Wales Rally GB WRC (P) - 5-7 Dec 08

Flodin wins, but Wilks and Mitsubishi are crowned British Champions

Posted: December 9, 2008 5:23 PM

At the final control of Wales Rally GB, the final round of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, Guy Wilks [AUDIO] was delighted to not only take his second consecutive BRC title, but with team mate Gwyndaf Evans [AUDIO] third, Mitsubishi Motors UK also retake their MSA British Teams’ title. [AUDIO]  

The event winner, Patrik Flodin had his eye firmly on a win in the Production World Rally Championship category, but since he registered for the BRC back in April, he takes maximum points on round seven. [AUDIO]  

Perhaps more importantly for the young Swede, he takes the nomination for the coveted Pirelli Star Driver shootout on Rally GB, the eventual winner taking a fully funded drive in the 2008 BRC.  

Jason Pritchard put in a stunning drive to fourth place in the points, as well as securing the Citroën C2R2 overall and Junior Cups. The Junior win adds his name to the Pirelli Star Driver final too and with the overall title comes a Citroën C2R2 Max kit worth around €34k. [AUDIO]  

David Higgins finished fifth in the Team TQ.com Subaru after an off on Saturday caused him to use Super Rally to continue, but his team-mate Hugh Evans had an engine failure on the very last stage, galling for the team boss.  

Gordon Nichol won the Rally 1 class in the sole Suzuki Swift in the event, an astounding feat as he lost his job in the run-up, but the whole team rallied round to get him to the finish unscathed. [AUDIO]  

Andrew Hockridge was runner up in the Rally 2 behind Pritchard, needing his fellow Welshman to retire to secure the Championship. Nathan O’Connor sadly retired his C2 on the penultimate stage after a spirited drive on his second BRC event of the year.  

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British Rally Championship

Wilks and Mitsubishi win British Rally Championship for second year running

Posted: December 9, 2008 5:11 PM

This year’s Wales Rally GB provided the perfect outcome for the Mitsubishi Motors UK Works Rally Team, when Guy Wilks became British Rally Champion for the second season in a row and Mitsubishi retained its British Team’s Championship crown.

Co-driven by Phil Pugh, Wilks drove a faultless rally, taking his third Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship win of the season in the process. Team mates Gwyndaf Evans and Gareth Roberts - who was partnering the experienced Welshman for the first time - also drove an excellent rally to ensure a two-car finish, which enabled Mitsubishi to achieve what it had set out to do since the start of the year: to win the Driver’s and Team’s titles.

The 15th and final round of this year’s World Rally Championship also hosted the last two rounds of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship. Following the ceremonial start in Cardiff on Thursday evening, Friday’s eight stages in the forests of mid and south Wales formed round six of the BRC, whilst the following seven on Saturday and four on Sunday constituted round seven.

With brothers Mark and David Higgins on 78 points and Wilks on 76, following round five in Yorkshire, the scene was set for the battle to win the British Driver’s title – plus, with just a three points gap at the top of the table - the British Team’s title as well.

The sub-zero temperatures during the week leading up to the event meant that many of the forestry roads were covered with a layer of ice, the conditions forcing organisers to cancel stage one and its later re-run as stage four. They also shortened stages two, three, five and six, which meant the day’s competitive distance was reduced from 124 to less than 50 kilometres.

Straight out of the box, Evans was the fastest British Championship and overall Group N runner, catching the others napping by setting a time three seconds faster than Mark Higgins, who was just 0.3 seconds ahead of Wilks. However, the conditions were far from ideal, with competitors reporting the stages punctuated with undetectable patches of ice.

The first of the BRC drivers to be caught out by the lack of grip was Mark Higgins, who went off the road in SS3, the second stage of the day and damaged his Subaru too badly to continue. Evans was slowed when he caught a car ahead of him, which meant that when cars entered the remote service halt, Wilks was 25 seconds ahead of his team-mate and the two works Mitsubishi’s were now first and second.

