Sat March 24, 2012

 Honda takes lead in IRC Cup Thanks to blistering performances by Angel and Victor Marrero and German Hernandez and Israël Pereira at the Rallye Islas Canarias this weekend, Honda is now leading the charge in the 2012 IRC 2WD Manufacturer's Cup. The Marrero brothers took third place in the 2WD category, ...

Fri March 23, 2012

 Monzon proves he is not too old Luis Monzón has admitted he thought he was too old to finish on the podium in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge until he was proved wrong on the second round of the series last week....

Sat March 17, 2012

 Mikkelsen feels stings of a cactus Jan Kopecký has claimed a dramatic final-stage victory on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés after an engine misfire slowed rival Andreas Mikkelsen with his first win in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge on asphalt in his grasp....

 Canary Islands Rally dominated by Skoda Fantastic battle between winner Kopecký and second-placed Mikkelsen up until the very end of the rally --- Second consecutive double for ŠKODA --- ŠKODA and Mikkelsen in Fabias top the IRC standings --- Another very good result for Sepp Wiegand...

 Puskadi makes S2000 move János Puskádi and co-driver Barnabas Godor will step up to the headlining Super 2000 category in this season's Intercontinental Rally Challenge, starting with Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés....

 Kopecky heads IRC thriller Round two of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés, is set for a thrilling climax on Saturday with the top two drivers, Jan Kopecký and Andreas Mikkelsen, separated by just 1.2s heading into the closing six stages....

NEWS JUST IN

 E end - last minute Mikkelsen drama @ 04:45 PM - Win for Kopecky. It was only a 3.6s lead, so an engine misfire was drama for Mikkelsen. Harry Hunt also has a propblem and loses a top10 finish. Final results (after SS15)(subject to last road section and scrutineering):
1st= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, 2h21m46s5;
2nd= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +28s3;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +3m13s6;
4th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +4m32s;
5th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +7m29s3;
6th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +9m00s3;
7th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +9m18s9;
8th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +11m27s4;
9th= Puskadi/Godor, Skoda, +12m03s3;
10th= Al Ketbi/Al Kendi, Skoda, +14m43s2

 E SS14 - Mikkelsen by 3.6s @ 04:02 PM - Another stage win for Kopecky, but Mikkelsen still in a lead of 3.6s with a 16km stage from the finish. Wiegand kisses the armco, but can continue. Results after SS14:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 2h11m55s4;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +3s6;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +3m03s9;
4th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +4m16s8;
5th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +6m56s4;
6th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +8m18s8;
7th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +8m47s4;
8th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +10m45s7;
9th= Puskadi/Godor, Skoda, +11m20s2;
10th= Hunt/Durant, Citroen, +13m21s1

 E SS13 - Kopecky fights back @ 03:59 PM - Kopecky wins stage by 0.7s, so Mikkelsen still in good lead. Results after SS13:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 1h59m25s5;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +3s7;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +2m44s5;
4th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +3m47s4;
5th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +6m02s2;
6th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +7m30s9;
7th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +8m01s7;
8th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +9m47s8;
9th= Puskadi/Godor, Skoda, +10m08s;
10th= Hunt/Durant, Citroen, +12m02s4

 E SS12 - Now last Fiesta S2000 out @ 11:58 AM - Yet another stage win for Mikkelsen. Not yet confirmed, but Tamrazov in the Fiesta is missing from the stage end. Not many IRC registered crews left! Results after SS12:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 1h52m22s;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +4s4;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +2m29s6;
4th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +3m30s7;
5th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +5m32s2;
6th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +6m59s;
7th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +7m31s8;
8th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +9m06s1;
9th= Puskadi/Godor, Skoda, +9m21s2;
10th= Hunt/Durant, Citroen, +11m22s6

 E SS11 - Mikkelsen again @ 11:27 AM - Despite being the longest stage of the day, and after nearly every position changed on the previous stage, no changes at all in here. Results after SS11:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 1h42m32s9;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +4s3;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +2m17s2;
4th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +3m10s3;
5th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +5m02s1;
6th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +6m18s8;
7th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +6m48s3;
8th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +6m53s2;
9th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +7m34s8;
10th= Puskadi/Godor, Skoda, +8m37s5

