Meeke and Nagle to tackle big guns in new mini

THE most anticipated round of the World Rally Championship, the Rally Italy in Sardinia, has enormous Irish interest with the competition debut of the Mini John Cooper Works WRC.

Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle will campaign in one of the cars, the other car will be in the hands of Spanish pair Dani Sordo and Carlos del Barrio. How they will fare against the might of the Citroen DS3s of Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier and the Ford Fiestas of Mikko Hirvonen and Jari Matti Latvala, will be under the microscope.

“I have relatively recent experience as I was lucky enough last year to do this event when it was in the IRC and (I) also did the Rally Costa Smeralda on the island,” said Meeke.