UK Pirelli Star Driver Final - 20-21 Oct 10

Evans wins Pirelli Star Driver shootout

Posted: October 22, 2010 5:14 PM

After two days of competition, rising Welsh youngster Elfyn Evans emerged as the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship’s 2010 Pirelli Star Driver.

He and the other eight finalists were assessed on their pace-note making and media skills as well as the all-important driving element, each driving a TEG Sport run Subaru Impreza and Renault Sport-supplied Twingo R2 over two separate gravel special stages.

The four judges were unanimous in their decision, Pirelli UK’s Motorsport Manager Martin Pallot, former World Rally Champion co-driver Phil Mills, former Suzuki Junior World Rally Team Manager Risto Laine and BRC Manager Mark Taylor concluding that Evans had displayed all of the qualities required of a Pirelli Star Driver.

The prize of a drive in a TEG Sport Impreza in the 2011 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship will enable Evans to progress in the sport, having already won both the 2010 Fiesta SportTrophy and British Junior Rally Championship.

After the announcement was made, a delighted Evans said,
“This is a fantastic opportunity for me to move into a four wheel drive car next year. I’d like to thank Pirelli for such a great prize and I will put all my efforts into making it work.”

Martin Pallot commented,
“The quality of the finalists has been excellent this year and every one of the drivers should consider themselves winners. Having qualified, each finalist has displayed real talent and should be proud of their performance, but only one driver can take the prize and we look forward to working with Elfyn next year.”

IRISH RALLY DRIVERS FOR PIRELLI CHAMPIONSHIP SHOOT-OUTS

Posted: October 19, 2010 8:23 PM

The next five days will be crucial for the careers of three promising young Irish rally drivers. The three are among the nine who have qualified for the shoot-out to decide which of them will receive a funded drive with Pirelli in the 2011 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship.

The nine drivers, three from the Republic of Ireland, two each from Finland and Northern Ireland, and single representatives from England and Wales, are undergoing a thorough two day assessment of their skills at a location in Wales, with the winner receiving a drive in a Subaru Impreza run by the title winning TEG Sport team in all seven rounds of the 2011 British series.

20 year-old Craig Breen from Waterford, the reigning Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year and Billy Coleman Award winner; Daniel McKenna (23) from Scotshouse, Co Monaghan, and Dubliner Robert Barrable (23) are the three qualifiers from the Republic.

For Breen, who has already shown his abilities by taking his first International victory in this year’s Rally NI, this is the first part of a hectic week which will see him leave the Welsh venue immediately the shoot-out finishes on Thursday, to catch a flight to Spain, where he is one of sixteen young drivers competing for up to six fully funded drives on selected rounds of next year’s FIA World Rally Championship.

The Pirelli Star Driver Shoot-out takes place at Porta Aventura in conjunction with Rally Catalunya, the Spanish round of the WRC, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday next, October 22-24.

The name of the successful driver in the British shoot-out will be announced on Thursday while the six fortunate winners from Spain are expected to be known on Sunday evening.

Note: Twelve months ago, Corkman Keith Cronin, the 2007 Billy Coleman Award winner, who won the 2009 British Championship, was the winner of the British shoot-out, which led to him taking his second title in succession this year.

Craig Breen Rallying: UK Pirelli Star Driver Shootout Final Event Preview

Posted: October 16, 2010 10:32 PM

Craig’s season reaches a vital stage next weekend as he takes part in the UK Pirelli Star Driver Final. His inclusion in the final comes from Craig’s outstanding performance in the Jim Clark International Rally; Craig was leading the rally heading into the final stages when engine failure prematurely ended his charge but his drive to that point was rewarded with been announced the Pirelli Star Driver for the event and his nomination for the final next weekend.

The final shootout will be based in the Sweetlamb Rally Complex and is spread out over three days of competition, including testing driving, pace-note making and media skills as well as a basic fitness test and the all-important final interview.

Craig is one of nine finalists with one driver being selected from each of the six BRC championship rounds, with the winning Junior from Citroën Racing and Fiesta Sport Trophies as well as Swift Sport Cup and the overall Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge.

For the first time two separate stages will be used in the shootout, which the crews will not have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with, apart from on the two low speed reconnaissance passes of the gravel stages. All nine will, however, be given some time in both the front wheel drive and four wheel drive cars to get used to the unfamiliar vehicles.

This week Pirelli announced The victorious driver will take the wheel of a TEG Sport run Subaru Impreza on each of the seven rounds of the 2011 championship.
“I predict that the standard in the final will be the best so far,” explained Pirelli’s Martin Pallot, we decided to take an option to continue with TEG Sport for a third year, I think the team’s professionalism and the car’s reliability, coupled with the 2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship driver’s title, proves that they can build and run a car to the very highest standard. Exactly what is needed for the eventual 2010 Pirelli Star Driver winner.”

UK Pirelli Star Driver prize announced

Posted: October 16, 2010 10:30 PM

Ahead of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship’s Pirelli Star Driver shootout next week, Pirelli can now confirm the prize for the eventual winner of this prestigious competition.

The victorious driver will take the wheel of a TEG Sport run Subaru Impreza on each of the seven rounds of the 2011 championship, a prize that netted reigning champion Keith Cronin his second British title in this, his Pirelli Star Driver year.

Arguably the best prize in European rallying, Pirelli has committed to spend a six figure sum providing a four wheel drive car for the fourth straight season, citing the high quality of finalists as part of the reason for such a valuable prize.

“I predict that the standard in the final will be the best so far,” explained Pirelli’s Martin Pallot, “and after Keith used the prize to take a championship title this year, we decided to take an option to continue with TEG Sport for a third year.”

“I think the team’s professionalism and the car’s reliability, coupled with the 2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship driver’s title, proves that they can build and run a car to the very highest standard. Exactly what is needed for the eventual 2010 Pirelli Star Driver winner.”

The victor will be announced next Thursday (21st October) after a tough two day competition at an undisclosed location in the UK.

Nine Finalists

Posted: October 16, 2010 10:28 PM

• Elfyn Evans – International Rally North Wales & Fiesta SportTrophy Junior winner
• Mikko Pajunen – Pirelli International Rally
• Craig Breen – Jim Clark International Rally
• Jarkko Nikara – International Rally Isle of Man
• Daniel McKenna – Toddsleap.com Rally NI
• Alastair Fisher – International Rally Yorkshire
• Jonny Greer – Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge winner
• Robert Barrable – Citroën Racing Trophy Junior winner
• Tom Clark – Swift Sport Cup Junior winner