Zero car only for Çetinkaya in Azores

Burcu Çetinkaya will have to make do with driving the course-opening zero car on Sata Rallye Açores, round seven of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, this week.

Çetinkaya had been set to contest the gravel event, which gets underway on Thursday evening (15 July), in her regular Peugeot Sport Turkey 207 Super 2000. However, because the car is still being rebuilt following the Istanbul driver’s crash on the Geko Ypres Rally in Belgium last month, she has been forced to forgo her entry.

“Unfortunately we cannot make it to the Azores [with the 207],” said Çetinkaya. “But the car will be ready for [round eight of the IRC in] Madeira [in August].”

Several Peugeot 207 drivers will still be taking part in Azores. They include defending IRC champion Kris Meeke and last year’s Azores winner, plus local heroes Bruno Magalhães and Vitor Pascoal.