 E SS10 - Mikkelsen back in front @ 11:20 AM - Mikkelsen wins stage that most competitors complain is dangerously fast. Gaßner crashes out. Results after SS10:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 1h30m01s;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +1s9;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +1m54s8;
4th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +2m41s2;
5th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +4m19s4;
6th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +5m33s5;
7th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +5m56s8;
8th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +6m01s6;
9th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +6m36s1;
10th= Puskadi/Godor, Skoda, +7m30s8

Fri March 16, 2012

 Fierce battle of Kopecky & Mikkelsen Day 1 of the second event of this year´s IRC series, an asphalt rally on the island of Gran Canaria, offered an exciting battle for the first place between Jan Kopecký and Andreas Mikkelsen in factory Fabia Super 2000s. After the opening leg (nine stages, 139 kilometres), the ...

NEWS JUST IN

 E leg1 - Lead changes in Superspecial! @ 07:52 PM - But apparently that was intentional by Mikkelsen. Though one doesn't have to understand this, did nobody tell Mikkelsen that this is an asphalt rally? Vinyes and Tamrazov swap positions again, seems a tradition. Results after leg1 (SS9):
1st= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, 1h22m56s3;
2nd= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, +1s2;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +1m40s8;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +2m01s1;
5th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +2m21s6;
6th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +3m55s6;
7th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +5m04s2;
8th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +5m20s8;
9th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +5m24s;
10th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +6m00s1

 E SS8 - Now sadly Hevia out @ 06:51 PM - Not sure why, he didn't start into this stage. Kopecky narrows gap further. Only tiny stage left for the day. Results after SS8:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 1h21m30s9;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +1s1;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +1m40s3;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +1m59s2;
5th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +2m18s5;
6th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +3m51s8;
7th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +4m56s4;
8th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +4m57s1;
9th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +5m16s2;
10th= Marrero/Marrero, Honda, +5m49s9

 E SS7 - Kopecky again @ 05:53 PM - That looks like the event long battle. Fastest stage by Kopecky, but Mikkelsen still 3.6s ahead. Vinyes in the Suzuki S1600 re-takes Tamrazov again. Results after SS7:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 1h09m12s7;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +3s6;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +1m19s7;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +1m34s3;
5th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +1m54s8;
6th= Hevia/Iglesias, Skoda, +1m57s5;
7th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +3m07s4;
8th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +4m09s2;
9th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +4m10s2;
10th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +4m26s4

 E SS6 - Mikkelsen replies @ 01:54 PM - Mikkelsen takes back in one stage what Kopecky gained the last two. Tamrazov takes Vinyes. Results after SS6:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 56m33s6;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +5s1;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +1m04s4;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +1m12s4;
5th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +1m30s;
6th= Hevia/Iglesias, Skoda, +1m32s3;
7th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +2m26s1;
8th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +3m21s2;
9th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +3m22s4;
10th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +3m37s7

 E SS5 - Not Hevia's stage @ 01:42 PM - Like in the morning loop Hevia drops down to 6th in this stage. Despite long stage, Kopecky wins, but so narrowly that Mikkelsen keeps leed. Results after SS5:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 47m51s7;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +1s6;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +52s1;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +58s7;
5th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +1m12s;
6th= Hevia/Iglesias, Skoda, +1m15s4;
7th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +2m05s6;
8th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +2m46s3;
9th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +2m50s;
10th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +3m00s5

 E SS4 - Stage win for Kopecky @ 01:38 PM - First stage not won by Mikkelsen, but not much change. Results after SS4:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 32m42s;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +2s1;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +34s5;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +41s;
5th= Hevia/Iglesias, Skoda, +48s1;
6th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +52s3;
7th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +1m26s6;
8th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +1m54s7;
9th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +1m55s2;
10th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +2m09s8