With hardly any improvement in the conditions, crews embarked on a second run of the two previous stages. Wilks was now in the zone and began to increase his lead in both the British and Production World Rally Championship standings, but for Evans it was a different story. With the ford in Myherin now much deeper for SS6 than it was the first time through for SS3, the water found its way onto his car’s electrics and it was only after some enthusiastic pushing that he was able to get going, albeit with three minutes lost.

Following good runs through the final two stages in Walters Arena, Wilks arrived for the overnight halt in Swansea 30 seconds ahead of Patrik Flodin in second and nearly a minute ahead of David Higgins in third and Evans in fourth.

With his third victory of the season now in the bag, Wilks was a step closer to his second driver’s title and consequently Mitsubishi were on target to retain the team’s trophy. As it turned out, Mitsubishi’s position was improved for the first of Saturday’s seven stages. After his team had repaired the car - and re-starting under SuperRally regulations - Mark Higgins suffered a deja-vu moment and went off on the ice again, but this time it was terminal.

This immediately took the pressure off Wilks, who was now almost guaranteed his second successive British title. And then, on the very next stage, Mitsubishi’s retention of the team’s title also became more likely when David Higgins suffered a similar fate to that of his brother.

But it was not plain sailing for the incumbent 2008 champion, when a loose intercooler pipe in stage 10 slowed his progress, allowing Flodin and Evans to get ahead. However, it was not the last of Wilks’ delays: a spongy brake pedal in SS12 meant he was a minute late booking into SS13 - having had to bleed the brakes at the side of the road - and then, just a mile from the end of SS14, a shaft broke in his cars transmission.

Now with just two wheel-drive, he set off on the long road section to and from Cardiff for the spectator stage in the Millennium Stadium where the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for his team-mate, Evans’ home crowd delighted to see their local hero set fastest BRC and second-fastest PWRC time in the stadium. Following this stage, the team were relieved to see Wilks car drive into the Swansea service park on Saturday night, where the engineers proceeded to change the gearbox well within the 45 minutes of allocated time.

Although only two runs of two stages in the south-Wales forests remained for Sunday, there was still 96 kilometres left to go and both Mitsubishi drivers were instructed to bring their cars home to confirm the two British titles. Again, the freezing overnight temperatures meant that this was going to be no easy task.

With the concentration clearly seen on their faces, Wilks and Evans kept their nerve in the intermittently slippery conditions and, without putting a foot wrong, came through the first pair of stages without a hitch and proceeded to do exactly the same on the second.

The Mitsubishi team were therefore delighted when both cars crossed the finish line in Cardiff, confirming that Guy Wilks was British Champion Driver for the second time and Mitsubishi the British Team’s Champions for the third. Although only competing on four of the season’s seven rounds, Evans concluded his season by finishing fourth in the BRC driver’s standings.

The team’s two Lancer Evolution IXs are built by Chesterfield-based ADR Motorsport, who also provide the on-event technical support. The team is sponsored by Lovell Group and Virgin Money, together with its technical partners: HKS, Sparco, Speedline Corse, PIAA and Ricardo.

Team quotes

Guy Wilks
“After the season all of us in the team have had it’s great to have come out on top for the second year running. It’s proved harder to defend the title than to win it for the first time as there’s the weight of expectation on your shoulders, which makes this result even sweeter. Everyone in the team pulled together to achieve the result this weekend and I have to admit that it’s fantastic to be a double British Champion.” 

Gwyndaf Evans
“I am so pleased for the team. Since I joined Mitsubishi in the middle of the year there was a massive job to do and I’m delighted that we’ve done it. The Rally GB is always a tough event but our task was made even more difficult because of the conditions, which makes the achievement even more satisfying.”

Paul Brigden – Team Principal
“I am absolutely delighted with the result. It’s exactly what we set out to achieve at the start of the year. Although we’ve had to make some tough decisions during the season I believe that our actions have been vindicated by our performance this weekend. The whole team has worked very hard to make this happen and I have to thank them for such a fantastic effort.”

