Various Intercontinental Rally Challenge award winners and series partners were honoured in Paris last night (Thursday) at the annual IRC Awards Ceremony.

During the gala evening, presented by Eurosport Television household name Louise Beckett, Messrs Kohei Obata, Farid Al-Samarrai and David Oliva, representing YOKOHAMA, collected an award offered by the organisers for the continuous support offered to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge by the Japanese tyre manufacturer YOKOHAMA as tyre partner.

IRC drivers' champion Andreas Mikkelsen was among several other star performers from IRC 2012 season in the French capital to collect their silverware in front of 200 guests which included FIA President Jean Todt.

Event promoters from the rounds that made up the 2012 IRC calendar were also recognised for their efforts.

Also during the event, the YOKOHAMA representatives presented an original painting by a German artist of the Subaru STI, driven by Japanese driver Toshi Arai throughout the season on YOKOHAMA tyres, as a token of gratitude for six years of collaboration with IRC.  The painting was presented to Eurosport Events representative Jean Pierre Nicolas.