Fresh from his stunning victory in the FIA WRC Academy section of Rally of Portugal last Saturday, Alastair Fisher is back in his native Northern Ireland this week to contest round three of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the prestigious Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally (April 6/7).
The second oldest rally in the world, the Circuit of Ireland hosts the IRC for the first time in 2012. The international series, televised extensively by Eurosport, visits countries all over Europe and is contested by some of the sport’s brightest prospects, such as Norway’s Andreas Mikkelsen and Sepp Wiegand from Germany.
After competing in Portugal at the wheel of the Modern Tyre Services supported Ford Fiesta R2, Fisher will take a step up in performance – an extra 130bhp to be precise – when he switches to a four-wheel drive, 300bhp Ford Fiesta S2000 prepared by M-Sport, the company responsible for Ford’s factory team in the World Rally Championship. It will mark Alastair’s third appearance in the car, the same machine that Mikko Hirvonen used to win the famous Monte Carlo Rally in 2010.
“Competing at home on such a big event is very exciting, and I can’t wait to get started as it will be very special to get out in front of our home spectators in a Fiesta S2000,” said Fisher, 23. “I have limited experience of driving the Super 2000 car but I’m feeling very confident after winning the WRC Academy in Portugal and M-Sport has put a significant amount of work into the preparation of the car.”
The Circuit of Ireland takes on added significance for Fisher. Not only will he get the opportunity to measure his pace against some of the best drivers in the IRC, it’s an event his late uncle, Bertie Fisher, was synonymous with after winning on three occasions with co-driver Rory Kennedy, who will navigate Fisher on a one-off basis this weekend.
Based in Armagh, a one-hour drive from Fisher's home in Trillick, County Tyrone, the event begins with a superspecial stage in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter on Good Friday afternoon (April 6). Friday night’s itinerary features four stages north of Armagh. Saturday’s action consists of 10 stages south and east of Armagh including two passes of a stage through the streets of Lisburn and three runs over the 25-kilometre Redrock test. The finish is in Armagh at 19:00hrs on Saturday.
