IRC – RAC MSA RALLY OF SCOTLAND – BFGOODRICH DRIVERS TEAM – A very positive year

Gould 32 IRC RAC MSA RALLY OF SCOTLAND BFGOODRICH DRIVERS TEAM A very positive year

Despite the retirement of Adam Gould this weekend for mechanical reasons, the 2009 BFGoodrich Drivers Team operation turned out to be another resounding success, both in sporting terms and with regard to its popularity, with tens of thousands of spectators cheering on the BFGoodrich-livered Peugeot 207 on the stages or on-line.

Following the success of the 2008 programme, the decision was taken to extend the BFGoodrich Drivers Team operation to cover five more rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2009.

The scheme enables those drivers who are selected to contest their home round of the IRC in a Peugeot 207 S2000 running on BFGoodrich tyres. The national motor sport governing bodies associated with the adventure were responsible for drawing up an initial shortlist of drivers from the many applications they received, while a panel comprising representatives of the local media, BFGoodrich and Kronos Racing then met to decide which one would get the BFGoodrich Drivers Team guest drive.

The highlight of the BFGoodrich Drivers Team's year was undoubtedly the victory secured by the Peugeot/BFGoodrich in the hands of Sébastien Ogier on January's Rallye Monte-Carlo. Beyond the actual finishing position, however, each of the operation's five outings proved to be a big hit with the general public.

From Belgium's Rallye d’Ypres (with Thierry Neuville) and the Czech Republic (Martin Prokop), to the Sanremo (Luca Cantamessa) and this weekend's visit to Scotland (Adam Gould), thousands of fans turned out to support the BFGoodrich car.

Gould 27 IRC RAC MSA RALLY OF SCOTLAND BFGOODRICH DRIVERS TEAM A very positive year

Of the 10 BFGoodrich Drivers Team outings in 2008 and 2009, the Kronos Racing-tended Peugeot 207 S2000 finished seven times inside the top-10, and retired on just three occasions.

For the record:
Miguel Campos (2008 Rally de Portugal): retired (while 8th)
Patrick Snijers (2008 Rallye d’Ypres): 5th
Pavel Valousek (2008 Barum Rally Zlin): 4th
Sergio Vallejo (2008 Rally Principe de Asturias): 6th
Andrea Torlasco (2008 Rallye Sanremo): 9th
Sébastien Ogier (2009 Rallye Monte-Carlo): 1st
Thierry Neuville (2009 Rallye d’Ypres): retired (while 4th)
Martin Prokop (2009 Barum Rally Zlin): 5th
Luca Cantamessa (2009 Rallye Sanremo): 7th
Adam Gould (2009 RAC MSA Rally of Scotland): retired (while 9th)

Jacques Morelli (BFGoodrich's IRC programme manager): "The BFGoodrich Drivers Team is a unique operation insomuch as it involves a tyre brand giving amateur drivers a chance to take part in their home round of the IRC with the best car/tyre package, in a professional team and with the added benefit of support and advice from experienced engineers and technicians. The selection process worked very well, with 10 first class drivers being shortlisted first by their respective national governing bodies (with no age restrictions), and then by the different panels of journalists. The governing bodies received hundreds of applications for the drives, which speaks volumes for the interest generated by the scheme. We have run a mix of talented upcoming youngsters – like Sébastien Ogier, Thierry Neuville, Andrea Torlasco and Adam Gould – and other more experienced campaigners, such as Martin Prokop, Sergio Vallejo and Luca Cantamessa. We have had some great results, too, including seven top-10 finishes, and just three retirements, and on each of those three occasions, the car was well placed before dropping out. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners, the different motor sport governing bodies involved, Kronos Racing and, above all, every one of the 10 drivers who flew the BFGoodrich Drivers Team flag for their professionalism and for being such great guys."