Former WRC driver François Duval
got another opportunity in the FIA World Rallycross Championship
as he will replace DA Racing driver Jean-Baptiste Dubourg
for the Latvia RX at Biernieki, Riga, being this his second
participation in the championship this year.
Dubourg will have to stay out of action
next weekend as his partner is expecting the birth of their first
child, and when Duval received the call he didn't think twice to
accept the drive. Unfortunately for the Belgian driver, it is simply
too late to be able to test the Peugeot 208 WRX that he will
use at Riga, but he can rely in his previous experiences with French
machinery to aid in this aspect, with independent entries in a
Peugeot 207 RX and in the Peugeot 208 WRX cars of Écurie Bayard and
Albatec Racing in his resume.
Duval's latest entry in World RX was
exactly the one with Albatec Racing at Mettet RX, as he is been doing
every year, and finishing the event in 15th may be a good
sign for him. He mentioned that not only the lack of testing and the
new track will be drawbacks in this event, but also the fact of
having many factory backed teams to compete with, a big wall to climb
for a privateer team like DA Racing, but these factors will not let
down the Belgian, as he will do his best to being a good result, even
if he has to rely on the weather for this, and given the fact that
rain was constant in Latvia last year, a surprise can happen.
Like many wildcard drivers Duval got
his moment of glory, as in 2016 at Mettet he finished in the top-5
after the Qualifying heats and advanced to the final in an Olsbergs
MSE Fiesta ST RX, finishing in 5th then.
PHOTO: Colin McMaster/Albatec Racing
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