Satria neo S2000, Cusco prepared Satria neo, Satria neo 1600cc two wheel team shows their best result beating other powerful rally cars during the Asia Pacific Rally Championship APRC when finishing on the podium in round five APRC Rally hokkaido.
PROTON SATRIA NEO S2000 BEAT OTHER POWERFUL TURBO CARS IN RALLY APRC
Proton driver Alister McRae turned around his misfortunes on Day 1 to finish third in the Satria Neo S2000.
The other two podium finishes were by Karamjit Singh and Japanese teammate Akira Bamba finishing first and second respectively in the APRC1600cc Two Wheel Drive category.
Bamba also secured the inaugural FIA APRCJunior Championship title with the Cusco prepared Proton Satria Neo Group N rally car.
Another Malaysian driver Gunaseelan Rajoo clinched the Class “A” title in the APRC 1600cc Two Wheel Drive category, in a Class “A” Proton Satria Neo.
The results in Japan will set the stage for a three-way battle for this year’s APRC crown with McRae leading Proton teammate Atkinson followed by Indian driver Gaurav Gill in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.
“We had a good run in Japan considering that the terrain and stages suited the turbocharged all-wheel drive cars better.
“The results might have been a lot different had it not been for McRae’s puncture and Atkinson’s retirement on the first day but that’s the nature of rallying.
“Having said that the Satria Neo S2000 performed well against the more powerful turbocharged cars and the results are testimony to the level of progress we have made in terms of development of the car,” said Datuk Abdul Razak Dawood, Head of Proton Motorsports.
He said Proton was committed to deliver better results this season and had won three of the five rallies so far.
“One more round will determine the APRC championship and rest assured that we will be fighting hard to end the season on a high note,” said Abdul Razak.
UPDATE
In an unexpected turn of events, the winner of Rally Hokkaido was disqualified for a technical infringement which has in turn handed Proton the driver’s title for the 2011 APRC.
With the amended results of Rally Hokkaido, Alister McRae currently leads the APRC driver’s categorywith a seven point advantage over Chris Atkinson, with the championship to be decided between the two Proton team mates when the final round of the 2011 season moves to Rally China in November.
Winning the recently-concluded Rally Hokkaido, Indian driver Gaurav Gill had set the stagefor a three-way fight for the APRC crown between him and Proton’s McRae and Atkinson.
Gill, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X had won the rally ahead of Japanese team mate and reigning APRC champion Katsuhiko Taguchi, with McRae in third place.
Upon inspection later in the day however, stewards from the International Automobile Federation (FIA),disqualified Gill for a technical infringement on his vehicle.
This promoted Taguchi to rally winner and McRae to second place, and with not enough points to contest for in China, eliminated Gill’s shot at the driver’s title.
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