Sandell makes IRC switch with Škoda Sweden

Talented Swedish driver Patrik Sandell will contest seven rounds of this season’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge in a Škoda Sweden-supported Fabia Super 2000.

Sandell, 28, has competed in the World Rally Championship since 2006 but says he was keen to switch to the IRC to measure himself on new events and against an increased number of competitors in Super 2000 machinery, the IRC’s flagship category.

He said: “The IRC was the ideal solution for us this year because the competition in the Super 2000 class is becoming much tougher. It feels like 10 to 15 drivers can win every race [in the IRC].”

Sandell, who finished runner-up in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship in 2010, will be co-driven by his vastly experienced countryman Staffan Parmander in a JM Racing-run Fabia, with support from Škoda Motorsport. They will face opposition from fellow Swedes PG Andersson and Emil Axelsson – Sandell’s former navigator – who will tackle an expanded programme of events with the factory PROTON team.

Škoda Sweden’s support of Sandell represents one of the biggest undertakings by the country’s importer in recent years.

“Škoda celebrates 110 years in motorsport this year so there’s a long tradition and lots of experience behind this venture,” said Henrik Svensson, Škoda Sweden’s press manager. “It will be very exciting to follow Patrik and Staffan this season and if they succeed this year the future could be very interesting."

Sandell will begin his campaign on the third round of the IRC, the famous Tour de Corse from 13-15 May. His full planned schedule of events is as follows:

Tour de Corse (France): 13-15 May
Prime Yalta Rally (Ukraine): 2-4 June
Geko Ypres Rally (Belgium): 23-25 June
Sata Rallye Acores (Portugal): 14-16 July
Barum Czech Rally Zlin (Czech Republic): 26-28 August
RACMSA Rally of Scotland (United Kingdom): 14-16 October
Cyprus Rally (Cyprus): 3-5 November