Team MRF all geared up

Racing aficionados, get ready. The stage is set for yet another exciting season of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) with the opener scheduled at Johor Bahru in Malaysia from April 23 to 25.

Team MRF will field a two-car team to be driven by Indian Gaurav Gill and Japanese ace Katsuhiko Taguchi. Both will be driving Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X cars.

Gill will have the experienced Glen Macneall of New Zealand as his co-driver while Australian Mark Stacey, not Chris Murphy as announced earlier, will partner Taguchi. Murphy was stuck at the London airport where most of the flights became operative only from Thursday.

With Subaru driver Cody Crocker, winner here from 2006 to 09, not competing this year, this season will be fairly competitive. Team MRF will be up against the more formidable Subaru World Rally Championship driver Chris Atkinson, who was fairly successful in the recent World Rally Championship (WRC).

Atkinson will have Stephane Prevot as his co-driver and will be driving a Proton Satria S2000 for the Proton R3 Team. The second car of the Proton R3 team will be driven by Alistair McRae with co-driver Bill Hayes.

Closest competitor

Tony Rodricks, Head of Motorsports-MRF Limited, said ?the Proton Team is our closest competitor this year. The Mitsubishi EVO X is a proven rally car, and with around 330 bhp, we expect a marginal torque advantage in twisty circuits.?

Taguchi, at a press conference, said, ?I have had the experience of racing here in Malaysia. Maybe the little knowledge I have can help me here. But it will be a interesting rally with road conditions expected to become difficult because of rain.?

Gill said: ?It's going to be a big challenge because you never know what's going to happen next. This is the second year we are using Evo X and the car has developed a lot and is in lot better shape than the last season.

?This is my fourth attempt here and I have understanding of the conditions but the terrain is very tricky so we have to be careful. Having said that, we have to be fast over the next two days and finish the race.?