Atkinson Tested Proton Satria Neo S2000 in Wales

While admitting his support for WRC newcomer Ken Block, Australian rally driver Chris Atkinson is closely preparing his return to international rally racing with Proton. According to a report from Autosport, it seems the former member of the Subaru World Rally Team has taken the new Proton Satria Neo S2000 to the roads of Sweet Lamb on Wednesday.

And the test wasn't only for fun, as Proton is currently evaluating its options for their second drive during the 2010 season of the International Rally Challenge (IRC). The team has already selected Alister McRae as full-time driver this year.

“Chris was in the country on Wednesday and we were up testing, it made a lot of sense to put him in the car. We were doing some engine data work (...). It was a good day, we're still looking at a range of drivers (for the second seat), but it was good to have somebody of Chris's experience in the car,” said Proton MEM team principal Chris Mellors.

While Atkinson tested the Satria Neo through the majority of the Wednesday action – as he actually drove an S2000 car for the first time in career – he was not the only rally driver selected by Proton to take part in the mid-Wales testing session.

Welsh teenager Tom Cave – the younger rally driver to ever start a round in the WRC two years ago, during Rally GB, at only 17 years of age – was also present at the test, as he recently secured a deal for driving a Satria machine during selected rounds of this year's IRC. So this was his very first test with his new car for the 2010 season.