Škoda Rally Team Hungaria driver Norbert Herczig is confident he can better his second place finish of the Miskolc Rallye, when he contests the next round of the Hungarian Rally Championship, round three, the Bukfurdo Rallye on the 4-5 June.
Herczig, whose Škoda Fabia Super 2000 is prepared by the Milan-based Škoda Rally Team Italia, won the Hungarian Rally Championship two years ago with Pierfrancesco Zanchi's Aimont Racing Team. In the following year, 2010, the winning team was reunited, this time in a Škoda Fabia; the first time the Hungarian driver has competed in an S2000 car.
"Last year was an incredible learning curve for me in the S2000 category," said Herczig. "We were pleased the last season results but this year we aim to finish on the podium, hopefully in first place."
Herczig, who is contesting the series with new co-driver Kálmán Benics, finished the 2010 Hungarian Rally Championship in fifth place, but this year he and the team are aiming for the podium, with sights firmly set on winning the series.
"This year we believe we can fight for the title", commented Zanchi, Škoda Rally Team Italia principal. "Norbert has learned to handle the Super 2000 car quite well and, although he is more stronger on asphalt, he has improved dramatically on gravel.
"The Hungarian rallies are often quite short so he hasn't got many miles under his belt, but if he continue to progress in this way, he will be a serious contender for the title. In the last round of the series, the Miskolc Rallye, we finished second overall and the aim is to go one better in Bukfurdo."
The Bukfurdo Rallye is a gravel rally based at the foot of the Alps, just 50 kilometers from the Austrian border, and is typically Hungarian with its flat, open roads. It starts in the famous spa town of Bukfurdo at 1100hrs on Saturday 4 June and works it's way around 131.70km across 12 special stages over the weekend. Drivers return back to the town centre for the podium finish at approximately 1500hrs on Sunday.
"Like many rallies in the Hungarian National Championship, this event will be driven on flat, open roads, which will make this extremely fast, so we will need to ensure we have the right set up," said Herczig. "We will test before the event and I am confident that together, me and the Škoda Rally Team Italia can get the most out of the fantastic car and have a great chance of winning."
The Hungarian Rally Championship consists of seven rounds; three on gravel and four on asphalt and Škoda Rally Team Hungaria plans to compete at every event.
ŠkodaRally Team Italia, which prepares and runs Škoda Rally Team Hungria, is one of the top teams in rallying and, among other activities, also provides support for Škoda UK Motorsport as it contests the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with driver Andreas Mikkelsen.
For further information about the Bukfurdo Rallye visit www.bukfurdorallye.hu.