Barry set for cautious Rally Islas Canarias

Daniel Barry admits he will have to drive at “80 per cent” in order to ensure a finish on Rally Islas Canarias.

The Irish privateer is embarking on his second of six Intercontinental Rally Challenge events this week at the wheel of his Barry Motorsport-run Mitsubishi Lancer E9.

Following reconnaissance Barry, the reigning Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Challenge UK champion, said the demanding nature of the stages would lead to excessive brake and tyre wear, which could impact on his chances of completing all 15 stages.

“A finish for me is vital because I’ve spent a lot of money and come a long way to get here,” said Barry, 25. “I obviously want to set some good times as well but I can’t afford not to finish so I’ve got to keep some caution in the back of my mind and drive at 80 per cent if necessary, because there are some corners where it’s easy to get caught out.

“On the [29.95-kilometre Ingenio] stage during recce we actually had to stop six kilometres from the end to let the brakes cool down on the recce car. I’m naturally hard on my brakes and my car is a lot heavier than the Super 2000 cars so it could be a big problem on the rally.”