Craig Breen says he has no intentions of relinquishing his Circuit of Ireland crown when the iconic race gets under way in Antrim tomorrow.
The 26-year-old is hoping to cement his name in Irish rallying history by defending the race, which begins with the qualifying stage at Antrim Castle Gardens and concludes in Belfast on Saturday evening.
Breen finished eighth in his first team WRC drive at Rally Sweden in his debut for the Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team but the Circuit of Ireland has always held a special place in his heart.
"I desperately want to get the silverware back down to Waterford again and have it up on the mantelpiece for a while"
“It was a childhood dream,” he told 2fm’s Game On programme when reflecting on last year’s success.
“Seeing the likes of Colin McRae and his father Jimmy over the years visiting Waterford, it just grew this reputation in my own mind.
“Now to have the opportunity to put my name on the same piece of silverware was an opportunity that was too good to be missed.
“I wanted to give it everything that was within me.
“When we finally realised that dream last year it was something quite special.”
Breen, who won in a Peugeot 208 T16 last year, switches to an R5 Citroen DS3 to challenge for a second Circuit victory against a line-up which includes reigning European champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz, Alexey Lukyanuk, leader of this year’s ERC series, as well as the leaders of the British and Irish Tarmac championships, Elfyn Evans and Keith Cronin.
With a highly competitive field in place for the event, Breen is under no illusions to the size of the challenge at hand.
“I wouldn’t like to try and pick out one person for fear I could be made a fool out of very quickly. It’s shaping up to be one of the biggest rallies in the year.
“I wouldn’t enter if I didn’t think I could win it.
“I’ve got a very nice programme in the World Championship and I’m thankful for that, but I desperately want to get the silverware back down to Waterford again and have it up on the mantelpiece for a while.
“There’s not many people who have done it two or three times, so that’s my aim.”
For the first time the Circuit of Ireland will be streamed live with coverage from many of the special stages and from the service areas and the Waterford native also believes that the event, which is part of the European, British and Irish Tarmac championships, will showcase the best of Irish rallying on a global stage.
“Over the last couple of year, the first few Circuit of Irelands have been a bit of a financial thing and political thing and the rallies have been based around where it has been financially viable,” he added.
“Whereas this year I really feel the world and the viewers, and even the competitors from far afield, are really going to get a taste for what Irish rallying is all about.”
