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| Skoda storms to IRC title |
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It was the fourth time that Škoda Motorsport has locked out a 1-2-3 podium finish and its sixth rally win from nine rounds of this year’s IRC. Škoda wins the prestigious Manufacturers’ title with three rounds of the IRC remaining. The Drivers’ points table is currently dominated by Škoda Motorsport talent too, with Juho Hänninen in first place with 56 points, Jan Kopecký nine points behind in second and Freddy Loix third, having scored a maximum 10 points by winning all three rounds he has competed on. Škoda UK Motorsport has made a significant contribution to Škoda’s title winning success, with Guy Wilks finishing second on Rally International de Curitiba in Brazil and Rally Argentina and scoring 16 Manufacturers’ points for the brand. By finishing high up in sixth in Monte Carlo and third on Rally Islas Canarias 'Trofeo El Corte Ingles', Guy has also limited the number of points several of Škoda’s rivals could have scored. Competing against seven other car manufacturers in the 2010 IRC, Škoda has led the hotly contested battle of the brands since the beginning of the season. Rally Argentina (19-21 March) saw Škoda celebrate its first 1-2-3 finish in international rally competition, when Hänninen, Wilks and Kopecký locked out the podium for Škoda for the first time. This was followed with another 1-2-3 score on the very next event, Rally Islas Canarias (29 April-1 May), when Kopecký, Hänninen and Wilks came home in that order. Freddy Loix, Kopecký and Hänninen secured Škoda its 1-2-3 hat-trick on the Rali Vinho Madeira (5-7 August), while Loix, Hänninen and Pavel Valoušek (who leads the Czech Rally Championship in a Fabia S2000) gave Škoda its fourth 1-2-3 finish last weekend. In addition, Hänninen won the Rally d'Italia-Sardegna (4-6 June) and Loix claimed victory on the Geko Ypres Rally in Belgium (25-26 June). For Loix, victory in the Barum Czech Rally Zlín was his sixth IRC rally win of his career, making him the most successful driver in the history of the series. Michal Hrabánek, Head of Škoda Motorsport:“This is a unique achievement for the entire Škoda brand. We see the victory in the IRC Manufacturers’ competition as a great success and a result of the team's hard work throughout the Fabia Super 2000 project. It is indeed a unique milestone in the history of our sporting activities. The season is not yet over, though, and we will do our best to win the Drivers’ competition, too. Now we are going to start preparing for the San Remo Rally. I wish to thank all the crews that have won points for Škoda this season, and also the entire team, i.e. all our mechanics, engineers, and other people who have contributed to this achievement.” Robert Hazelwood, Director of Škoda UK: “Being crowned Intercontinental Rally Challenge champions is a great achievement for Škoda. I’d like to congratulate our colleagues at Škoda Motorsport on a fantastic season so far. We’re looking forward to the remaining rounds of the series – in particular Rally of Scotland, where Škoda UK is aiming to put on a great show and win the event for the second time in a row.” Guy Wilks: “Škoda Motorsport has done a fantastic job to develop such a good rally car like the Fabia Super 2000, and winning the IRC title in such style is just reward for all its skill and rally engineering excellence. I’m very happy to have contributed to its success by scoring Manufacturer points with second place finishes in Brazil and Argentina. The season’s far from over, and I’ll be aiming to finish on a high and do my best to give Škoda UK back-to-back victories on Rally of Scotland.” The next round of the IRC is the Sanremo Rally in Italy (24-25 September). Barum Czech Rally Zlín results 1. Freddy Loix/Fréderic Miclotte (Škoda Fabia S2000)… 2hr 31mins 31.0secs IRC points (Drivers’) after Round 9 1. Juho Hänninen…56pts IRC points (Manufacturers’) after Round 9 1. Škoda…120pts CHAMPIONS Worth checking - Motorsport - Driver profiles - F1
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