Strong Sardinia result vital, says Nagle

Kris Meeke’s co-driver Paul Nagle says a hefty haul of points on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna next month is vital if they are to keep their Intercontinental Rally Challenge title defence on track.

The Peugeot UK pair trail Škoda Motorsport’s Juho Hänninen and Mikko Markkula by 17 points after a mixed start to the 2010 IRC season.

Although they won the second round in Brazil, non-scores in Monte Carlo and Argentina and a puncture while leading Rally Islas Canarias last month, have hit their hopes of a second crown.

“Sardinia will probably be the biggest field of the year so far,” said Irishman Nagle. “We’ll be doing a gravel test sometime in the next two weeks and we’ve simply got to get everything right ahead of Sardinia because we need a big, big result. It’s vital.”

Whatever the outcome for Meeke and Nagle in Sardinia, they can be assured of a huge following after Eurosport confirmed it would show four stages of the gravel event live. The rally, based in Olbia, runs from 4-6 June and joins the IRC for the first time this year.