Barrable gets sneak glimpse of IRC rival at work

Robert Barrable was able to size up one of his key rivals for Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Glory when he accompanied Andreas Mikkelsen for a high-speed ride in Mikkelsen’s ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia test car on Monday.

Barrable, from Swords in County Dublin, is one of Ireland’s brightest prospects for the future and was running on the same 2.8-kilometre test stage near Aughnacloy in his ŠKODA Ireland-backed machine when the opportunity came up to sit alongside the Intercontinental Rally Challenge title-holder for a run.

“I was very impressed – I can see why Andreas is IRC champion,” said Barrable, whose experience of Super 2000 competition is considerably less than Mikkelsen has accumulated. “He’s just so comfortable in the car, it’s amazing to watch.

“This is the first time I’ve been a passenger in a rally car at speed like this, and it was strange being in a car that’s so similar to my own and not being in control of it. I certainly picked up a few tips, especially in the corners where Andreas is a lot more aggressive than me.

“I really enjoyed the experience and would like to thank Andreas for giving me the opportunity to sit in with him.”