Knudsen aims for PROTON IRC chance

Martin Knudsen is aiming to become the first Danish driver to compete for a manufacturer-supported team in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The 30-year-old former Danish champion is in talks with PROTON Motorsports about driving a third Satria Neo Super 2000 on the Geko Ypres Rally, which is due to run from 23-25 June.

Knudsen went on a fact-finding mission to Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles earlier this month where he met PROTON Motorsports team principal Chris Mellors with a view of tackling a programme of IRC events with the Malaysian make.

“It’s a big jump but I want to gain more experience by competing in the IRC and it has always been a dream to drive a Super 2000 car,” said Knudsen, who hails from Kolding in Denmark. “We have some of the money needed but by having these discussions we now have a target to aim for. PROTON is a small team where I know I can fit in and the Ypres Rally is probably the closest to the kind of rallies we have in Denmark with long straights and tight junctions.”

Knudsen first emerged as a star of the future when he won the Danish championship Talent of the Year accolade in 2002. He became Danish Super 1600 champion in 2004 and has tackled a selection of rallies in Belgium, France and Germany in recent years in a Honda Civic Type R R3.