IRC 2WD Cup ace Koitla out of Ypres Rally

Kaspar Koitla has been forced to can his Geko Ypres Rally entry due to the damage his Honda Civic sustained when he rolled it on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna earlier this month.

Estonian Koitla had been one of the favourites to capture the IRC 2WD Cup spoils in Belgium alongside co-driver Andres Ots following an impressive showing in Sardinia, but he will now play no part in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge round.

Koitla’s withdrawal means the battle for IRC 2WD Cup spoils will be between the massed ranks of Clio R3s, which are contesting the combined Clio R3 European Trophy event, plus several M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2s. Honda can still count on two leading runners, however, in the shape of young Scot Colin R Smith and Koitla’s countryman Martin Kangur, who will both drive Civic Type Rs.

It’s not clear when Koitla will return to IRC 2WD Cup action.