The keenly-awaited European Rally Championship debut of the new Peugeot 208 T16 was rewarded with the first victory of its career at last weekend’s Acropolis Rally. Irishman and Peugeot Rally Academy driver, Craig Breen, proudly took the win on the Greek round, 30 years after the first success of the famous 205 T16.
Craig is also the first Irish driver to win an ERC event since his idol Frank Meagher on the 1995 Manx International Rally. Craig and the 208 T16 will compete next weekend on the Fel’s Point Circuit of Kerry Rally in Tralee as a high speed test for round four of the ERC, The Circuit of Ireland Rally on Easter weekend.
Craig contributed to the 208T16’s development throughout 2013 and he was anxious to demonstrate its power as competitors lined up for the start of the notorious Acropolis Rally. The mixed-surface format makes the Greek round one of the most complex of the year, and a combination of rain and dry weather added to the challenge that awaited Craig and co-driver, Scott Martin. However, they went on to claim four stages (SS3, SS6, SS7 and SS11) and eased ahead on SS6 following the retirement of his team-mate Kevin Abbring. After that, a determined drive saw Craig overcome a half-spin to ward off pressure from Bouffier and win by a margin of 8.1s. Fiesta R5 driver K. Kajetanowicz was third, more than 40 seconds behind. Craig was awarded the Colin McRae Flat Out Trophy.
Craig Breen said, “I feel like I’m on top of the world! The 208 T16 turned out to be just as competitive on gravel as it was on asphalt. This is my first victory in an international championship and I am also very proud to have written the first page in the history of the Peugeot 208 T16. It’s a great result and a fitting tribute to the hard work put in by everyone not only at the Peugeot Rally Academy but also at Peugeot Sport. It was quite simply a perfect weekend.”
Next weekend, Breen and the 208 T16 will be in Ireland to contest the Fel’s Point Circuit of Kerry where they will no doubt receive a hero’s welcome ahead of mid-April’s Circuit of Ireland, the next round of the FIA European Rally Championship. Craig will appear at Reen’s Rathmore, Main Peugeot Dealers, beforehand, with his 208 T16 on Saturday, 5th April, from 10am to 12.30pm.
