Since the IRC series has moved from gravel-based events to asphalt roads over the last few rallies, the Peugeot-Belgium-Luxemburg team has shown itself unbeatable over sealed surfaces by taking three consecutive victories – including a pair of one-two results.

This coming week-end, from Friday 12th to Saturday 13th September, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge drivers fighting for the 2008 crown will meet again upon the Spanish asphalt of the Rallye Principe de Asturias, this year's seventh round.

The shakedown will take place this Thursday, allowing team drivers Nicolas Vouilloz and Freddy Loix to add a few finishing touches to the set-ups of their respective Peugeot 207 Super 2000s.

"We have a thing or two to test," simply declared team principal Marc Van Dalen. IRC series leader Vouilloz had more to say.

"I won at Madeira without feeling 100% satisfied with the handling of my car in the longer curves," he related. "Maybe we did too good a job in improving the rear. It's now 'glued' to the ground, which undermines the front."

"There is a balance there that need to be optimized; Freddy and I will test a few small modifications," the Frenchman continued. "If the solution is convincing enough, it will be perfect. If not, we will then have the possibility of opting for the previous settings on the rear suspension."

The Peugeot Belux team is obviously looking at fine-tuning its cars as usual. Freddy Loix, whose morale is still high following his win at the Czech Republic's Barum Rally Zlin a few weeks ago, is not bothering too much with the technical details...

"I'm third in the current IRC standings," stated the Belgian. "In order to better my position and maximize my chances of conquering the title, I don't have a choice: I have to go full-out."

With stages amounting to 250 kilometres overall, the Rallye Principe de Asturias is relatively short in comparison to the previous IRC rounds on asphalt.

"All the more reason to go straight into action," said Loix, while his teammate took a more analytical approach.

"Each stage is used at least twice; a few three times. That leaves us the possibility of adapting our cars and our notes once we discover what the itinerary really has in store for us," Vouilloz concluded.