Peugeot Sport and Citroen Racing boss Oliver Quesnel has said that the Sata Rally Azores will be a 'big rally' for defending Intercontinental Rally Challenge Champion Kris Meeke.
“It’s a big rally for Kris and for Peugeot. He is a very good driver and I am not anxious for him but sometimes instead of saying ‘I will be second’ he still wants to be first and three times he went out of the road.” said Quesnel.
Meeke was Peugeot's big signing last year, partnering Freddy Loix and Nicholas Vouilloz. Meeke won four events, finished on the podium six times but only crashed out once (it would of been five but he was excluded from the RAC MSA Rally of Scotland) on his way to sewing up the title with one round to spare.
Kris, like any other driver, wants to win (repeating his debut win last year) but says that he will have to concentrate on a finish.
“We’ve really, really pushed our neck out on the last couple of events to try to get ourselves back into the hunt for the championship. It hasn’t worked out and it’s quite evident we’re on the limit and beyond from the start. We really have to look at our approach a bit, come back and keep it within our own limits. We’ve tried to fight at the front but it’s proving to be a bit difficult. I won’t settle for a position but we have to go and get the maximum out of our package without overstepping the limit.” said Kris.
Meeke sits fifth in the drivers standings, 15 points behind leader Juho Hanninen. Meeke has crashed out of three of this years rallies, had a mechanical failure in Argentina, forcing retirement. He has only finished two events, winning in Brazil and finishing fourth after getting a puncture on the Rally Isla Canarias. Peugeot Sport, who have won three of the last four Manufacturers Championships, are currently 43 points behind Skoda.
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