Targa Florio - IRC news before SS6

Tempestini looking to capitalise on set-up changes

Marco Tempestini hopes set-up changes to his Subaru Impreza R4 STI at mid-afternoon service will improve his prospects of success in the IRC Production Cup on Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia.

Italy-born Romanian Tempestini is currently third in the showroom category, 41.7s behind leader Massimiliano Rendina.

He said: “It was a better run the stages on the second time for what is my first time here on this rally. We changed a bit the pacenotes for one section and this has helped. Now we will go lower with the car. Even though the stages are bumpy we can put the car lower. We have new dampers for this rally so we are still understanding how they perform.”

Heloise not expecting instant success on IRC return

Johan Heloïse is keeping his expectations in check on Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia.

The Martinique driver, currently fourth in the IRC Production Cup, hasn’t tackled a rally since October 2011 and had been unable to drive his Subaru Impreza R4 STI in competition before the asphalt event got underway in Palermo, the Sicilian capital, last night. Therefore he’s not expecting a top result this weekend.

“We had some delays getting the car so the debut got put back,” said Heloïse. “We were on the soft tyre and found the car was sliding too much but it’s difficult to know exactly what to do because I am still getting used to the car and driving in a rally again.”

Heloïse is one place ahead of promising Ukrainian driver Vitaliy Puskhar, who is using his new Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X on an asphalt rally for the first time. Both drivers are planning to contest next week’s Geko Ypres Rally in their respective cars.

Meanwhile, Robert Consani says the overheating problem that has been plaguing his Renault Mégane RS continues to slow his progress on the event although his team is actively working on a solution in service in Termini Imerese.

Consani is currently second in the IRC Production Cup and the sole Mégane driver on the event after Ivan Ferrarotti crashed his similar car on stage four.

Kangur back in the IRC 2WD Cup hunt on series return

Martin Kangur says he’s happy to be back in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge again after an absence of eight months.

The Estonian’s last appearance in the IRC was on RACMSA Rally of Scotland in October 2011. He is marking his return to the IRC 2WD Cup section of the series on Targa Florio-Rally Internazionale Di Sicilia and plans to contest several other rounds in 2012, including next week’s Geko Ypres Rally.

“It’s nice to be back and it’s been okay so far,” said the Honda Civic Type R driver, currently fifth overall in the IRC 2WD Cup. “The roads are quite slippery here so I am learning a lot. I have not done a rally on Tarmac since last September so it’s not been easy and we have a different car to the one we’d planned to use.”

Kangur has recently completed his school exams and is currently waiting on the results.