KRIS MEEKE TO RETURN TO YPRES RALLY IN PORSCHE 992 RALLY GT

Former Winner Replaces Injured Pieter-Jan Michiel Cracco for Belgian Rally Classic

Kris Meeke will make a surprise return to the Ypres Rally later this month after being drafted in to replace the injured Pieter-Jan Michiel Cracco behind the wheel of a Porsche 992 Rally GT.

The former World Rally Championship event winner has not competed at Belgium's most famous rally since 2013, when he appeared as the course car driver in the debuting Peugeot 208 T16 R5. However, Meeke's name remains firmly linked to the event after securing victory on his first Ypres Rally start in 2009 with a Peugeot 207 S2000.

The Northern Irishman will be co-driven by Stuart Loudon and is set for a busy period, with the Ypres Rally appearance coming just one week after his participation in the Donegal International Rally, where he will drive a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

Meeke said he retains strong memories of the iconic Belgian event, particularly his breakthrough victory nearly two decades ago.

The opportunity arose after Cracco was forced to withdraw through injury. The Belgian driver expressed his support for the replacement plan, stating that keeping the Porsche on the entry list with a high-profile international driver was the right decision for the rally and its fans.

The Ypres Rally is expected to attract a strong field once again. Alongside Meeke's Porsche entry, several leading names are scheduled to compete in Rally2 machinery.

Among them are New Zealand's Hayden Paddon and Belgian WRC driver Grégoire Munster, both driving Hyundai i20 N Rally2 cars. Two-time defending Ypres Rally winner Stéphane Lefebvre is also expected to challenge for victory in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

With a former winner returning and several international stars joining the entry list, the Ypres Rally is shaping up to be one of the standout events of the Belgian rally season.

KEY POINTS

• Kris Meeke will compete in the Ypres Rally in a Porsche 992 Rally GT.

• Meeke replaces injured Belgian driver Pieter-Jan Michiel Cracco.

• Stuart Loudon will co-drive for the Northern Irishman.

• Meeke won the Ypres Rally on his debut appearance in 2009.

• The event comes one week after his Donegal International Rally outing.

• Hayden Paddon, Grégoire Munster and Stéphane Lefebvre are also among the leading entries.