Hänninen wins Colin McRae IRC Trophy

Juho Hänninen has won the first Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy of 2011 following his exploits on Rallye Monte-Carlo, round one of this season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The Škoda Motorsport driver was chosen as the recipient of the prestigious award by a panel of judges consisting of IRC Motorsport Development Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Gilbert Roy, the Director of Editorial and Programme Development for Eurosport Events, and Colin’s father Jimmy.

Hänninen had been controlling the event with a series of fastest stage times only to drop back when he made an incorrect choice of tyres for the snow-hit seventh and eighth stages.

After receiving the award from Jean-Pierre Nicolas at a presentation in Monaco earlier today, Finn Hänninen said: “It’s very special for me to win this trophy because Colin was a very important driver and a big hero to many people. I started this rally very well and I said before the start that if it was dry it might be a problem for me but that was not the case because I think I have improved my speed so much. When there was the snow it was more of a problem than I thought because of the tyres and it is a shame to lose the rally for this reason. But to win this trophy makes up for some of the disappointment of not winning the rally when I had been leading so well."

The Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy is presented on all rounds of the IRC to the driver who demonstrates the same attacking style that made McRae a hero to thousands of fans around the world. A Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy of the Year is also presented.