Delecour hungry for Romanian victory

Francois Delecour has shocked the IRC establishment by declaring his intention to win the Sibiu Rally this week.

Delecour, who has made one start in this years IRC (Corsica in a Renault Megane RS), is planning on winning the rough gravel event, based in the Romanian city of Sibiu. However his plan may not be as audacious as some may see it, as outright speed won't win this rally.

“I have a very good feeling with Romania and all the fans and I am going there to win; that's the target for sure. How realistic an objective that is, I don't know: we will only find out when we get to the stages.” he said.

The French ace will be driving a Peugeot 207 S2000, but updated to the new 2012 specification.

“But I've tried to keep myself in shape and my car is very good as well: it is new and with the 2012 specification.” Delecour said.

The Sibiu Rally has been likened to the Acropolis Rally, sporting extremely tough gravel stages which will ruin an unaware driver's car. Given Delecour's previous experience on the Acropolis Rally, two fifth places in 1992 and 2001, and the fact he competed on the Sibiu Rally last year, he could prove a major threat to the works Skoda's.

“I have very good memories of the rally last year. It's a beautiful rally; it reminds me a little bit of Greece but I mean the nice bits of Greece: not the parts that are really rough,”

The 49 year old ex-Ford, Peugeot and Mitsubishi works driver also noted that good pace notes and a good rhythm are vital to being fast in the rally.

“There is a definite rhythm to the stages, and you have to understand that rhythm in order to be fast. So it's a rally where you need good pacenotes so that the car really flows: you want a smooth style, nothing too aggressive, and a neutral set-up. You make the car work for you and not force it, because that is best for the nature of the stages on this rally.” he concluded.