Dumfries, Scotland (UK) — Monday 24 April: Former World Rally Championship driver François Duval will drive an Albatec Racing Peugeot 208 RX Supercar in Coyote World RX of Belgium, round four of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, at Mettet on 12-14 May.
François remains the only Belgian to take victory in the European Rallycross Championship (Maasmechelen 2010) and is also one of only two to win a round of the World Rally Championship (Rally Australia 2005). He made his World RX debut in 2014 at Mettet where he finished 16th. In 2015, he contested the European championship round and took victory in his semi-final, but failed to finish the Final. Last year he qualified fifth for the World RX Final but was side-lined with a puncture and finished fifth.
He will have his first test aboard the team’s 600bhp two-litre 16v Peugeot 208 at Chateauroux on 9 May. For the Albatec team the weekend sees a return to the track on which they took their first International victory in 2015 in the FIA European Rallycross Championship, and where they secured second in last year’s Euro RX round.
World RX of Belgium marks a rare departure for the Dumfries team from its 2017 campaigns, which include the FIA European Rallycross Championship with Tommy Rustad and Jere Kalliokoski, and Rallycross France with Philippe Maloigne.
Andy Scott, Team Principal Albatec Racing:
“I’m delighted to welcome François to Albatec for the Mettet World RX event and very much look forward to working with him. François is without doubt a very talented driver, I’ve watched him race successfully in rallycross many times with the highlight being his performance in the European championship in 2010. I’m really pleased to have this opportunity to work with him in Belgium, where he has a fanatical following.
“We believe we have made a big step forward in the development of our Peugeot 208 and that the car is comparable with the factory cars. I’m confident that this will allow us to offer a package capable of producing a shock result in Belgium. The track is one where we’ve had success over the past few years, notably winning the Euro RX round in 2015, and finishing second last year. As always we will do everything we can to help him deliver a strong result.”
François Duval, Driver Albatec Racing:
“I am very happy to drive for Albatec Racing at my home event. Albatec is a serious team; the infrastructure is very good and they are also very sympathetic, which I appreciate a lot. They have shown that they have the motivation. This is a car I very much look forward to discovering and will have my first test in early May.
“We will race effectively the same car as Sebastien Loeb, this is great! I have seen the Albatec car in competition and I am very confident that the work they have undertaken over the winter will put us in a strong position to challenge for a good result. It will be the first time ever that I drive a Peugeot, so it’s again something new for me. Big thanks to Gordon, Valvoline and Jardipark, without them it would not be possible. I can’t wait to race at Mettet!”
Images © McKlein Photography
