PR: Duval replaces JB Dubourg for Latvia!

Former FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) front-runner, Francois Duval, who scored victory in the 2005 Rally of Australia, will take to the circuit in Riga this weekend driving the Team DA Racing-Eurodatacar Peugeot 208 usually campaigned by Jean-Baptiste Dubourg in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

The Latvian event is also the scene of the final FIA European Rallycross Championship round, where Andréa Dubourg will compete. A driver often makes important decisions, as Jean-Baptiste Dubourg knows well. The DA RacingEurodatacar rallycross driver has made the decision to stay with his partner, Adeline, instead of travelling to Latvia, as she awaits a happy event in the coming days. 

With incredible experience in rallying and a remarkable track record in European and World Rallycross, Francois Duval is the ideal man to replace “JB” for the event. Having already raced at Mettet in Belgium – the fourth round of World RX – in May, Duval will find opposition he knows well this weekend. The Belgian driver will put to use his qualities as a rally man to quickly tame the Riga circuit and his Supercar, without a pre-event test. Having finished 15th in Belgium, Francois knows a place in the semi-finals is within his reach. 

Andréa Dubourg has been competing in his first full season of Euro RX with the DA Racing-Eurodatacar DS3 Supercar. Having regularly set good times which placed him amongst the fastest drivers, Andrea has also had to deal with a number of mechanical problems. The last round of the Championship in Riga is the ideal opportunity for the Girondin driver to finish the season on a high with the increasingly competitive DS 3 WRX. But, in order to do that Andrea will have to quickly find his feet on one of the most beautiful tracks of the year. 

FRANÇOIS DUVAL, TEAM DA RACING-EURODATACAR DRIVER 208 WRX #67 WORLD RX

“I want to thank the Dubourg family, and especially Dominique, for thinking of me for this round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Jean-Baptiste, who was supposed to race in the full season, understandably needs to stay in France, so his seat was vacant. When I received the proposal, I did not hesitate for a second. I haven’t had the opportunity to carry out a single meter of testing with the car and I need to learn a new circuit too. But, this shouldn’t penalise me too much I don’t think. DA RacingEurodatacar is a private team that is taking on the factory teams, it’s a little bit like David against Goliath, but the challenge is very exciting. I hope the weather conditions will be changeable, which will level the difference in power of the cars. It’s difficult to set an exact target, but I will do everything to give the maximum I can, to thank the Dubourg family and all of the DA Racing-Eurodatacar Team for their confidence in me.”