Ireland - IRC news before SS9

Pain no barrier for IRC Production Cup leader Jennings

IRC Production Cup leader Garry Jennings says he is fighting through the pain of a burnt hand on the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

Jennings heads Sam Moffett in a close battle on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event with 12 seconds separating the Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer drivers after eight stages.

“It’s my left hand, the gear-change hand in my car, but I’m keeping my glove on so it’s not too bad,” said Jennings, who sustained the injury accidentally touching a hot exhaust on Friday night.

Jennings also reported his decision to use a soft compound tyre for Saturday morning’s mainly dry stages had compromised his ultimate pace. Moffett, meanwhile said an anti-lag issue had affected his speed.

Donagh Kelly is third in the category with Mark Donnelly slipping down to fourth, albeit 7.2s behind his fellow Lancer driver.

Hanninen versus Mikkelsen: it’s too close to call

Andreas Mikkelsen says he will have to push to the limit to reel in the gap to Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally leader Juho Hänninen, who is driving a similar ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000.

“I’m going flat-out: I’m happy with the driving but that’s it: I’m going as fast as I can,” said Mikkelsen, who is currently 9.0s behind his rival on round three of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with seven stages remaining. “I made a small mistake on the last stage, but apart from that I’m happy with my driving. We need to carry on like this and see what we can do.”

Hänninen, who could make it nine IRC career victories if he stays in front, was also satisfied with his performance but the Finn considers his advantage to be negligible. “It’s really nothing,” he said. “You can lose this time so easily, especially on these roads. We have to keep on pushing.”

Such is the pace of the leading duo that they are now a minute clear of third-placed Jan Kopecký, an asphalt specialist in an identical ŠKODA.

Stage nine, the repeat of the 25-kilometre Redrock tests, is due to begin at 12:12hrs local time. The event is running nine minutes behind schedule.

Praise for Arzeno and Breen from Sainteloc’s Ducher

Saintéloc Racing – Mister Auto team manager Vincent Ducher has praised drivers Mathieu Arzeno and Craig Breen for their performances on the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

With seven stages of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event remaining, Arzeno is a strong fourth overall with Breen close behind in sixth position. Both are driving Peugeot’s latest evolution 207 Super 2000.

“We can’t be satisfied with our pace against [Hänninen and Mikkelsen] because we are a little far away from them but we have two young drivers with not much experience of the car and they are doing a good job,” said Ducher. “And for Mathieu this is his first time here so he has to discover the stages. But he is making no mistakes so we are happy.”

Arzeno and Breen are due to contest at least four rounds of this year’s IRC with Saintéloc, which is also running IRC 2WD Cup leader Marty McCormack.

Consani and Klinger plan cruise to the finish

Robert Consani’s co-driver Nicolas Klinger says they are in cruise mode on the final day of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally following the time-consuming puncture on Friday’s third stage.

The French pair, in a Renault Mégane RS, lost more than six minutes on day one of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge event. After eight stages they are seventh in the IRC 2WD Cup section but 12th and outside of the point-scoring positions in the IRC Production Cup, which they led prior to the event getting underway.

“There is nothing we can do so we just drive to the finish,” said Klinger, who co-drove Nicolas Vouilloz to the IRC title in 2008.

Consani and Klinger reached the mid-morning service halt in Armagh with the rear bumper missing from his Mégane. “I don’t know where this happened because there was no impact,” said Klinger.