Azores organiser preparing outstanding season opener

Sata Rallye Acores bosses are working on plans to introduce a street stage for the opening round of the 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The Atlantic archipelago will host the first rally of the 13-round IRC season from 23-25 February and event bosses are keen to make a big impact.

“Maybe we will have a new circuit in the town [of Porta Delgada]”, said Francisco Rosa Coelho, president of the event organiser Grupo Desportivo Comercial. “We are trying to do that to be different because it’s an honour to open the IRC and we want the success of our event to be the success of the IRC.”

Sata Rallye Acores has formed part of the IRC schedule for the last three seasons. Previous winners include Kris Meeke, Bruno Magalhaes and Juho Hanninen.