IRC shakedown underway in Czech Republic

Shakedown is underway for Barum Czech Rally Zlín, round nine of the all-action Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Using a 4.51-kilometre route from Pohořelice to Komárov the test, which runs until 13:00hrs local time, will provide a final opportunity for drivers and teams to determine car set-up for the 15-stage rally, which begins with a superspecial stage through host city Zlín tonight.

Patrik Flodin, who is making his debut on the high-speed Czech round, is one of a number of drivers who is using shakedown in lieu of a pre-event test. “We did not do a test for this rally so we use shakedown as a test but it’s not a problem,” said the PS Engineering driver, who finished second on the preceding round in Romania.

Robert Barrable, who battled for a points finish on the event last year, also starts the rally without a pre-event session. “We got our engine rebuilt so there wasn’t time to test,” said the ŠKODA Ireland ace. “But shakedown will be a good opportunity to work on set-up and get back into it.”

IRC Production Cup contender Toshi Arai is another driver planning to maximise the amount of running he can undertake in shakedown, as co-driver Dale Moscatt explained: “We won’t be doing a test but then we don’t really need to. We learned a lot in Corsica and Toshi will be doing some testing in Japan and will be brining some different diff programmes with him. He’ll also have done some testing with the different Yokohama tyres. We’re confident we can hit the ground running and be on the pace right from the off.”