With the dust still settling on last week’s thrilling IRC Barum Czech Rally Zlin, where Jan Kopecky beat Freddy Loix in the closest finish in Intercontinental Rally Challenge history, the all-action series blasts back into life in Hungary this week when the Canon Mecsek Rallye joins the IRC schedule for the first time.
Based in the city of Pecs, the 2010 European Capital of Culture in the south-west of the country, the Mecsek Rallye has been a popular fixture on Hungary’s national calendar for 45 years and previously ran as an IRC Supporter Event.
The stages, located in spectacular forest areas north of Pecs close to the Mecsek mountains, are characterised by their high-speed nature with average speeds of 130km/h commonplace, although this will be tempered slightly with the use of artificial chicanes at certain points. Roads used are mainly flat, of medium width and with a good surface although there are some narrow sections that provide a challenging contrast.
With the shortest competitive stage measuring 12km in length and the longest totalling 28km crews are set for a tough test, particularly if ambient temperatures continue to hover around 30˚C, which they have done in recent weeks.
Huge numbers of fans typically converge on the rally route and that will swell with the addition of the IRC regulars on the bulging entry.
Uniquely the event gets underway with a prologue stage on Friday 9 September following a ceremonial start in Pecs’ main square. The 1.2km course doesn’t form part of the competitive action, but serves as an introduction to the spectators of the competing drivers.
The first day of competition, Saturday 10 September, features four special stages run twice totalling 144.46km in length. The first stage goes live at 09h08 local time with the first car not due to tackle the day’s final stage until 20h39, making for a demanding day for the crews and teams alike. Fortunately, several visits to the permanent service park, which is housed adjacent to the Expo Center Pecs, provide some respite.
Sunday’s route consists of three repeated stages totalling 107.40km. The terrain will be familiar to the crews as the stages are the same as those used on Saturday, albeit run in the opposite direction and with a few changes to the distances. The first stage gets underway at 09h08 with the finishing ceremony taking place from 16h18.
As well as forming Round Eight of the 11-event IRC series, the Canon Mecsek Rallye counts as the final round of the Hungarian Rally Championship where several drivers will by vying for the title in addition to trying to make their mark against the IRC regulars. A national-level rally and an event for historic cars will run behind the main field.
Juho Hanninen heads the IRC Drivers’ standings after seven rounds, but with the Canon Mecsek Rallye not forming part of his schedule this season it will leave the Finn’s SKODA Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecky in prime position to move to the top of the Drivers’ table.
Kopecky, fresh from his dramatic victory on the previous round in his native Czech Republic, is three points behind Hanninen in the title race and knows that a strong finish will move him to the top of the order at the wheel of his Fabia S2000.
Belgian Freddy Loix lost out on victory in Zlin by 1.2sec and will be determined to get revenge over his SKODA team-mate. Loix, who competes under the BFO-SKODA Rally Team banner, is 10 points behind Hanninen and a contender for victory in Hungary.
SKODA UK Motorsport’s Andreas Mikkelsen has won more stages in the IRC than other driver this season and will be hoping to convert that pace into his maiden win in the series. Other SKODA drivers in action include Finn Toni Gardemeister, who competes in a Fabia run by his own TGS Worldwide operation, Estonian teenager Karl Kruuda, and Red Bull SKODA driver Hermann Gassner Jr, from Germany, who is switching from the S2000 world championship for a one-off appearance in the IRC.
The two-car team from SKODA Auto Deutschland will also be in contention in Hungary after drivers Matthias Kahle and Mark Wallenwein both impressed on the previous IRC round. Norbert Herczig is new to the IRC, but the former Mecsek winner could prove a surprise package in his SKODA Rally Team Hungaria entry.
Bryan Bouffier, currently fourth in the IRC standings, heads Peugeot’s challenge in his Peugeot France-backed 207 S2000. The Frenchman crashed out in Zlin and will be anxious to get his season back on track in Pecs. Like Bouffier, Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg’s Thierry Neuville is an IRC event-winner this season and will be a threat, as will Peugeot UK’s Guy Wilks.
Leading the M-Sport Ford Fiesta effort in Hungary are Germany’s Felix Herbold and local driver Frigyes Turan, a former Mecsek Rallye winner.
Toshi Arai will make his third start in the new-for-2011 IRC Production Cup aboard his Yokohama-backed R4-specification Subaru Impreza. While the Japanese is regarded as a rapid performer, he will face strong opposition for category honours from several local drivers including Ralliart Lancer pair Gyorgy Aschenbrenner, who competes under the pseudonym ‘ASI’ and Miklos Kazar, currently second in the Hungarian championship chase. Andras Hadik will also be a front-runner in his Impreza, while Beppo Harrach, from Austria, has previous Mecsek experience in his Lancer.
Estonian Martin Kangur and Hungarian Janos Puskadi front Honda’s push for IRC 2WD Cup honours, which will also be a target of Class leader Jean-Michael Raoux, Eric Mauffrey and Stefano Albertini, the category winner in Zlin late last month. Raoux holds a 24-point advantage over Albertini following a strong start to his inaugural IRC campaign, despite being better known as a gravel specialist.