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Post by Vivski on Nov 29, 2008 9:40:48 GMT
Official IRC website: www.ircseries.comWelcome to the new area for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC). This series is a test-bed for the new breed of rally car set to take over rallying at national and international level (Super 2000). It's also a cheaper way for young drivers from Europe to demonstrate their talent and hone their skills on world-class events. This year will see IRC visit some classic rallies (recently dumped from the WRC), including Monte Carlo, Safari and San Remo; as well as some more obscure events in Brazil, Madeira and Scotland. 2009 IRC PROVISIONAL CALENDAR:• 21-24 Jan - Monaco . Monte Carlo Rally (a) • 05-07 Mar - Brazil . . . Rally Internacional de Curitiba (g) • 03-04 Apr - Kenya . . Safari Rally (g) (TBC) • 07-09 May- Portugal . Sata Rally Acores (a) • 18-20 Jun - Belgium . Ypres Westhoek Rally (a) • 09-11 July - Russia . . Rally Russia (g) • 30-01 J/Au- Madeira . Rali Vinho Madeira (a) • 21-23 Aug - Czech . . Barum Rally Zlin (a) • 10-12 Sep - Spain . . . Rally Principe de Asturias (a) • 24-26 Sep - Italy . . . Rally Sanremo (a) • 22-24 Oct - Japan . . . Rally Japan (g) (TBC) • 19-21 Nov - UK . . . . . RAC MSA Rally of Scotland (g) (a) asphalt, (g) gravelThe series has been expanded to 12 events this year, 7 tarmac and 5 gravel. Last year there were 10 events and the rules stated that title contenders must compete in 8 of them, with at least one being outside Europe. I imagine a similar system will be in place next year to encourage participation on the fly-away rounds. The championship boasts large entry lists and 2009 is shaping up to be a showcase of talent. Several teams have committed to the series already while others such as VW, MG and Honda are yet to announce their plans. Toyota, Opel and Ford look likely to give it a miss, despite having eligible cars. There is also a fiercely contested 2WD category where Hondas, Renaults, Fiats and Peugeots do battle. Here is a preliminary run-down of some of the likely starters for IRC 2009. The first rally of the year will kick off in late Jan in Monte Carlo. Enjoy! Kronos Peugeot - 207 S2000• Nicolas Vouilloz • Freddy Loix • Kris Meeke Skoda - Fabia S2000• Juho Hanninen • Jan Kopecky • Gilles Panizzi? • Francois Duval? Arbath - Grande Punto S2000• Anton Alen • Giandomenico Basso • Umberto Scandola? MEM Proton - Satria Neo S2000• Bryan Bouffier? • ? Mitsubishi - Lancer E9 (compressed natural gas)• Manfred Stohl? Interwetten Racing - Mitsubishi Evo IX• Franz Wittmann Volkswagen - Polo S2000• ? • ? MG - S2000 Sport• Stuart Jones?
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Post by Hurricane on Dec 3, 2008 20:53:40 GMT
Kronos and Peugeot BeLux have confirmed their driver line-up of Freddy Loix and Nicolas Vouilloz a few weeks back.
They also confirmed they will continue the BF Goodrich Drivers Team formula in 2009. This will give a national hero a chance at the Peugeot 207 S2000 in the IRC round of their country. The winner gets elected by a jury of national journalists, Kronos and BF Goodrich. This year the formula proved to be a big success.
It is also rumoured that Belgium's Patrick Snijers (50yo) has found fundings to start in a few IRC rallies with the team and that he's even searching for more budget to fund more entries in the championship.
It has also been confirmed that Bernd Casier (VW Polo S2000) will not compete in the IRC in 2009. "Next year a new Polo model will be released in Belgium, and for now, there still are no plans to homologate it for S2000. We also cannot deny that our 2008 season didn't go as we expected."
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Post by Hurricane on Dec 29, 2008 23:52:19 GMT
The Netherlands' national hero Jasper van den Heuvel will contest a few rounds of the IRC in the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. Ypres, Barum and San Remo are already on his program, Scotland and Russia could be added. Jasper has always been one of my favorite drivers. He's very fast and consistent! He's also a very friendly personality. I'm following him for several years now, and I really can't remember his last retirement...
