Peugeot importers vow to carry on in IRC

12th August 2010

By Charlie Contadeli

Two leading Peugeot importers are set to ignore Olivier Quesnel’s threat to withdraw the make from the Intercontinental Rally Challenge by insisting they plan to continue in the series next season.

Quesnel , the boss of Peugeot Sport, said recently that he would not allow the company to be represented in the IRC beyond 2010 if Skoda continued to run its factory team, which has won five rounds so far this season and filled the podium on three events.

Peugeot UK, which guided Kris Meeke to the IRC drivers’ title in 2010, and Peugeot Portugal, a winner in its maiden season in the series this year, have no plans to quit.
“We would like to continue and what like that to be with Kris and Paul [Nagle, Meeke’s co-driver],” said Peugeot UK’s Ian Sedgwick. “Nothing has been agreed but we’re starting our discussions and we hope to get a decision in the autumn.”

Last week’s Rali Vinho Madeira was supposed to be Peugeot Portugal’s last appearance in the IRC this year but company chiefs have released more funds to enable Bruno Magalhaes to contest Rallye Sanremo in September. “The programme has been a big success and the board wants to carry on,” said a spokesman for the importer.