Exciting entry for Sata Rallye Acores

More than 40 crews will contest Sata Rallye Acores, round six of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, from 14-16 July.

Eight Super 2000 cars will be in action with Bryan Bouffier topping the entry in his Peugeot France-backed 207. The Rallye Monte-Carlo winner forms part of the three-strong Peugeot attack on the all-gravel event, which also includes Peugeot UK’s Guy Wilks and Peugeot Sport Portugal’s Bruno Magalahes, who claimed a dramatic final-stage victory on the rally in 2010.

Defending IRC champion Juho Hanninen is one of four SKODA Fabia S2000 drivers competing on the Atlantic archipelago. His factory SKODA Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecky will also be in taking part at the wheel of another Fabia S2000, as will SKODA UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen and SKODA Sweden’s Patrik Sandell. Frenchman Julien Maurin will pilot the sole M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 on the entry.

Toshi Arai and Fumio Nutahara head the Yokohama-supported Subaru challenge in a brace of R4-specification Imprezas. As well as aiming to claim their first IRC points of the season, the Japanese drivers will be favourites for the IRC Production Cup laurels, where Azores resident Ricardo Moura is set to provide strong opposition in his Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX.

The IRC 2WD Cup has attracted an impressive entry with series leader Jean-Michel Raoux and defending class champion Harry Hunt among the contenders for victory.