 E SS3 - Next victim Saliuk @ 09:28 AM - Saliuk's transmission problem became final. At the front no changes, Hevia overtook Wiegand. Results after SS3:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 28m23s2;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +3s6;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +31s1;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +37s6;
5th= Hevia/Iglesias, Skoda, +46s1;
6th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +47s3;
7th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +1m16s2;
8th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +1m40s6;
9th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +1m41s5;
10th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +1m57s5

 E SS2 - Acores champ Moura out @ 08:39 AM - Ricardo Moura out with a turbo failure. Saliuk has no rear drive. Monzon is now closest chaser to the Mikkelsen/Kopecky fight. Results after SS2:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 19m36s9;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +2s5;
3rd= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +22s1;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +24s8;
5th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +29s7;
6th= Hevia/Iglesias, Skoda, +31s3;
7th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +54s1;
8th= Saliuk/Cherepin, Ford, +1m03s8;
9th= Tamrazov/Arena, Ford, +1m05s3;
10th= Vinyes/Mercader, Suzuki, +1m09s7

 E SS1 - Very interesting start @ 08:08 AM - Short stage. But Mikkelsen & Kopecky prove they are the big battle, being seperated by only 0.2s. Good times by locals, Alberto Hevia in Skoda 3rd, ex-ERC star Luis Monzon in Peugeot 5th. Results after SS1:
1st= Mikkelsen/Floene, Skoda, 4m19s3;
2nd= Kopecky/Dresler, Skoda, +0s2;
3rd= Hevia/Iglesias, Skoda, +4s4;
4th= Gaßner/Wicha, Skoda, +5s3;
5th= Monzon/Deniz, Peugeot, +6s;
6th= Wiegand/Gottschalk, Skoda, +8s;
7th= Perez/Velasco, Peugeot, +11s7;
8th= Saliuk/Cherepin, Ford, +13s1;
9th= Moura/Costa, Mitsubishi, +15s9;
10th= Antxustegi/Suarez, Suzuki, +16s8

Thu March 15, 2012

 Co-driver Klinger returns to IRC Nicolas Klinger, the man who co-drove Nicolas Vouilloz to the second Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers' title in 2008, will return to the all-action series on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés this week....

 All-female team for IRC 2WD Cup The all-female crew of Ekaterina Stratieva and Carmen Poenaru will begin their quest for IRC 2WD Cup honours on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés as they start what could be a nine-event programme in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge....

 Crews set for Canarias IRC spectacular Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés, round two of the 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge, is just hours away from starting with prospects high for another close dice for glory....

Mon March 12, 2012

 Harry Hunt looking for Canarias points London-based rally driver Harry Hunt has his sights set on a healthy points haul when he travels to the sun-soaked Canary Islands next week for the second round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Rally Islas Canaries El Corte Inglés (15 - 17 March)....

 Mikkelsen aiming for Canarias podium ŠKODA UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen believes that a podium finish on the forthcoming Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés (15-17 March) would be another significant step in his defence of his Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) drivers’ title, after his recent victory on t...

 Rally Islas Canarias - Preview The race for the 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge crown is showing no signs of slowing down. Fresh from the thrilling season-opening SATA Rallye Açores last month, crews now head to the island of Gran Canaria for the first asphalt event of the year, Rally Islas Canarias El C...

 Skoda ready to win more points on Canarias ŠKODA is ready to confirm its calibre in the second event of this year´s IRC Championship to take place in Gran Canaria and take another step to winning its third IRC title. Jan Kopecký & Pavel Dresler of ŠKODA Motorsport (factory team) will make their first appearance in this...

Fri March 2, 2012

 High demand for Canarias entries The Intercontinental Rally Challenge heads to Gran Canaria for a third time this month with event organisers reporting a high level of interest from competitors planning to tackle the asphalt contest....

 Rally Canarias stars at FITUR trade fair The Intercontinental Rally Challenge was promoted to a new audience in Spain last month when Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles, the second event of the 13-round IRC season, formed the centrepiece of the island of Gran Canaria’s promotional stand at the FITUR International Tour...