Home success boosts Wallenwein

Mark Wallenwein plans to carry the momentum gained from winning the final round of the German championship last season when he makes his Intercontinental Rally Challenge debut on Rallye Monte-Carlo later this month.

Wallenwein, who joins the select group of German drivers with IRC experience, will pilot a Skoda Auto Deutschland Fabia Super 2000 on the centenary edition of the legendary event.

The 23-year-old prepared for his IRC debut by contesting five rounds of his domestic series in 2010, winning the final round and claiming podium finishes on three other occasions in his first season of four-wheel-drive competition.

“Everything will be new for me but I am planning to be as best prepared as possible and try to get to the finish,” said Wallenwein. “I won the final event of the season in Germany last year and this will help my confidence although I know the [regular] IRC drivers are very fast. The weather and the tyre choice will be big factors so I plan to find a good rhythm and learn as much as possible.”

Wallenwein, who began competing aged 17 and is the third generation of his family to go rallying, says his programme beyond Monte-Carlo has yet to be finalised.