Mitsubishi driver David Higgins claimed the China Rally, the ninth and final round of this year's inaugural IRC series, by making full use of his previous experience of competing in the emerging country.

The Manxman, driving for the WY team, lost time on the first day with a strange misfire, but managed a careful run through the last six stages to win by just over a
minute at the end of day two.

Dry conditions throughout the event made for dusty stages, while soft surfaces meant that drivers had to look out for exposed rocks on the second set of stages. Dust was also a problem at the superspecial in Longyou on Friday night, meaning that officials had to water the course in order to improve visibility second time around.

“It's been an incredibly difficult rally that has contained a bit of everything - some twisty sections, some quick bits and some slow bits," Higgins reflected.

"I had a really strange problem with a misfire over the first day's stages, but the service crew changed more or less everything and that soon solved it. On the last day I couldn't relax at all, as I was constantly looking out for big rocks. They were all over the place, and if you hit one of those you can rip a wheel off just like that. Luckily, I didn't, so all in all it's been a very enjoyable event!”

With many of the series regulars opting to miss the event, second place went to local man Lang Xu in another Mitsubishi Lancer, giving the Japanese marque a maximum score for the standings on the event. Xu had a fierce battle with former Production Car world champion Martin Rowe, who was recovering after losing time on the wrong tyres during the opening leg. In the end, however, Xu took the runner-up spot and Rowe had to settle for third in front of New Zealand's Brian Green.

“I had no problems at all throughout the rally, which was very good and very challenging," Xu reported, "I tried to push hard and the last day was very special for me, as it was also my birthday!”

Green also scored well for his other competition, being a regular on the FIA Asia Pacific Championship, of which the China Rally also formed a part, coming in ahead of Qingxian Hua's Lancer. A well-deserved sixth place for Japanese driver Shinchiro Karakama – the top two-wheel drive competitor – added to Honda's points score in the manufacturers' standings.

Mitsubishi driver Katsuhiko Taguchi, who had won the opening superspecial and started the rally as a favourite for victory, was forced into retirement on the tricky stages, which took in both mountain roads and some tea plantation routes at lower altitude.

Former Asia Pacific Champion Jussi Valimaki was another retirement, with a mysterious engine problem that also affected the similar Mitsubishi of his team mate Gaurav Gill. Their service crew changed several engine components on both cars, but to no avail.


China Rally - IRC classification - end of leg 2 - top 9:

1. David Higgins Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 3h 29m 33.1s
2. Lang Xu Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 3h 30m 35.2s
3. Martin Rowe Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 3h 34m 17.1s
4. Brian Green Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 3h 44m 39.4s
5. Qingxian Hua Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 3h 53m 01.3s
6. Shinchiro Karakama Honda Civic EK4 4h 11m 55.5s
7. Chunlei Shi Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4h 15m 46.7s
8. Fengze Xie Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 4h 16m 37.6s
9. Xuming Huang Volkswagen Jetta GTX 4h 29m 52.5s

IRC points after China Rally

Drivers

1. Enrique Garcia Ojeda Peugeot 47 champion
2. Nicolas Vouilloz Peugeot 42
3. Andrea Navarra Abarth 32
4. Luca Rossetti Peugeot 20
5. Giandomenico Basso Abarth 18
6. Anton Alen Abarth 15
= Umberto Scandola Abarth 15
8. Bernd Casier Peugeot 13
9. David Higgins Mitsubishi 10
10. Lang Xu Mitsubishi 8
= Bruno Magalhaes Peugeot 8
= Hideaki Miyoshi Mitsubishi 8

Manufacturers

1. Peugeot 114 champions
2. Abarth 90
3. Mitsubishi 68
4. Honda 7
5. Citroen 4

*all results subject to official confirmation