Production ace Gonon plans more IRC runs

Florian Gonon celebrated winning the IRC Production Cup section of Rallye Monte-Carlo on Saturday by revealing tentative details to contest the Intercontinental Rally Challenge rounds in Ypres (Belgium) and Sanremo (Italy) later this season.

Gonon, from Switzerland, was fastest in the new-for-2011 IRC Production Cup on nine of the 13 special stages in a Subaru Impreza WRX. Perhaps the highlight of his rally came on the snow-hit eighth stage when he set the third fastest overall time.

His dominance meant he won the category for two-litre, turbocharged, four-wheel-drive production cars by 10 minutes in 13th overall from Czech Vojtech Stajf, who was also driving an Impreza. Third place went to Italian Giacomo Ogliari in a Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer.

Gonon was co-driven by fellow Swiss Sandra Arlettaz. Their Impreza was entered under the Annie Spiers Rallye Team banner.