Hunt targets Azores IRC 2WD Cup glory

Defending IRC 2WD Cup champion Harry Hunt will attempt to shrug off his lack of Sata Rallye Açores experience when he chases a maximum score on the island event this week.

Hunt, 22, is 12th in the IRC 2WD Cup drivers’ classification following round five, the GEKO Ypres Rally in Belgium last month where he retired with a mechanical failure.

“It’s our first time on the island so that will go against us,” said Hunt. “But we’ve had a fair bit of experience in our car on gravel now, so we’re ready to start pushing ourselves – we have to if we want to start scoring top points. We’ve got a lot to learn and we’re throwing ourselves right in at the deep end, it’s the best way.”

“Of course, we want to finish the rally but we can’t win by driving too carefully,” Hunt continued. “We’ll push ourselves and if we crash, we crash.”

Hunt, who will be co-driven by Robbie Durant, is 16 points adrift of IRC 2WD Cup leader Jean-Michel Raoux, who is expected to be the Briton’s closest rival in the mid-Atlantic.