Kris Meeke proved his critics wrong with a commanding Intercontinental Rally Challenge title this year. AUTOSPORT recounts how he did it

Kris Meeke was among the best-known drivers in the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge line-up, but was definitely not the title favourite going into the season. A reputation for inconsistency preceded the Peugeot driver, and the rival Skoda Fabia was regarded as the Super 2000 benchmark.

But although Meeke started the year with a huge crash in Monte Carlo, after that he was pretty much unstoppable. Five on-the-road wins in the other eight rallies he contested proved his class, and despite a late challenge from Skoda's Jan Kopecky, Meeke was able to wrap up the title with one round to spare.

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