Mikkelsen’s Targa preparations on track despite car fire

Andreas Mikkelsen says the fire that destroyed his test car won’t affect his preparations for round five of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the legendary Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia.

Mikkelsen’s spare ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 had been loaned to Jean-Dominique Mattei for Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse earlier this month but was gutted by a fire on the second day of the asphalt rally (pictured), fortunately without injury to Mattei and his co-driver Patrick Scipilitti.

However, a replacement car will be made available for ŠKODA UK-backed Mikkelsen to use when he tests for the Sicily-based round.

“ŠKODA Rally Team Italia, which runs my car in the IRC, has several cars so [the fire] causes us no problems,” said the 22-year-old Mikkelsen, who claimed the IRC title in Cyprus live on Eurosport last season. “Testing and everything is going normally and to plan.”

Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia takes place from 14-16 June. The event is a new addition to the all-action IRC for 2012.