Pirelli has announced that an agreement has been reached with Citroen Racing to run a 1.6-litre Citroen DS3 R3 as the Pirelli Star Driver prize for 2013 and that Charles Hurst, will be the designated car supplier. David Greer Motorsport will then be responsible for running it throughout the season.
The collaboration between the three companies should be a strong partnership as all have proven track records within the motoring and rally worlds.
Charles Hurst part of the Looker Group, has gone from strength to strength since it was founded in 1911 to become Northern Irelands leading Motor Group and has become one of the great business success stories in Northern Ireland. Whilst David Greer Motorsport has been at the pinnacle of British & Irish rallying for the past decade and has supported David and a handful of other drivers in the local Northern Irish championship, the British and then the Irish tarmac championships building a reputation as a team that work hard and strive to be the best in any championship they enter.
The Pirelli Star Driver programme, introduced in 2008, selects one up-and-coming rally prospect each year, based on merit, the successful driver is selected for the Pirelli Star Driver shootout from each of the six qualifying rallies in this years British Rally Championship.
Drivers who have already been selected for this years prestigious shootout include Mark Donnelly, Matthew Cathcart, Tom Cave, Jussi Kumpumaki, Osian Pyrce and recently-crowned British Junior Rally Champion, Garry Pearson. One final driver will be selected to join the line-up and will be picked following their performance on the championships closing round, International Rally Yorkshire.
The 1.6-litre Citroen DS3 R3 features the same structural design and appearance as the production model, with the production steel body shell reinforced by a welded, multi-point roll cage. The turbocharged DS3 R3 has benefited from the extensive expertise acquired by Citroen Racing through its involvement in the World Rally Championship and the car is currently helping Citroen lead the way in this years British Manufacturers Rally Championship.
Details regarding the 2012 Pirelli Star Driver shootout will be announced at the final round of the year, during the International Rally Yorkshire on 28th and 29th September 2012.
