IRC returnee Breen completes two-day Italy test

While the focus of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge is currently on the Mabanol Sliven Rally, which takes in the Bulgarian city from 28-30 September, Craig Breen has been busy preparing for his IRC comeback with a test in Italy.

Breen and co-driver Paul Nagle joined Saintéloc Racing team-mates Florian Gonon and Sandra Arlettaz for a two-day test in Italy on Monday and Tuesday of this week. The session was ahead of the penultimate round of the IRC, Rallye Sanremo in Italy from 12-13 October, where Breen will return to the series for the first time since his best friend and former navigator Gareth Roberts lost his life in an accident on Targa Floio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia in mid-June.

"I hadn’t driven on asphalt for several months so it was good that we were able to schedule a test session early for the event,” said Breen. “I hope to continue the form I displayed in Corsica, even though I know that Sanremo is quite different. We start with the goal to get into the top five and why not get on the podium if the pace is there. We need to find the correct set-up and that is why this test session was so important."