Andreucci prepared for tough fight with IRC regulars

Paolo Andreucci fears that his knowledge of the stages won’t be enough to stave off the threat posed by the Intercontinental Rally Challenge regulars on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna next week.

Andreucci will drive a Peugeot Sport Italia 207 Super 2000 on the gravel event, round five of the 12-event IRC series, where his main opposition will include factory Skoda drivers Juho Hanninen and Jan Kopecky, plus fellow Peugeot runners Kris Meeke and Sebastien Ogier.

"I’m really excited by this rally, but I know that it’s going to be very tough as there will be so many good drivers," said the four-time Italian rally champion, who will be starting his first IRC event of 2010. "For me, to be honest, I think a podium will be difficult. But I would like to finish in the top five though and that is what I will be aiming for."

The 45-year-old continued: "I know some of the stages well and some I don’t know at all. The stages I know I like a lot: they are very tricky though, because there are lots of little things that can catch you out. I’ve done the [Sardinia-based] Costa Smeralda Rally every year, but I haven’t done the WRC event stages since 2004, when I did the rally in a Super 1600 Punto."