Eyvind Brynildsen will take Marco Bulacia’s place in the Toksport Škoda team on next week’s Acropolis Rally Greece as Bulacia recovers from injury.
Bulacia finished 11th overall in WRC2 on Ypres Rally Belgium earlier this month, but crashed heavily on Rally Van Staden one week earlier – a warm-up event all the Toksport Škoda drivers entered as practice for Ypres.
While Bulacia was able to complete Ypres, he was in considerable discomfort and will therefore miss the rough gravel of Greece next week.
Bulacia has broken vertebrae, and has been ruled out of competition for the next two months.
But with an entry already lodged, Toksport and Škoda have called upon Brynildsen to compete and help support Andreas Mikkelsen’s bid for a second consecutive WRC2 title.
It marks the second time Brynildsen has been called up to deputise for Bulacia, as Bryndilsen drove on last year’s Arctic Rally Finland (and finished fourth) as visa issues restricted Bolivian driver Bulacia from travelling.
That was Bryndilsen’s last WRC start, but he has been competing in his native Norway this year in a Fabia R5, while he also appeared in Rally of Nations Guanajuato in April.
“First of all I wish Marco all the best in his recovery,” Brynildsen told WRC.com. “I am very humbled and proud to have been given this chance again.
“I have to give a big thanks to Škoda and to Toksport for believing in me. They asked if I could come and of course I said yes – rallying is the best thing you can do with clothes on!
“I am quite sure they have made a good choice and I will do my best to make them proud.”
Acropolis Rally Greece is Mikkelsen’s last event of the WRC2 season. Realistically he needs to win to stand the best chance of defeating Kajetan Kajetanowicz who is 24 points behind but has started two fewer rallies than Mikkelsen, and won’t compete in Greece.
Each WRC2 driver must carry forward their best six scores from seven rallies towards their final championship total.
