Gronholm gets to grips with new MEM Proton

Two-time World Rally champion Marcus Gronholm tested Proton’s all-new Iriz R5 car in Wales earlier this week.

The Finn was evaluating the British-built Proton with a view to a possible involvement in a development programme next season. Gronholm drove the car for the day in mid-wales on Tuesday and was impressed with what he found from the MEM squad.

He told Motorsport News: “It was a private test, but it was nice. For the future, I don’t have anything more to say.”

Gronholm’s ability as a test and development driver is well known – he was the man charged with much of the early running of VW’S 2017-specification Polo R WRC before the German manufacturer pulled out of the WRC. Gronholm also tested Skoda’a Fabia R5 earlier this year.

MEM team principal Chris Mellors said: “He drove the car all day and could only find a couple of areas he wants us to work on. We want to work with Marcus moving forward and he seems really keen.”

George Donaldson, a sporting advisor to MEM, has worked with Gronholm previously and attended the test. “Marcus isn’t the kind of driver who gets out a car in raptures, even if he’s over the moon. So when he got out and smiled and said: ‘This is a good car’, we took that to be positive.”

MEM is looking for the Iriz to make its international debut early next year. The car runs Xtrac transmission, Reigier dampers, Cosworth electronics, Bremo brakes and the Proton Inspira engine which is also used in an Mitsubishi Lancer E1.