Procar, JAS take Honda back to IRC.

The new Honda Civic Type R R3 will take part in the remainder of the 2008 Intercontinental Rally Challenge following an agreement between well-known Italian team Procar and JAS Motorsport.

The Civic Type R R3 competed on all the European rounds of the IRC last year, with an best result of fifth overall on the Rallye du Valais in Switzerland, and returns to the new class for production-based two-wheel drive cars with two-litre engines. The machine has been designed to a blueprint for rallying's future set out by the sport's governing body, the FIA.

Alessandro Bettega will drive the Mugen-engined Civic for the remainder of the season, beginning on the Rally of Ypres over 27-28 June, and will bring to bear his experience with various different rally cars.

"We are really happy to see the new Honda Civic challenging for the two-wheel ...