MOTOR SPORT: Ralph Firman and A1 Team Ireland must get it all together for that overdue first victory in the World Cup of Motorsport which resumes on Sunday in Durban, South Africa, after a five-week break. Over the next five rounds, potential Irish sponsors and fans want positive results, not another sorry saga of enforced errors both on the track and in the pit stops.
Ireland, on 37 points, linger in seventh spot in the championship, a long way behind leaders France (106 points), Switzerland (75) and Brazil (60). Alexandre Premat takes over from the very successful Nicolas Lapierre in the French team.
No doubt all eyes will be firmly focused on 22-year-old Cape Town driver Stephen Simpson who gave South Africa a tremendous boost with third place in Dubai. The two South African races will be held on a challenging Monaco-style street circuit in Durban.
The Irish rally season gets into gear with Sunday's Crover House Hotel-sponsored stage event in Co Cavan.
Meanwhile, Frank Fennell competes in the Winter Trial Rally which starts Sunday in Valkenburg, Holland and visits Germany, Austria and Croatia before finishing a week later in Salzburg.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Sunday - Castle MC, Stage Rally, Mountnugent, Co Cavan (10am).
