Leading team Kronos Racing is planning to focus on developing a new car for the 2013 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season rather than chasing a third IRC drivers’ crown in 2012, joint team boss Marc van Dalen has confirmed.
Belgian squad Kronos guided Nicolas Vouilloz and Kris Meeke to back-to-back IRC titles in 2008 and 2009, while rising star Thierry Neuville was part of a five-way fight for this year’s accolade on the final round in Cyprus in early November.
With Neuville now set to make selective IRC appearances in 2012 after securing a world championship programme with Citroen, Kronos will change strategy for next season.
“After five busy years in the IRC we would have liked to have faced up to another season with Thierry, but given how quickly his career has taken off, we have decided to put 2012 on hold”, said
van Dalen. “We’d like to thank all the partners who have supported us throughout those superb campaigns over the last five years. Regarding the season to come, we wouldn’t rule out a few
appearances in our 207 S2000 before we come back strongly with a new car in 2013.”