No less than 31 S2000 cars at the start of Geko Ypres Rally

This weekend entries for the Geko Ypres Rally were rounded off, and the field for the 2011 edition looks absolutely fabulous.

This year will be a "grand cru" edition with no less than 31 S2000 rally cars at the starting line, an absolute record. With stars from the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), the European Rally Championship (ERC) and the Belgian Rally Championship (BRC) the Geko Ypres Rally promises an intense battle for victory.

The Geko Ypres Rally, taking place 24-25 June, is the fifth round of the IRC championship. All participating manufacturers line up S2000 cars for their lead drivers. And also a big number of local Belgian drivers have entered for the classic of their championship.

Reigning IRC champions Skoda line up twelve cars and the top-two of last year’s edition: Freddy Loix holds the record with six victories in Ypres, whereas Jan Kopecky finished runner-up in the latest two editions of the rally.

Other Skoda aces include WRC-hero Toni Gardemeister for his first ever participation in Ypres and Norwegian hot shot Andreas Mikkelsen. Wevers Sport lines up four Skodas for the Dutch champions Bernard Ten Brinke and Mark Van Eldik, promising driver Hans Weijs and for Edwin Schilt. Local man Bernd Casier hopes to equal his fourth place from last year, Czech driver Tlustak aims for ERC championship points, and also two young Brits, Barrable and Greer, will be at the wheel of a Skoda when they discover the twisty and treacherous Ypres roads.

Peugeot, winner of two IRC rounds this year, take on the challenge and line up an impressive squad of Peugeot 207 S2000 cars. Corsica-winner Thierry Neuville teams up with Guy Wilks and Belgian champion Pieter Tsjoen for the Kronos team, and it looks like Neuville is aiming for his first big victory on home ground. But also factory and FIA-A driver Bryan Bouffier, winner of the centenary Monte Carlo, will be a force to be reckoned with as he aims for the lead in the IRC championship.

Portuguese driver Bruno Magelhaes wants to improve on his sixth place from last year, young Frenchman Pierre Campana, last year impressive in his Clio, tackles Ypres for the first time in a S2000, while Italian Luca Betti wants to defend his lead in the European Championship, The Belgian NCRS team also enters three Peugeots for leading Belgian lady Melissa Debackere, Dominique Bruyneel and Philippe Gracco, who returns to rallying after some years of circuit racing.

Ford enters four Fiesta S2000 cars for the Geko Ypres Rally. French driver Julien Maurin will discover the Ypres roads, just like German Felix Herbold. But they both are very promising young drivers and could well be one of the surprises this year. Polish Michal Solowow will also be at the start with his Fiesta S2000, while his countryman Maciej Oleksowicz comes to improve on his current third place in the European Championship.

Malaysian manufacturer Proton has two Proton Satrias S2000 to fight for victory: one for double Junior World Rally Champion Per Gunnar Andersson and the other one for Italian asphalt ace Giandomenico Basso, who won the Geko Ypres Rally in 2006. Fiat has entered an Abarth Grande Punto for twofold European champion Luca Rossetti, who won Ypres in 2007. And last but not least there will be Patrick Snijers and the Mini Countryman S16T which will be a scoop for Belgium. Another scoop is de Mitsubishi Evo X R4 of Dutchman Jasper Van den Heuvel.

In class 3 Alexande Romain, Jonas Langenaekens, Andy Lefevere and Anthony Martin will race Mitsubish Evo X cars. The Mitsubishis will have to fight off the 2WD Renault Méganes of Cedric Cherain, Eric Mauffrey and Kris Princen; and the Citroëns DS 3 of Caren Burton, Bart Maes, Kevin Abbring, Giovanni Vergnano and Harry Hunt.

Also other classes of competition look like they will offer lots of excitement: Amongst the Ford Fiesta R2 entries there are the likes of Claudie Tanghe, Nikias Priem, Frederik Ahlin and Frederic Berville. And in the Citroen Racing Trophy Vincent Verschueren, Davy Vanneste, Didier Duquesne and Benoit Lacante are ready to fight the Trophy championship drivers for victory in their class.