IRC Sanremo preview : The expectations

Paolo Andreucci (Italy), Peugeot 207 S2000: "We have some unfinished business following Sardinia where we had a chance of winning only for a small mechanical set-up problem to drop us back. I’m very optimistic because we proved competitive in Sardinia against a strong field and have a very competitive package with my car and the Pirelli tyres."

Giandomenico Basso (Italy), Abarth Grande Punto S2000: "Sanremo is a very tricky rally, with lots of corners and few straights. We will have the wide-track Abarth Grande Punto, which is an improvement on the previous car, especially in the dry. First and foremost I will be looking at my rivals in the Italian championship but I think it will be very close with the regular IRC guys as well."

Kris Meeke (United Kingdom), Peugeot 207 S2000: "It’s a monumental event, the biggest challenge in the IRC and one of the most prestigious. Winning it last year was definitely one of the highlights of my season. Day one is about staying out of trouble but day two is when you make up time although you need to find the right rhythm and be so concentrated."