DONNELLY’S IRIZ SET FOR IRISH TAR
Five-time champion will continue to develop car ahead of an assault on the championship next year
Eugene Donnelly will continue to complete development work on the Proton Iriz R5 so that it is ready for a full assault on the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship next season.
Donnelly handed the Mellors
Elliot Motorsport-run machine its international closed-roads debut on last month’s Donegal Rally where he finished 10th overall with John Mcelhinney.
The five-time Tarmac champion feels that significant progress was made during the course of the shortened event, particularly in relation to the Malaysian car’s gearing and its suspension.
Development work on a new tyre for the car that will be made by Madras Rubber Factory (MRF) is being carried out in parallel by the Drapers town based driver.
“There are definitely a lot of positives to be taken from the event,” he told Motorsport News. “We made a lot of progress on the Friday and a huge amount on the Saturday of Donegal. We also have a third setting that we didn’t get to try but I’m excited by what it will do for the car, which already has phenomenal grip. Engineers have also made big gains with engine mapping.
“I honestly do not think we’re far off [making it competitive],” he added. “I believe we’re very close – closer than we think we are – and the interest surrounding it from other drivers has been huge. We are still on course to have the car ready for next year’s Tarmac Championship. Between it and the Irish National Rally Championship I would like to see several cars competing.”
Donnelly is set to enter the car into the next round of the National Rally Championship in Sligo before taking it to the Ulster Rally where Irish
Tarmac crews will be joined by those from the British Championship.
“The car will definitely be at the Ulster and if I’m not driving it then I’ll hand it over to someone else and give them the opportunity,” he said. “That is the kind of event you need to be at, to showcase the car and to give people an idea of what it’s all about.”