Monday, 5th May 2008

Red Bull Rally Team looks to 2009.

The Red Bull Rally Team will take in the Rally Portugal this coming weekend, entering cars for both of its P-WRC runners - namely Andreas Aigner and Bernardo Sousa.

Although Portugal is not a round of the Production Car World Rally Championship nor is it a round of the WRC this season, and is instead running as part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Austrian-based outfit is taking it in order to get experience of the Algarve-based rally, which is due to return to the WRC in 2009.

"Getting to know the course is going to be the most important thing this coming weekend," confirmed Red Bull Rally Team boss, Raimund Baumschlager, "and neither driver will have to risk a thing.

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"I am pleased that we will be racing with our new tyre partners Pirelli for the first time in Portugal too."

Aigner, who took his maiden win in the PWRC last time out in Argentina, is eager to make the most of the outing in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX.

"As I am in Portugal for the first time I will just be aiming to reach the finish as we look ahead to next year's world championship run," he added, echoing the thoughts of his team boss.

"I am really looking forward to the chance to compete with so many Super 2000 cars. We have been loosing a second per kilometre on asphalt but it should be a little easier on gravel.

"Being assigned start number eight is a cause for optimism as I should be able to enjoy the luxury of a relatively empty track."

Sousa meanwhile is really up for it, as it is his home event - and with two PWRC points finishes already on the board, his confidence is pretty high.

"I am immensely excited – rallying in my home country is always something special. After my good performances at the first two PWRC races I managed to pick up a lot of confidence.

"It remains my number one goal just to make sure I complete the rally without suffering any serious problems," he concluded.

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