Well done to Kris and Paul!! Videos Full IRC Video Blog from Sanremo Rally
Peugeot UK's Kris Meeke has won the 2009 Rallye Sanremo to become this year's Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Not since Paddy Hopkirk has a rally driver from Northern Ireland lifted such a prestigious global accolade and things can only continue to go from strength to strength for Meeke. The Ulsterman, co-driven by Paul Nagle, was always in the hunt to win Sanremo from the start of the rally, but he really got into his stride today by recording 3 fastest times of the legs's 5 stages. It was an incredible achievement to beat the local Italian drivers at home on an event where they were clear favourites to win. Meeke can now expect a huge homecoming welcome on next weekend's Colin McRae Stages and he will also receive an even greater reception when he returns to contest the final IRC round on November's Rally of Scotland.
After SS9: Meeke claims IRC title with Sanremo win Kris Meeke has become the first British driver to claim international rally honours since the late Richard Burns with a stunning drive to victory on the 2009 Rallye Sanremo.
After SS8: Meeke on course for historic win Kris Meeke bounced back from his brake dramas to set the fastest time once again on the second run through the Tris stage, with Nicolas Voilloz charging up to third. Duval drops back again, while Luca Cantamessa reaches the points positions for the BF Goodrich Drivers´ Team. 1 Meeke (GB) - Peugeot - 1hr 59m 36.1s 2 Rossetti (I) - Abarth - +11.1s 3 Vouilloz (F) - Peugeot - +16.7s 4 Andreucci (I) - Peugeot - +17.5s 5 Travaglia (I) - Peugeot - +22.1s 6 Loix (B) - Peugeot - +23.0s 7 Cantamessa (I) - Peugeot - +1m 28.3s 8 Chentre (I) - Peugeot - +1m 29.2s
After SS7: Meeke slowed by brake drama Kris Meeke´s astonishing progress on this morning´s stages in Sanremo was slowed in the 3.2km Poker stage with a lack of brakes. The Briton´s car went in to the stage without having had its brakes bled, and on the rigourous, twisting mountain roads of the Riviera he endured an agonising stage without stopping power. Meeke would be crowned 2009 IRC champion with victory in Sanremo today, and after setting a blistering pace to rocket from fourth to first this morning, the Peugeot UK star has held on to his advantage by the narrowest of margins. In his wake, Luca Rossetti has closed up once again in the works Abarth, with Polo Andreucci regaining his pace after a poor tyre choice at the start of the day. Renato Travaglia has been another Peugeot driver to find renewed pace today and passed erstwhile championship leader Freddy Loix for fifth place after the stage. The field now returns for servicing in Sanremo before the final run through two of this morning's stages and the finish in Sanremo. 1 Meeke (GB) - Peugeot - 1hr 40m 29.8s 2 Rossetti (I) - Abarth - +3.1s 3 Andreucci (I) - Peugeot - +5.9s 4 Vouilloz (F) - Peugeot - +11.1s 5 Travaglia (I) - Peugeot - +17.3s 6 Loix (B) - Peugeot - +18.5s 7 Chentre (I) - Peugeot - +1m 18.1s 8 Duval (B) - Abarth - +1m 21.2s
After SS6: Meeke rockets through to lead Sanremo Kris Meeke set a devastating time through the sixth stage in Full to take the lead of the Rallye Sanremo, putting himself in the best possible position to claim the 2009 IRC series on this classic Italian event. Meeke covered the 29km stage in a searing 20m 19.8s - fully 8.3s faster than the next man, local ace Renato Travaglia. The Peugeot UK star came to Sanremo with just a single point advantage over Skoda's Jan Kopecky, but with his Czech rival out of the running a maximum score here could carry him to the title. In Meeke's wake the battle for the lead has become the battle for second place, in which the works Abarth of Luca Rossetti still heads the Peugeot of overnight leader Paolo Andreucci. The Benelux Peugeots of defending IRC champion Nicolas Vouilloz and Freddy Loix follow as the two team mates battle for third place in this year's points standings.
