Neuville: IRC key to career progression

Thierry Neuville has revealed how his performances in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2011 helped to secure his drive in the World Rally Championship.

Neuville has contested all 13 rounds of this year’s global series after impressing in the IRC last term with wins in Corsica and Sanremo and strong performances on gravel in Scotland and Cyprus with Team Peugeot Belgium Luxembourg.

He said: “The IRC was very important for my career, especially in Cyprus last year. Citroën knew my speed on Tarmac but were not convinced about my speed on gravel until then and also in Scotland where I showed I could be quite fast.”

Neuville has followed this year’s IRC and the back-to-back title triumph of his friend Andreas Mikkelsen by keeping a check on the results and watching some coverage on Eurosport.