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Duval plays down prospects
Privateer Skoda driver Francois Duval has played down his prospects ahead of the start of the Belgium Ypres Rally tonight. The former World Rally Championship star is driving a Skoda Fabia S2000 for the first time, but says that he does not start as favourite
"I've had a chance to test the car and I really like it," said Duval. "However, I've not done this rally for many years and the opposition is really strong. I think it's going to be a real struggle."
Duval has contested the Belgium Ypres Rally just three times previously, and he has not competed in an IRC event for over a year.
"I'm not as used to Super 2000 machinery as the others, and that will probably be a handicap," said the Belgian, who will be co-driven by France's Denis Giraudet. "This is a really tricky rally, so you have to be careful."
The rally gets underway tonight at 17:30 from the main square in Ypres.   

Shakedown: national heroes fastest
The stars and cars of this weekend´s Belgium Rally Ypres (June 19-20) have been out for their final preparations on the event shakedown, producing dramatically different results
The classic asphalt rally, which is known as one of the most demanding in terms of the precision needed to stay on the tight, narrow roads around Flanders, traditionally favours the local rally aces and the pace was duly set by two veterans of the event.
Topping the timesheets at the end of shakedown was Thierry Neuville, driving the BF Goodrich-entered Peugeot 207 S2000. Neuville was awarded the BF Goodrich drive by a panel of 19 journalists, launching the 21-year-old who is currently leading the Citroen Benelux Racing Trophy into the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Neuville has previously contested the Fiesta Sporting Trophy in Belgium, which he won, and is considered one of the brightest prospects in Belgian motor sport.
Second place on the timesheets went to Belgian WRC hero Francois Duval, returning to top-flight competition this weekend at the wheel of a Skoda Fabia S2000. Duval posted the same time as Neuville to one hundredth of a second, as did Czech asphalt ace Jan Kopecky in the works Skoda Fabia S2000. Behind them lay the current IRC title contenders – Belgium's Freddy Loix, Britain's Kris Meeke and Frenchman Nicolas Vouilloz. Meeke had a scare when he ripped off a wheel during the shakedown, but he has promised a cautious approach to the actual rally.
All three men compete at the wheel of Peugeot 207 S2000 machines, with defending champion Vouilloz and early season championship leader Loix squaring up to a growing challenge from points leader Meeke. A thrilling battle between the three men and the asphalt aces is in store when the rally begins this evening, and looks set to run to the very last stage tomorrow evening.
The Belgium Ypres Rally starts at 17:30 this evening (Friday) in the market square of Ypres, setting out for six special stages around Mesen, Hollebeke and Lille-Eurometropole before returning to Ypres at 01:00.

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