APRC: Proton ready to roar in New Caledonia, PG Andersson aims to bounce back from Kiwi misfortune

APRC: Proton ready to roar in New Caledonia, PG Andersson aims to bounce back from Kiwi misfortune

The second round of this year’s FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) will happen in New Caledonia this weekend. Defending champions Proton return to the Pacific island in search of their first win of the year, after finishing second and fourth in the opening rally in New Zealand.

The drivers in action are APRC reigning champion Alister McRae and Swedish driver PG Andersson – the latter is in his first full APRC season and will be competing in New Caledonia for the first time. Proton’s main rivals will once again be the Skoda Fabia S2000s of Team MRF.

As defending champion, McRae will again be in the unenviable position of having to start the rally first, clearing the road for the other drivers behind him.

APRC: Proton ready to roar in New Caledonia, PG Andersson aims to bounce back from Kiwi misfortune

“Winning the championship last year means I am first on the road on all the rounds this year and that was quite a disadvantage on the first round in New Zealand, but I don’t think it will be so much in New Caledonia. The rain is likely to have washed away much of the loose gravel from the surface before we got there and it’s possible that running at the front might even give us a small advantage,” said the optimistic Scot.

Teammate PG is ready to bounce back from the Kiwi bad luck which cost him an outright victory in the opening round. Comfortably setting fastest times en route to winning 11 of the 16 special stages in New Zealand, Andersson caught a puncture to surrender the lead. “One thing for sure is that I’m starting this event as I start every event – to win. I have never been to this rally before, so it’s always exciting to try some new roads,” he said.

Based in Noumea on Grande Terre, the largest island in New Caledonia, Rally New Caledonia moves through beautiful lush vegetation and farming plains, and will be contested over a competitive distance of 252.82 km covering 19 special stages.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Prismo on Apr 27, 2012 at 9:22 am

    go go PROTON!! GOOD LUCK!!

    p/s: only idiot will thumb down my comment when supporting local Motorsport team or he/she just “org indon”

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  • rosdi on Apr 27, 2012 at 10:39 am

    Good to hear. Hope DRB don’t stop this venture in the name of cost cutting.. Proton needs this badly to repair the brand image. Even in Malaysia 50% of malaysian thinks Proton car is of substandard quality.. and that is due to Proton own’s fault… under Tengku Mahaleel.

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