AUSTRALIAN Chris Atkinson will start as the top-seeded driver in the Malaysian Rally on his return to international competition today.
Atkinson will be first on the road in his factory-backed Proton R3 Malaysia Rally Team Satria Neo S2000, in which he will contest the 2010 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, including the International Rally of Queensland in late July.
This weekend’s opening round of the APRC promises plenty of rain and slippery conditions in the Tai Tak Estate rubber plantations, venue for the 16 timed special stages near the southern city of Johor Bahru.
Atkinson’s seeding indicates that the Queensland driver, a veteran of 67 starts in the World Rally Championship, is regarded as a formidable contender despite having had minimal testing experience in the British-run Proton and spending most of 2009 without a drive.
After a busy week of promotional duties, which included a demonstration run for Proton factory workers and team launch by the Malaysian Sports Minister, Atkinson and fellow Proton driver Alister McRae of Scotland yesterday tackled the traditional pre-event shakedown competition.
The pair was equal third-fastest on a 2.5 kilometre course that did not suit their high-revving Proton S2000s.
Indian driver Guarav Gill, also heading for Australia on 30 July-1 August with the MRF Tyres team, was fastest in a Group N Mitsubishi ahead of teammate Katsu Taguchi and Yuya Sumiyama, both of Japan.
The Proton team’s home rally represents a critical test for Atkinson and McRae, but there will be many others as the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship continues through Japan, New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia and China.
APRC crews from India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia will be the stars of a field of around 70 cars expected to contest the International Rally of Queensland on the Sunshine Coast.
The event will be the biggest championship rally in Australia this year and showcase the coast’s tourist attractions via dedicated television coverage to a worldwide audience.
Interest has surged since the signing of Atkinson and McRae, who have more than 140 World Rally starts between them, and will be even higher should either arrive on the Sunshine Coast in the championship lead.
The International Rally of Queensland is benefiting from Significant Regional Event Scheme (SRES) funding under the Queensland Events Regional Development Program (QERDP).
The QERDP is an investment program designed to extend the flow of economic and social benefits of events to regional Queensland. The SRES celebrates and supports those events that have a particularly strong track record of growth and economic success for their region.
A state-wide initiative, the program is committed to enhancing existing events in regional Queensland, as well as assisting in the establishment of new events.
Since the QERDP began in 2001, more than $13.6 million has been invested in 645 regional events, an indicator of the important role these events play in their communities and wider Queensland.
IROQ also is supported by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
