intercontinental rally challenge

Peugeot UK driver Kris Meeke delivered a string of fastest stage times on the closing day of the Sata Rallye Azores, round four of the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge, to take victory and the overall championship points lead.

Sebastian Ogier has won the Rallye Monte Carlo, the opening round in the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Ogier inherited the lead at the end of day two, when Juho Hanninen picked up a puncture and slipped down the order.

Kris Meeke will hope for an impressive season in 2009 after a inking a deal with Peugeot to contest the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Meeke will debut in the 207 S2000 in the Monte Carlo Rally and the aim for the season is clear - to fight for the championship crown.

Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, has confirmed the 2009 IRC calendar, which will be presented to the FIA World Motorsport Council on December 12.

STOP PRESS: Crash.net Radio spoke exclusively to ANDREW COE on Tuesday to get some details on today's announcement that Scotland will join the IRC in 2009. TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL: CLICK HERE.

The Rallye International du Valais in Switzerland, the next round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which runs from October 23-25, has revealed further details of its route. A statement to the media explained:

Peugeot has mathematically won the 2008 IRC manufacturers' title, after finishing second and third on the Sanremo Rally in Italy at the weekend with Nicolas Vouilloz and Luca Rossetti.

Portugal's Miguel Campos, the first driver to be selected to represent the BFGoodrich Drivers Team this year, was given an opportunity to test the Kronos Racing-run Peugeot 207 Super 2000 near Faro, Portugal, on Monday.

Following the result of the China Rally, the final round of the IRC, this weekend, Enrique Garcia Ojeda and his manufacturer, Peugeot have officially won the 2007 IRC championship titles, in the drivers and manufacturers' categories respectively.

Abarth Grande Punto driver Pieter Tsjoen has confirmed that he has decided to quit the sport following the Rally of Ypres, the third round of the 2007 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.