Secret weapon for ŠKODA UK in Sanremo

ŠKODA UK Motorsport is ready to unveil a secret weapon in its bid to claim its first Intercontinental Rally Challenge victory of 2011 on Rallye Sanremo this week.

While Fabia Super 2000 driver Andreas Mikkelsen is being tipped as a contender for victory on the asphalt round, he admits to having limited experience of the demanding mountain roads of Italy’s Liguria region.

However, team co-ordinator Dario D’Esposito has vast knowledge of the event, having competed on the rally 15 times as a co-driver in the past.

D’Esposito, who lives in the village of Colle San Bartolomeo – located between stages nine and 10 of this year’s event – finished second overall on the rally in 2006 when he partnered fellow Italian Andrea Aghini.

He has also contested a number of regional events in the area and is ready to pass on his wisdom to Mikkelsen and co-driver Ola Fløene.

“Sanremo is a classic rally with a lot of history,” said Mikkelsen, 22. “It’s sometimes harder for me on those type of rallies, because other competitors have done them many more times than I have and they know the roads so well. But it all adds to the challenge for me and, as we saw at the Barum Rally, some drivers have done rallies a lot and I can still be on the pace. Everything is possible.”