Thierry Neuville to drive Peugeot Belux car in 2010 IRC

RALLYLOVERS Thierry Neuville to drive Peugeot Belux car in 2010 IRC

Young Belgian driver Thierry Neuville will contest six IRC events in 2010, driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 from Peugeot Belux, supported by Kronos.

The Peugeot Belux team began in 2007 with Bernd Casier, followed by Freddy Loix and Nicolas Vouilloz in 2008/09 for the IRC, and this year the team returns to the series with Neuville.

The Belgian's IRC programme will begin as early as the next event on Rally Islas Canarias, followed by Sardinia, Ypres, Barum, Sanremo and finally Rally Scotland.

Nicolas Klinger, who partnered Nicolas Vouilloz to the IRC drivers’ title in 2008, will navigate Neuville, who is regarded as one of the rising stars of Belgium rallying.

Marc van Dalen, boss of the Kronos team, said: “It’s very good news and I have no doubt that Thierry is a very talented young driver. He still has a lot to learn but he can do this by getting to the end of each rally.

“It is very important that he will have Nicolas with him. He is very experienced but he also knows the team and this will help Thierry to concentrate on his driving.”

Neuville will drive the car new team-mate Kris Meeke used in Brazil and Argentina in Canarias before he switches to the ex-Freddy Loix 207 from June’s Geko Ypres Rally onwards. Meeke will switch back to the car he used on Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo.

Van Dalen said he was confident that Neuville will get to test his 207 in Canarias on the Monday prior to the event, round four of the IRC.

Courtesy of www.rallyazores.blogspot.com.