Sanremo - IRC news before SS1

Thrilling entry for IRC Sanremo battle

The all-action Intercontinental Rally Challenge just got better with the release of the entry list for the penultimate round, Rallye Sanremo, which gets underway with shakedown later today.

Rallye Sanremo has been a mainstay of the series since its inception and traditionally attracts an entry full of quality and quantity. This year is no exception with five IRC event winners in action on the demanding asphalt stages in the hills looking over the Italian Riviera town.

Topping the list is 2010 IRC champion Juho Hänninen, who is joined in the factory ŠKODA team by Jan Kopecký. Multiple Italian title winner Paolo Andreucci (Peugeot) and Giandomencio Basso (M-Sport), who has claimed five IRC victories over the years, will also be in action, as will Umberto Scandola (ŠKODA) and Peugeot talents Craig Breen and Pierre Campana.

Subaru runner Marco Tempestini will battle Renault’s Robert Consani (pictured) for IRC Production Cup honours. Consani is also eligible for the IRC 2WD Cup where Bryan Bouffier will be one to watch as he makes the competition debut in Peugeot’s 208 R2.

The action begins on Friday afternoon with the first of 10 special stages. The longest, Ronde, covers 44 kilometres and takes place under the cover of darkness. The finish is scheduled for early Saturday evening.

Juho Hänninen: the best Super 2000 driver ever?

ŠKODA Motorsport’s Juho Hänninen will start Rallye Sanremo in his Fabia Super 2000 as the holder of a unique record.

The Finn is the only driver to have won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and FIA European Rally Championship – both of which are headlined by the Super 2000 category – plus the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship, making him possibly the greatest driver in the history of the S2000 class.

Hänninen, who is co-driven by countryman Mikko Markkula, also holds another record having won more IRC events than any other driver with 11 triumphs to his name.

He will chase a 12th win in Sanremo but admits he will face a tough test against a host of strong rivals. “Sanremo is a great rally, one of the oldest and most famous ones, and no doubt the IRC event with the highest quality of local drivers,” said the 2010 IRC champion. “Our ambition is to win as many points for ŠKODA as possible, but we realise that it will be a difficult job.”

Remembering when: Kronos was last in Sanremo

The Belgium-based Kronos Racing operation is one of the most successful teams to have graced the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Not only did it guide Nicolas Vouilloz and Kris Meeke to back-to-back IRC drivers’ crowns in 2008 and 2009 respectively, it also helped Peugeot to two of its three IRC manufacturers’ titles.

The last time the squad was in action in Sanremo it helped Thierry Neuville to victory in a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 by 1.5s, the team’s 13th outright win in the IRC and, to date, its last.

“I was flat out on that last stage, it was incredible and I can’t believe the result,” Neuville said at the time. “I pushed really hard, it was such a nice battle over the weekend, so intensive because the IRC is such a competitive championship. The car felt good, I am so happy.”

Why Bouffier’s Sanremo return is doubly significant

Bryan Bouffier’s participation on Rallye Sanremo this week will be significant in more ways than one.

Not only will the French ace be returning to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge for the first time since Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse back in May, he will also be giving Peugeot’s all-new 208 R2 its competition debut on the all-asphalt contest in Italy’s Liguria region.

Peugeot has spent much of this year developing the R2-specification 208 and gave the car its first public airing in Corsica when Stéphane Sarrazin drove it as a course car (pictured).

However, in Sanremo, Bouffier will be eligible for IRC 2WD Cup points now that the car has been homologated for competition use.

Bruno Famin, the Peugeot Sport Director, explained: “We are delighted to see that the 208 R2 has such a varied programmed of selective and well-known events outside of France. The 208 R2 faces extremely fierce competition in its segment. We are also on schedule as far as its development testing is concerned, so, to provide our future customers with the most effective set-up solutions and gain an even more comprehensive grasp of real-world conditions, we will be taking part in a number of European rallies.”

Sibling rivalry among local heroes in IRC 2WD Cup

Two brothers will be chasing success in the IRC 2WD Cup on Rallye Sanremo this weekend.

Fabrizio Andolfi Jr will be in action in a Renault Twingo R2 while his younger brother Fabio will also be taking part in a Fiat 500 Abarth.

The older Andolfi is in a close fight with Finn Mikko Pajunen for the Trofeo Twingo R2, an Italian championship competition. Despite coming from the Liguria region, Andolfi has never competed on the all-asphalt event before.

“Even if I’m from Liguria, I never disputed Rallye Sanremo and also as spectator I haven’t seen much. I worked with my father last year, so I’ve been able to see only the Saturday stages. I took part in Rally Valli Imperiesi however, and some stages of that race are the same as Sanremo. I like those roads, they suit my driving style. I’m not scared by a long stage like the 44-kilometre Ronde at night even though I’ve never tackled such long stages so far.”

Three questions to Umberto Scandola

ŠKODA Italia Motorsport’s young star looks ahead to Rallye Sanremo, round 12 of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The IRC is back in Italy for Rallye Sanremo. What do you think of this event?

