Van Dalen expects Neuville to impress

Marc van Dalen says he expects Thierry Neuville to make the most of his expanded Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign with his multiple title-winning Kronos Racing team.

Neuville will contest seven further rounds of this year’s IRC with van Dalen’s Kronos organisation under the Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg banner.

“It’s a bigger programme than last year and this is very good news,” said van Dalen. “I expect him to show improvement from last year and be at a level where he can really fight. Thierry is a very good driver and is working very hard on his pacenotes with his new co-driver [Nicolas Gilsoul]. We have made a choice of rallies he knows and I really believe in him.”

Twenty-two-year-old Neuville will resume his IRC programme on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés from 14-16 April. He is due to complete a one-day test on the Atlantic island at the wheel of his Peugeot 207 Super 2000 on the Monday prior to the event.