O’Mahony and Higgins have unfortunate end to season but still win titles

Posted: December 9, 2008 5:05 PM

Irish crew Brian O’Mahony and John Higgins had an unfortunate end to their British Rally Championship (BRC) season as they finished round six by superally and failed to start the final round on this weekend’s Wales Rally GB (4-7 December).

County Cork driver O’Mahony and County Mayo co-driver Higgins were contesting the 230-mile Cardiff-based event for the first time in their OM Concrete Products and MIS-backed Super 1600 Renault Clio with it counting for the final two rounds of the BRC.

Round six started on Friday and they set off cautiously on the opening two stages across the unknown gravel roads before beginning to push on the third test but an overshoot cost them some time.

Disaster then struck on the fourth stage when the engine blew after passing through the water splash and their event was ended prematurely.

They were classified in the BRC at the end of Friday under superally rules with 15 minutes worth of penalties – 5 minutes for each of the three stages they missed – and finished as the 12th crew in the series.

The damage to the Clio was terminal and it meant that they were unable to start the seventh and final round of the championship on Saturday.

But despite the disappointment the weekend brought, both O’Mahony and Higgins came away with titles in the BRC.

O’Mahony won the British Junior Rally Championship and finished joint eighth overall in the drivers’ standings whilst Higgins claimed the class Rally 3 co-drivers’ crown and was eighth in the overall co-drivers’ points.

“We’re really gutted that we finished under superally and then couldn’t start the last round due to the engine failure,” 24-year-old O’Mahony said. “It means I’ve missed out on the class drivers’ honours and both of us on the Privateers Cup.

“I’m pleased, however, to have won the Junior Championship, that’s a great award to have and a good way to end what’s been a mixed year.

“The water splash seemed to be deeper the second time through it which caught us out and just killed the engine.

“It’s a shame we didn’t get further on our first time on Wales Rally GB but the stages didn’t seem too bad although they had cut up quite a lot.”

The event was the final one of the year for O’Mahony and Higgins and they have yet to finalise their plans for the 2009 season.

Emre emerges Champion after fantastic Fiesta finale

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:57 PM

The 2008 Ford Fiesta SportingTrophy International series has been won by Emre Yurdakul at this weekend’s Wales Rally GB.  

Yurdakul (25) from Turkey and his co-driver Can Erkal (24) started the event with a one point lead in the championship and sealed victory with a Rally GB win making it four wins in a row for the young Turk. Yurdakul is the third driver to be crowned as FSTi champion and is the third different nationality as the one-make championship continues to grow from strength to strength. Apart from a small off on SS11 and a few spins the youngster drove superbly to the title victory.  

Castrol Ford Team Türkiye team-mates Burcu Çetinkaya (27) from Turkey and co-driver Çiçek Güney (26) put in a gallant effort as they too fought for championship honours, but their second place finish put them just short of the top spot. It was shaping up to be a fierce battle until a heavy impact on SS6 saw Çetinkaya hole the sump of her Ford Fiesta ST with the oil subsequently catching fire. Fortunately though, her team of technicians did a fantastic job to repair the car and have her back out for the final two days under SupeRally regulations.  

Joint third overall in the 2008 FSTi series with Joachim Muller-Wende is fellow countrymen Koray Muratoğlu (30) and co-driver Caglar Suren. Regrettably, the pair did not complete the majority of the event after being involved in a collision with another vehicle on a non-competitive liaison section between SS2 (Sweet Lamb) and SS3 (Myherin). The pair sustained non-life-threatening injuries but Muratoğlu was taken to Bronglas Hospital in Aberystwyth and Suren to Princess Royal Hospital in Shrewsbury. The team remain at the hospital with both competitors and further information on their condition will be issued in due course when more news becomes available.  

Joint third overall in the FSTi series this year is Joachim Muller-Wende who unfortunately had to withdraw from the event at the last minute due to business commitments. After a great year full of top results he hopes to return to the FSTi championship in 2009.  