“Sanremo is actually one of the rallies I know best: I’ve been doing it since I started rallying and in the past we have shown some encouraging speed there, although I am learning all the time. The thing that really distinguishes Sanremo for me is the fact that there are long stages there, at night as well, which can make a big difference if you push hard. I want to take a calm approach to this rally but we will certainly push in the places we feel confident.”

How good is the Ronde night stage, at the end of the opening day of the rally?

“The night stage is good to us, so this is one we can target. There’s a great atmosphere to the whole rally in Sanremo and some brilliant fans, even when it’s cold and dark. It’s certainly one of my favourite events of the year.”

What’s your target for the event?

“My focus this year is on the Italian championship, so while I’d like to push as hard as I can and target an overall result, there is no point in me chasing the IRC competitors and taking risks, when my rivals are really the people who are doing the Italian championship.”

Tempestini not giving up on IRC Production Cup bid

Subaru Impreza R4 STI driver Marco Tempestini is refusing to give up on his dream of winning the IRC Production Cup, despite trailing title leader Robert Consani by 34 points starting Rallye Sanremo.

Tempestini, who was born in Italy but now lives in Romania, lost ground in the chase for the prestigious crown when he retired on the previous Intercontinental Rally Challenge event in Bulgaria last month. But he’s refusing to admit defeat despite suffering from a high temperature and a bout of food poisoning.

“I’ve lost any real chance for the IRC Production Cup title in Sliven after the retirement, but I can’t give up the hope,” said Tempestini. “I will fight till the last round because everything is still possible. The competition is very tough in Sanremo, but this is normal because there are not many chances left to score points this year. We will make our strategy according to our main rivals and we will decide everything on the stages. For sure we will start also in Cyprus for the last round. The most important thing is to finish the rally and hopefully we will not have any technical problems again.”

Tempestini prepared for Rallye Sanremo by finishing second on the final round of the Romanian championship last weekend at the wheel of a ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000.

Campedelli: the only pressure is coming from me

Simone Campedelli says the only pressure he’s under to deliver a strong result on Rallye Sanremo is coming from him.

Campedelli is chasing victory number two in as many starts in the IRC 2WD Cup on the asphalt round, which marks his return to competition for the first time since late June. Having secured the Italian two-wheel-drive title, Campedelli has high hopes for the two-day event.

“I want to push myself and get a good result, this is the only pressure,” said Campedelli. “I have not been in a race for some time so we will do a lot of loops in shakedown to get the feeling again and get a good set-up. In Sanremo the set-up is really important. The stages here are beautiful but the road surface changes a lot and it’s not easy to find a good set-up.”

Campedelli is one of several rising stars chasing IRC 2WD Cup success in Sanremo: Renault Mégane RS driver Robert Consani will also be a contender for victory.

New co-driver for IRC S2000 graduate Hunt

Harry Hunt will get a new co-driver when he competes on a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in a Super 2000 car for the first time.

With regular navigator Robbie Durant recovering from a back injury sustained during a crash on the last IRC round in Bulgaria, Hunt will link up with Australian Dale Moscatt for Rallye Sanremo.

“Obviously I’m disappointed not to have Robbie beside me in the car but I’m pleased to hear that he is making a speedy recovery,” said Hunt. “He has now returned home from Bulgaria and he’s been resting his back over the past few days.”

“Dale will be the perfect replacement,” Hunt continued. “He has been with us for a test in Sanremo over the weekend and is very professional. He is also very experienced, which is very important when you’re hurtling through twisty mountain passes at over 130kph!”

Hunt is stepping up from the IRC 2WD Cup for this week’s trip to Sanremo, driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 for the respected Kronos Racing operation from Belgium.

ŠKODA’s safety mission accomplished

Jan Kopecký and Pavel Dresler successfully performed the role of safety car crew on the Příbram Rally in their native Czech Republic last weekend. an

The Intercontinental Rally Challenge regulars won this season’s Czech title after winning five events in a row. With the championship title secured, they switched from their usual ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 to a Fabia Monte Carlo to help with the smooth and safe running of the Czech championship finale.

FAS (Automobile Sports Federation) Media Officer Josef Pátl said: “Jan and Pavel did a very useful job – their recommendations were the basis for making several changes to the route and its safety zones. Cooperation with professional drivers is a step in the right direction.”

Kopecký, the Czech ambassador for the FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign, said: “Pavel and I really appreciated the opportunity to be involved in this project. We have enough experience at various events home and abroad, and we were pleased to share this experience.”

Basso secures IRC return just in time

Giandomenico Basso has left it late to secure his return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge on Rallye Sanremo this week.

Basso, from Italy, had always intended to contest the asphalt event in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta RRC but his preparations have been far from straightforward after another driver crashed the car he will use in Sanremo during an event in Poland last month.

“We had a little bit of doubt before the start as another driver crashed the car at a rally recently and we weren’t sure if it was possible to get it rebuilt, with enough spare parts, on time,” said Basso, a five-time winner in the IRC.

Basso will be one of the favourites for victory in Sanremo alongside co-driver Mitia Dotta.