Rally GB- bound PROTON signs Aigner for France

The factory PROTON team has taken time out from its preparations for the next round of the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB, by signing Andreas Aigner to contest Rallye de France Alsace in one of its Satria-Neos S2000s.

Aigner, who won the Production Car World Rally Championship in 2008, will be making his SWRC debut when he competes for the Malaysian manufacturer on the Strasbourg-based round from 4-7 October.

He tested for PROTON earlier this week and said: “The car felt very good. It is my first time to drive an SWRC car, so it’s very exciting. It’s impossible to compare the Group N cars I was driving with the PROTON - this is a pure rally car. Immediately, what you notice is the weight, on the brakes under acceleration, everywhere you feel there is less weight in the car.”

Aigner, 27, has only competed sporadically since winning the PWRC title four years ago and last tackled a world championship rally in Great Britain in 2008. He currently leads the IRC Production Cup after winning three times from four starts.

Chris Mellors, whose MEM operation runs the PROTON team in the SWRC, said: “It’s great to have Andreas with us. We set out to try some of the younger and more local drivers in the sport this year and this is an extension of that policy. Andreas has acquitted himself very well on the test and we’re all excited about France.”

PROTON will field a two-car line-up on Rally GB next week with British driver Tom Cave joining team regular P-G Andersson from Sweden.