Swiss star Gonon back in the IRC

Florian Gonon will return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge on Rallye Monte-Carlo next month, less than six months after clinching the Subaru Individual Award on the Geko Ypres Rally.

The 2009 Swiss rally champion finished 16th overall on the Belgian event to clinch the Subaru-backed accolade, which was handed out to the highest-placed driver in one of the Japanese manufacturer’s cars on rounds of the IRC in 2010.

He will make his IRC comeback in an N12-model Impreza on Rallye Monte-Carlo alongside navigator Sandra Arlettaz. Their planned appearance follows on from finishing second overall on Rallye International du Valais in Switzerland last October. That event counted as a round of the IRC in the past and includes some stages that are similar in layout to those found on the 2011 IRC opener.

Gonon’s Subaru will run under the Annie Spiers Rallye Team banner. Michael Burri and Stephen Rey will also represent Switzerland on the centenary edition of the famous event.