Meeke says Monte win not essential
Despite his desire to win next week's Monte Carlo Rally, Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Kris Meeke says he will not risk everything at the start of his title defence
The Peugeot 207 S2000 driver plans to make a final decision on whether or not to push for victory just before going into the final loop of four stages on Friday night. He added that the presence of Mikko Hirvonen, Sebastien Ogier and Stephane Sarrazin made it more difficult to win the event.
"Having three world-class drivers out there with their mind set on nothing but winning the Monte Carlo Rally doesn't make the job any easier," said Meeke. "This is the first round of our championship, but if it doesn't work for those guys and they get a bad result then they go off to Sweden - obviously, apart from Stephane - and start their season there.
"I'll look at what's happening on this rally on Friday going into that final loop. Obviously, this is an event I would dearly love to win, but not at any cost."
Meeke's final test for the Monte Carlo Rally, which starts next Tuesday evening, was affected by the weather, with high winds and heavy snow forcing the Peugeot UK team to abandon its planned test yesterday.
"We were on a road with snow yesterday, but it was too bad," said Meeke. "Today we'd always planned to be on an asphalt road and we're doing that and it's going very well."
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