2012 Monte Carlo Rally marks Proton’s return to the WRC

2012 Monte Carlo Rally marks Proton’s return to the WRC

Today will see drivers Giandomenico Basso and Per Gunnar Andersson lead Proton’s return to the World Rally Championship (WRC) when the Malaysian manufacturer competes at the Monte Carlo Rally for the opening round of the 2012 FIA Super World Rally Championship (S-WRC).

Proton’s participation in the S-WRC comes 10 years after it first won the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship in 2002. Last year was a successful year for the Proton team, which was crowned champion in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), clean sweeping every title on offer.

This is Proton’s second visit to the historic rally after making its debut last year on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), which is run on a similar but shorter route. Yours truly was freezing himself with the team there last year, sharing the heartbreak of two retirements after so much promise. Better luck this time guys!

2012 Monte Carlo Rally marks Proton’s return to the WRC

Anyway, the S-WRC is a companion series to the WRC and is driven on the same special stages. First introduced in 2010, it is limited to production-based cars homologated under the Super 2000 rules. The S-WRC also splits the Production World Rally Championship (P-WRC, previously open to both Super 2000 and Group N4 cars) into two separate competitions.

Proton will compete in five of the seven S-WRC rounds in 2012, and we hear that some privateers will also get behind the wheel of the Satria Neo S2000.

“We start the Monte Carlo Rally and the 2012 S-WRC season with what is a winning car, having clinched last year’s APRC title, and given the positive results we have achieved in testing throughout the winter break, we look forward to a strong and competitive season ahead,” said Datuk Abdul Razak Dawood, Head of Proton Motorsports.

2012 Monte Carlo Rally marks Proton’s return to the WRC

The 2012 Monte Carlo Rally will be run over 18 special stages totaling 430 km of competitive distance in temperatures as low as five degrees. This year’s 80th edition marks the return of WRC to Monte Carlo after a three-year absence. Flag off is at the French city of Valence with two stages to be run twice before heading to the mountainous Ardeche, Haut Loire and Drôme regions, eventually finishing in glamorous Monaco.

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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

  • BadBET on Jan 17, 2012 at 10:28 am

    good luck… show the world the word ‘Proton’

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  • “…some privateers will also get behind the wheel of the Satria Neo S2000” now this is really a good indication that there are confidence in SN. People are already paying a lot of attention to the SN and before we knew it SN will stand tall together with Peug306, MEvo, FFcs, SubImpz and the like. Good luck!

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  • trinitrotoluene on Jan 17, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    Will DRB-HICOM still interested in rally?

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  • mizzuddin945 on Jan 17, 2012 at 1:25 pm

    are they going to use the CFE? S2k homologated will use forced induction 1.6 engine starting 2012 if i’m not mistaken… i think proton should use their own CFE rather than outsourced engine… even if it goes wrong, it should be a good lesson and boost future achievement

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  • adammo on Jan 18, 2012 at 9:18 am

    hope astro will show the highlights and review

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  • update?

    http://www.rallyliveresults.com/live/liveresult.php?type=CG&num=04
    http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97089

    10th overall till date…eye opener huh..Plus leading S2000 WRC Class

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