Franz Wittman, who impressed the Intercontinental Rally Challenge series this year at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX by taking sixth place in the Azores and reaching fifth in Russia, took a new step in his rally career last weekend when he tested a Super 2000-spec Peugeot 207.

The car emerged from the tuning hotbed of German Ronald Leschhorn, who had helped Wittmann's father Franz Sr to his twelfth Championship title in 2001. Now the ROMO Motorsport outfit will help the son in making a crucial career jump.

The first testing rounds showed that the Austrian may very well cut a fine figure racing in the 2010 IRC season at the controls of S2000 machinery. However, last year's national Vice-Champion does not want expectations to rise too high.

"It was only a short test and it is indeed a big change from Mitsubishi to Peugeot," said Wittmann. "But the vehicle suits me and the handling is brilliant. It fits my driving style.

"In a way it is a true rally car: each bolt tells you that it was created for best times!" he enthused.

The baptism of fire will take place at the Rallye Waldviertel on October 30-31, the very event where Franz Wittmann and co-driver Bernhard Ettel secured their Vice-Championship last year in a gripping duel with Kris Rosenberger. The Interwetten Racing Team duo plan to take it a bit more slowly this time.

"Our goal is simply to gather kilometres," Wittmann explained. "That's what you need with this kind of vehicle. It is comparatively easy to reach 80 percent of what's possible but the remaining 20 percent take time and a lot of patience. I'm not putting myself under pressure.

"Luckily, the lion does indeed roar deafeningly but doesn't bite. To us, this assignment is a test," he added. "On the other hand, (that) doesn't mean that we don't want to be successful."