IRC news before Rally Cyprus

Aigner not fearing Cyprus Rally return

Andreas Aigner says he has nothing to fear when he makes his return to Cyprus this week for the final round of the 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season.

Aigner, who is in contention for the IRC Production Cup in a Subaru Impreza R4 STI, took part on the event in 2006 when it was based in Limassol and before its inclusion in the IRC.

He said: “In the past Cyprus was known for being really difficult, rough and very slow and when I was there before I only did one stage before we had a mechanical problem and had to stop. But now the stages [around Pafos] are faster and easier and less tough for the cars.”

The party can wait, says IRC ace Mikkelsen

There will be no time for partying for Andreas Mikkelsen when the Cyprus Rally brings the curtain down on Intercontinental Rally Challenge season six this week.

Although the defending champion starts the event with an unassailable points advantage at the top of the IRC standings in his ŠKODA UK Motorsport Fabia Super 2000, the Norwegian wants to end his campaign with victory on the mixed surface event.

“The aim is to win because I want to give all the guys in the team who have worked so hard for this year’s success, plus all our fans, a really great ending to what has been a truly fantastic season,” said the 23-year-old.

If Mikkelsen and co-driver Ola Fløene were to win it would be their fifth victory in the IRC and the 28th triumph for ŠKODA in the series. They will be handed their trophies at the IRC Gala in Paris on Thursday 13 December.

Honda goes Island hopping ahead of IRC return

Honda might not have had a representative in the IRC 2WD Cup on the last round, Rallye Sanremo in Italy, but that hasn’t meant the firm has been absent from competition of late.

Indeed, Honda pairing Mamisoa Rajoël and Muriel Rajoël took victory on round four of the La Réunion Rally Championship, the Rallye 1000 Kilometres, in a Honda Civic, which put them on top of the provisional title standings against more powerful opposition.

“We decided to attack as hard as possible and after the fourth stage, we came within breathing distance of the Group R leaders,” said Rajoël. “We were then in control and wanted to win the Group R and keep our chances for the championship intact.”

Honda will be back on IRC duty in Cyprus this week when local driver Zacharias Manoli campaigns a Civic on the mixed-surface event.