Maurin ups IRC schedule with four more events

Julien Maurin will take part on at least four more rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.

The Frenchman, 26, bagged his first IRC points on Tour de Corse-E.Leclerc in seventh overall. He will now contest the Geko Ypres Rally in late June, July’s Sata Rallye Acores, August’s Rali Vinho Madeira before he chooses between the Mecsek Rallye in September or the Cyprus Rally in early November.

“I make five or six rounds in the IRC because it is a very nice championship,” said Maurin, who also entered Rallye Monte-Carlo back in January. “I had a good result in Corsica for my first time and I am excited about the other rallies.”

Maurin, who is is using the latest specification M-Sport Fiesta, is relishing the prospect of contesting the gravel-based IRC round in the Azores.

He said: “I debut on gravel and it’s my favourite surface. I made Azores in 2009 and it’s for this I want to go back, it’s beautiful.”