test car for 30 kilometres on a road south west of Monaghan before completing a brief shakedown of the Fabia S2000 they will use on round three of the IRC from 6/7 April.

“I’m slowly starting to get the feeling back on Irish roads,” said the 22-year-old Mikkelsen. “We’ve had two test days, the first was quite dry and the second wet, and I feel very comfortable in the car in both conditions, so I’m ready for the rally.

“I’ve never driven the roads that we’ll rally on this weekend, but from what I understand they are quite close in nature to the roads we tested on, and as a team we all feel as well prepared as we can be.”