Ireland - IRC news before SS6

Hanninen heads the field on final day in Northern Ireland

Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally leader Juho Hänninen will head the field on the final day of the third round of the 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The ŠKODA Motorsport ace is set to be the first driver to tackle the 25-kilometre Redrock stage at 09:07hrs local time on Saturday (7 April). Second-placed Andreas Mikkelsen will follow Hänninen through Saturday’s stages in his ŠKODA UK-backed entry with Jan Kopecký third on the road in another Fabia.

Alastair Fisher, in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, is the leading Northern Irish driver on Saturday’s start list in fourth with Peugeot driver Mathieu Arzeno fifth, Robert Barrable sixth and Craig Breen seventh.

Saturday’s route features 10 stages. Hänninen, the 2010 IRC champion, is chasing his first victory of the season alongside co-driver Mikko Markkula. Thirty-four crews are due to start day two and will run in one-minute intervals.

Frustration for Fisher on Circuit of Ireland Rally

Northern Irish hero Alastair Fisher’s dream of a podium finish on the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally is over after he went off the road early in Saturday’s opening stage in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 and retired.

The 23-year-old was in fourth position starting day two of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event following an impressive opening day when he equalled IRC champion Andreas Mikkelsen’s third-fastest time on stage four.

A team spokesman said: “It’s not clear exactly what happened, but it looks like Alastair has gone off and damaged the front of the car. It’s game over now unfortunately but this is all part of the sport: it’s how you learn.”

Before the start of the Armagh-based event, Fisher admitted that his lack of experience in a Super 2000 car would increase the challenge he faced.

“Of all the Super 2000 drivers, I’m probably the one with the least experience,” he said. “But we’ll give it a good go all the same.”

McCormack ready to defend IRC 2WD Cup lead

Marty McCormack is ready to defend his lead in the IRC 2WD Cup section of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally following repairs to his Citroën DS3 R3T.

The Northern Irish star nudged a wall exiting a corner on Friday’s fourth stage and inflicted damage to his car’s rear suspension. Nevertheless his advantage over second-placed Renault Clio R3 driver Tommy Doyle is 33.8s.

Co-driver David Moynihan explained: “We’ve fitted a new rear beam so we’re ready to go.”

McCormack is 13th overall starting day two. With an absence of rain, the former British Junior champion is set to climb further up the leaderboard.

“The stages will suit the car if it stays dry but if it’s greasy then I’ll be at a disadvantage against the four-wheel drive cars because I won’t have the traction coming out of the slower corners,” said the 26-year-old talent. “I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a dry day but I’m under no illusions that these guys will be strong. I’ll keep fighting.”

Dry conditions cheer Irish hero Barrable

Robert Barrable says he relishing tackling Saturday’s 10 stages because of the dry conditions that are expected throughout day two of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

The ŠKODA Ireland driver is sixth overall following Friday’s action in his first start in this season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

He said: “The stages won’t be easy today but at least it’s looking like it’s going to be dry and that makes things much more settled from a driving a set-up point of view. It will also make for good racing up front.”

While no rain has been forecast, damp sections have been reported on sections of this morning’s stages.

“There is no rain reported but there are damp places in some areas and that will make it difficult,” said ŠKODA UK Motorsport’s Pierfrancesco Zanchi. “Also, the weather can change quite quickly so you don’t always know what will happen.”

Honda’s Krózser remains in the IRC 2WD Cup battle

Menya Krózser remains in contention for points in the IRC 2WD Cup following a fraught opening day on the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

The Hungarian was in fifth position in the category when a puncture and a broken driveshaft on stage three dropped him outside of the top 10 in his Honda Civic Type R.

He will begin Saturday’s 10 stages in his MHH Racing Team entry in 12th position in the IRC 2WD Cup alongside co-driver György Papp, albeit more than 1m30s adrift of a point-scoring position.

Krózser is set to run 34th on the road on day two.

Redrock stage set to decide Circuit of Ireland battle

Former Circuit of Ireland Rally-winning co-driver Rory Kennedy says the 25-kilometre Redrock stage, which is run three times on the final day of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier, will be crucial to the outcome of the Armagh-based event.

Kennedy, who won the Tarmac rally three times with current driver Alastair Fisher’s uncle Bertie Fisher, said: “It’s a really tough stage and potentially very decisive. It’s difficult, technical with sometimes a lot of grip and sometimes no grip. It’s only a short road section from service on Saturday morning to the first run through so that won’t be easy. And because it’s the final stage it means the rally won’t be won until that stage is finally over.”

Fisher and Kennedy are currently fourth overall in their M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, 20.2s adrift of the final podium spot, which is currently being occupied by the Czechs Jan Kopecký and Pavel Dresler in a ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000.