Nicolas Vouilloz is targeting a top three finish in this year's Intercontinental Rally Challenge, even though he has accepted that he can no longer defend the title he won for the first time last season.

The Peugeot Belgium-Luxemburg driver has endured a frustrating campaign behind the wheel of his Kronos Racing-prepared 207 Super 2000. However, with two events remaining, he is seven points behind team-mate Freddy Loix who is currently third in the drivers' standings.

Vouilloz finished third on the recent Rally Principe de Asturias in Spain, a result that could be crucial if he is to achieve his aim of finishing the 2009 IRC season in the top three.

"It would have been better to have finished second and not third but I still can be on the podium in the championship and that's what I'm trying to achieve," said the 33-year-old Frenchman.

"I was pleased with my speed in Spain and I hope that will continue when we go to Sanremo, where I finished second last year," he added.

The Italian round begins this Friday evevning.