Peugeot UK and Kris Meeke will start their 2009 IRC campaign at the 77th Monte Carlo rally

KRONOS Racing-PEUGEOT 207 S2000

Peugeot UK and Kris Meeke will line up at the start of the 77th Monte Carlo rally, one of the oldest races of its kind, alongside reigning IRC champion Nicolas Vouilloz and his other KRONOS supported team-mate Freddy Loix.


Driving the Peugeot UK KRONOS prepared 207 S2000, Kris will be aiming to repeat his previous victory at Monte Carlo back in 2005 in the JWRC.

KRONOS Racing-PEUGEOT 207 S2000

The ceremonial start of the rally commences in Monte Carlo, in front of the Casino, on the evening of Tuesday 20th January and finishes back in the principality on Saturday 24th. The rally will be contested over three legs and will also include four stages held at night, with two runs over the famous “Col de Turini”.

Following tradition, 100 competitors will be allowed to start the rally, however, only the top 60 will go through to the final Turini stages. The rally will finish at 01:20 on Saturday morning.

All the competitors will have to get used to new special studded tyres that are designed to cut through the ice and snow in order to find grip. With the conditions likely to be very varied, selecting the correct tyre choice could make the difference between winning and losing.

KRONOS Racing-PEUGEOT 207 S2000

A number of well-known drivers will also join Kris and the IRC regulars at the start of the rally. These will include: former World Rally Champion Didier Auriol, three times winner of the Monte Carlo Rally driving another Peugeot 207 S2000; Toni Gardemeister, who finished second overall on the Monte Carlo Rally in 2005, driving an Abarth Grande Punto and Le Mans Peugeot 908 HDi FAP driver, Stephane Sarrazin, driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 for Peugeot Sport.

Kris Meeke “It’s fantastic to start our campaign with Peugeot Sport with the incredible back drop of Monte Carlo! I’ve competed on the rally three times before, but the nature of this event, with the unpredictable snow and ice through the mountain passes, always creates a daring challenge!”

Pierre Louis Colin (Managing Director – Peugeot UK) “Monte Carlo is a great place for the team to start its IRC challenge. It’s a rally which both Kris and Paul know very well and we hope to give the British fans something to cheer about. It is going to be a fascinating three days and I am sure everybody in the UK will be rooting for Kris to become the first Englishman to win the rally since Vic Elford in 1968.”

The 207 S2000 is based on Peugeot’s road-going 207 and it has already demonstrated that the inherent strengths of the road car are a perfect foundation to create a class leading rally car.

[Source : NEWSPRESS .. subscription req.]