Rally / 02 January 2013

Zoltan Bessenyey: ?Scoring points in first round is important?

The New Year has just begun, and we?re already getting started with the new look FIA European Rally Championship. Thirteen exciting events on asphalt, gravel and snow will form the calendar for the ERC 2013, and first up is the J?nner Rally in Austria this weekend.

More than 100,000 spectators are expected for the first round, held in Freistadt, 180 km from the capital of Vienna. However, those expecting snow and ice might be a little disappointed.

?Based on current temperatures and the latest weather forecast, it?s unlikely we?ll experience a white rally.? says Hungarian Zoltan Bessenyey, who, together with co-driver Yulianna Nyirfas, will compete in several rounds of the new look ERC this year behind the wheel of a Honda Civic Type R.

?Instead we are expecting a wet, but very fast rally. However, with a few local drivers competing in 2WD, you already hear the newbie in me not complaining about the zero snow factor.?

It?s not a coincidence that Zoltan and La Yulianna chose a Civic from Janos Puskadi?s squad for this year?s championship. Last year they became acquainted with the Civic Type R for the first time during the French Rally du Var and are aware that Puskadi helped Honda win the IRC Manufacturer?s Cup in 2011.

?This time we want to win the Team Championship in the new ERC under the flag of the ?Eurosol Honda Civic Type R??, says Zoltan, who gained a lot of experience in the Hungarian and Slovakian championship (and also a lot of fame, with his own television show in native Hungary!). ?So to start the season as we mean to go on, we want to finish high in this first rally and score points.?

German Armin Holz will also be competing at the rally in a Civic Type R, along with drivers Ondrej Bisaha and Zbynek Baller from the Czech SAS Zlin in their Honda Civic VTi?s. The rally starts in Freistadt on Friday January 4 with 10 special stages, totaling 139, 28 km. On Saturday January 5, the 63 crews begin at the first of 8 special tarmac stages, covering a total of 248,46 km. The winner will appear at the finish in the Freistadt Messehalle around 17h20.