Proton Motorsports to go full swing in rallying for 2011
After a series of encouraging results in 2009 and 2010, Proton Motorsports is pushing the Satria Neo S2000 rally car and its drivers, Alister McRae and Chris Atkinson, to bigger things with a full season participation in the Intercontinental Rally Championship (IRC) and Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC).
The team’s season starts on 18 January at the Rally of Monte Carlo, which will be the opening round of this year’s IRC. Chris Atkinson will lead Proton’s European IRC charge along with newly-signed Par-Gunnar Anderson, double FIA Junior World Rally Champion.
Alister McRae, who led Proton to a 1-2 finish in last year’s China Rally, will pick up where he left off by spearheading the team’s charge in the APRC. The APRC season kicks off at home turf with the Rally of Malaysia on 1-3 April 2011.
“Motorsports is one of several key strategies being pursued to enhance the PROTON brand especially in markets that we are actively exporting to, and PROTON’s objective of participating in both the IRC and APRC will significantly support our aspiration of becoming a respected and competitive global car manufacturer,” said PROTON Group Managing Director Dato’ Haji Syed Zainal Abidin.
“Rallying not only serves as a proving ground for PROTON, but the viewership for both the IRC and APRC range in the millions, hence this brings invaluable brand exposure to PROTON and its partners on a global level. In addition, it also enables us to promote the brand and increase awareness in new and potential markets.”
In conjunction with the launch of its 2011 IRC and APRC campaign, Proton Motorsports also welcomed on board the Yasmin Group and Sime Kansai Paints as team partners. The contribution of both companies amounted to RM1 million in sponsorship for the team.