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Post by Roo on Dec 30, 2008 2:33:09 GMT
The Netherlands' national hero Jasper van den Heuvel will contest a few rounds of the IRC in the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. Jasper has always been one of my favorite drivers. He's very fast and consistent! I second that. Even in a Group N car he is very quick, often quicker than some of the drivers in WRC machinery. When he drove a Lancer WRC for a couple of rounds last year, despite the car being less than competitive, he was very quick, and up there with the front runners in WRC built 4 years later than his! youtube.com/watch?v=Kljse7HE4gYyoutube.com/watch?v=V2FtAn5lips
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Post by Roo on Jan 5, 2009 3:27:49 GMT
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Post by Hurricane on Jan 25, 2009 16:21:15 GMT
There are rumours that François Duval just missed the entry deadline for rally Monte Carlo to compete in a Skoda Fabia S2000, run by Belgian outfit René Georges Rallye Sport (which ran the VW Polo S2000 program for 2 years), supported by Skoda Belgium. Duval didn't enter because he couldn't get the budget in in time, but it is said that he's got it now.
We should definately not be surprised if we saw him drive in Ypres in June.
Nothing has been confirmed yet though!
It is also said that Guy Wilks could join his compatriot Kris Meeke in the IRC. Wilks has been talking to Skoda and Proton for a possible entry.
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Post by Will on Jan 25, 2009 18:09:46 GMT
Possibly another Brit in the IRC?
IRC 2009 > WRC 2009, tbf.
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Post by FordTeamRS on Jan 26, 2009 13:01:52 GMT
The Monte Carlo Rally was the first time I've sat down and watched this series properly, and I have to say it's reminded me why I enjoy rallying in the first place. It was refreshing seeing some new talent, new machinery, new variables whilst respecting the history of the Monte. And the fact that Loeb didn't win the rally by 82 weeks ahead of Hirvonen. The S2000 formula is ace in my books. And if the WRC adopts S2000+, hopefully it'll prove a hit and we'll be spoilt for choice with the IRC and WRC. The future looks interesting. Special mention for Kris Meeke's cracking livery as well
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Post by Nick McRae on Jan 29, 2009 15:19:28 GMT
You know I still never got to sit down and view this. I think it may of had something to do with the event though - I'm not a big fan of Monte Carlo. S2000 is ace though, that video Roo brought up from the Barum round last season as been watched many times on this PC. The Arbarth's on the rev limiter - awesome noise!
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Post by loebfan on Mar 12, 2009 13:08:43 GMT
I found this on a french forum: IRC seems very promising this year
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Post by FordTeamRS on Mar 12, 2009 13:28:34 GMT
What a livery! Such a nice car too, wish there was a WRC version of it.
I never got around to watching the Brazilian round last weekend because my internet gets capped as soon as I read my emails, all I know is Meeke won it by about a week or something ridiculous. I'd certainly love to see more coverage of this series - it's too bad Eurosport isn't available in Australia and I'm too cheap to get pay-tv even if they had it. I'd love to see the IRC come to Australia when we're not hosting the WRC round.
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Post by Vivski on Mar 12, 2009 14:24:04 GMT
Actually Meeke won by 25 seconds. Vouilloz in 2nd was another 20 seconds ahead of Basso.
Meeke built up a 45 second lead on day 1 and held it while sweeping the road on day 2. Loix was sweeping on day 1 and lost over a minute. Very good effort by Meeke. Very classy driver.
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Post by Nick McRae on Mar 12, 2009 15:59:57 GMT
On a unrelated note - I like your signature Viv! And whilst were unrelated, the guy called NickT04 who added you on YouTube the other day was me
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Post by Hurricane on Mar 13, 2009 22:21:00 GMT
Roman Kresta will most probably not compete in IRC. That car is for the Czech championship.
Stunning livery indeed.
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Post by Vivski on Mar 14, 2009 3:12:24 GMT
On a unrelated note - I like your signature Viv! And whilst were unrelated, the guy called NickT04 who added you on YouTube the other day was me Yeah, I wondered if that was you. Welcome to my mates list. My sig is my personal little protest to the WRC missing one of the most entertaining rally drivers in the world.
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