Al Rajhi back in the IRC

Yazeed Al Rajhi will return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2011, only this time the Saudi Arabian driver will embark on an expanded programme of events.

Al Rajhi made a one-off appearance in the IRC on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna last June in a Kronos Racing Peugeot 207 Super 2000. He will continue with the Belgian squad this season but is
planning to tackle six rounds of the series, starting with May’s Tour de Corse.

Marc van Dalen, the joint boss of Kronos Racing, is delighted to be welcoming Al Rajhi back to his team for a third consecutive season.

He said: “Yazeed wants to learn asphalt rallies because his experience on this surface is not so big. It’s also great for us to have him in the team again because it’s the third year in a row that he has been with us. He’s a good guy and will have the latest specification Peugeot available.”

Al Rajhi will be co-driven by Frenchman Matthieu Baumel. His exact schedule of events has yet to be finalised, however.

Tour de Corse runs from 13-15 May. Kronos will also be running 207 S2000s for team regulars Thierry Neuville, from Belgium, and Briton Guy Wilks. Neuville runs under the Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg banner while Peugeot UK enters Wilks.