IRC Cyprus Rally preview : The title battle

Never before has the battle for IRC glory been so close with an unprecedented five drivers starting the Cyprus Rally firmly in contention for the coveted crown. The following details who can win the title and how.

Jan Kopecky/Petr Stary (SKODA Motorsport Fabia S2000)
Current position: First
Current points: 131 (seventh best score: 15)
If he wins: he’s champion
If he’s second: champion unless any of the other four contenders win, or if Hanninen is third

Juho Hanninen/Mikko Markkula (SKODA Motorsport Fabia S2000)
Current position: Second
Current points: 125 (no score to drop)
If he wins: he’s champion
If he’s second: he’s champion if Kopecky doesn’t win
If he’s third: he’s champion if Kopecky and Neuville both fail to win
If he’s fourth: champion if none of the other contenders win, and if Kopecky isn’t second either

Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 S2000)
Current position: Third
Current points: 115 (seventh best score: 8)
If he wins: he’s champion unless Hanninen finishes second
If he’s second: champion unless any of the other contenders win, or if one of Hanninen or Kopecky finish third

Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene (SKODA UK Motorsport Fabia S2000)
Current position: Fourth
Current points: 111.5 (seventh best score: 8)
If he wins: he’s champion if Hanninen is off the podium
If he’s second: he needs Loix and Neuville not to win, Kopecky outside the top four and Hanninen outside the top six

Freddy Loix/Frederic Miclotte (BFO-SKODA Rally Team Fabia S2000)
Current position: Sixth
Current points: 103 (no score to drop)
If he wins: he’s champion if Hanninen is off the podium
If he’s second: he needs Bouffier, Mikkelsen and Neuville not to win, Kopecky outside the top four and Hanninen outside the top six

Table of projected points from positions in Cyprus (using double points system)
JK: 1=166/2=152/3=146/4=140/5=136/6=132/7=131/8=131/9=131/10=131
JH: 1=175/2=161/3=155/4=149/5=145/6=141/7=137/8=133/9=129/10=127
TN: 1=157/2=143/3=137/4=131/5=127/6=123/7=119/7=115/9=115/10=115
AM: 1=153.5/2=139.5/3=133.5/4=127.5/5=123.5/6=119.5/7=115.5/8=111.5/9=111.5/10=111.5
FL: 1=153/2=139/3=133/4=127/5=123/6=119/7=115/8=111/9=107/10=105