Rally Deutschland next for Van Merksteijn Motorsport

Peter van Meksteijn jr. starts second half of WRC season with Rallye Deutschland

Peter van Merksteijn

Photo by: Citroën Communication

This weekend, Peter van Merksteijn jr. will start with the second part of his 2011 season in the World Rally Championship during the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. From the historical city of Trier along the Mozel river, Peter jr. And his co-driver Erwin Mombaerts will take part in the first tarmac avent of the season in his Citroën DS3 WRC.

After the last unfortunate Acroplis Rally for Peter van Merksteijn jr. In which his regular normal co-driver Eddy Chevaillier suffered a broken vertebra, the Dutch DS3 WRC driver is two months later back in action in the Rallye Deutschland with a different co-driver. For the time that Eddy is not fully recovered from the injury he suffered in Greece, the Belgian Erwin Mombaerts will take place next to Peter jr. of the Citroën DS3 WRC with number 14.

Peter van Merksteijn sr. Had originally planned to be at the start in Trier with his own DS3 WRC. However, Peter sr. Has decided to cancel his planned entry in the Rallye Deutschland to make his regular co-driver Erwin Mombaerts available to form a team with his son Peter jr. In his DS3 WRC instead.

Prior to the start of the ADAC Rallye Germany, Peter jr. and Erwin have been testing for three days on various locations in the area of Trier. A total of nearly 400 kilometers were clocked with the Citroën DS3 WRC under changing circumstances at three different test locations to be prepared as well as possible for the stages which are planned for this weekend. Peter jr. Is of the opinion that they found a good set-up for the car for the stages through the vineyards along the Mozel river. For the special stage on Saturday on the military proving grounds near Baumholder he completed a dedicated test for a good set-up ofr the extremely tough stage of nearly 35 kilometers.

As a result of the accident in Greece, Eddy Chevaillier suffered a broken vertebra for which he was operated shortly after returning to Belgium. Despite the seriousness of his injury the expectations are good and the recovery is going well. To recover fully a complete rest is necessary for Eddy and he is working hard with physiotherapy to be able to get back into action again as soon as possible.

The ADAC Rallye Deutschland will start officially Thursday evening with a ceremony at the Roman ruins of the Porta Nigra in the centre of Trier. On Friday the cars will depart from 9 o’clock in the morning for 6 stages through the vineyards northeast of Trier. Saturday the cars head east for among other stages the Arena Pantzerplatte near Baumholder. Sunday sees action again along the Mozel river to finish the rally with the spectacular stage Circus Maximus through the city center of Trier.