Denis Grodetskiy (33) from Russia also lucked out to treacherous weather conditions on the opening day, breaking a cross shaft on SS3. His team did a splendid job to have the Fiesta ST fixed in time for overnight Parc Fermé, but the Russian decided not to continue due to illness and withdrew from the event.  

Newcomer to the FSTi series was FST Italy champion Marko Jeram and co-driver Simon Lapajne who contested the event as a prize for winning the Italian series. Unfortunately, the luck of SS6 struck again as he was forced to retire with a broken gearbox mount after setting some impressive stage times. Despite an effort to fix the car overnight, the time window closed and the youngster was forced to retire from the event.  

Brit Tom Walster (22) were due to contest the event but were excluded on 4 December due to a reconnaissance infringement. After running late the pair were 20 minutes outside the scheduled reconnaissance time for SS3/6 and were therefore excluded for breaching articles 8.1 and 8.2.1 of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship Sporting Regulations.      

Thanks to Round 6 FSTi sponsors Beta, both Yurdakul and Çetinkaya will receive brand new Beta tool kits as the top-two placed finishers. Rally Travel - official championship travel partner – also presented Yurdakul a credit-crunching prize of £500 in the form of vouchers towards travel arrangements for use on any 2009 FSTi events, as the 2008 FSTi series winner. Rally Travel has been a partner of FSTi for the past three seasons and supported competitors by providing competitive deals on accommodation and other travel services such as bespoke spectator packages for team guests, family and friends.  

The Pirelli tyre has again proved a winner for the Fiesta ST GpN with only minimal reports on punctures and tyre wear despite the rough and rugged terrain thrown at these competitors running down the order.  

This Tuesday and Wednesday will also see the third annual FST International Shootout and it has been announced that Finnish sensation Jarkko Nikara will be entered as the FSTi series wildcard for a chance of winning one full year’s work at M-Sport with the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.  

2008 FSTi Champion Emre Yurdakul (25) from Turkey said:
“This is a very satisfying achievement for me because I have desired it for the whole season. After the first day, I just focused on finishing the rally because I had a very big gap to Burcu [Cetinkaya]. But it was not that easy because the conditions were very hard, I was thinking of our team-mates' [Koray Muratoglu and Caglar Suren] situation and Can [Erkal] and I both were fighting with the flu. The rally was harder than last year's Rally GB. I have to thank to my family, Can, my friends and mechanics for their support in the whole season and, of course, I have to thank to Castrol, Ford and our Teknik Motorspor team manager Serdar Bostanci for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Now I am looking forward to the FST Shootout and especially the test session with Marcus Grönholm in a Focus WRC after the Shootout.”  

2008 standings after Wales Rally GB
      Total 1 Emre YURDAKUL 48
2 Burcu CETINKAYA 45
3= Koray MURGATOGLU 14
3= Joachim MÜLLER-WENDE 14
5= Vytautas BARANAUSKAS 10
5= Richard MOORE 10
7 Teemu HORKAMA 6
8= Phillippe MAERTENS 4
8= Atte ALANEN 4
- Denis GRODETSKIY 0
- Jarkko NIKARA 0
- Anthony MARTIN 0
- Tim VANPARIJS 0
- Marko JERAM -
- Tom WALSTER

P-WRC GB Round-up

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:53 PM

P-WRC GB Round-up

PEREZ SECURES TOP TWENTY PLACE ON WALES RALLY GB

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:50 PM

Kick Energy rally driver Steve Perez had by no means an easy final day of Wales Rally GB but despite his problems, he secured an all-important top twenty placing on Britain's round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Along with Welsh co-driver Paul Spooner, the pair started out at dawn today in 21st place but on the opening two stages in Rheola and Port Talbot, the Ford Focus WRC 05 suffered from low oil pressure meaning that the former British National and Historic Champion had to back off as well in order to preserve the car but still set 24th fastest times in both stages to move up to 19th place overall.

Nursing the car back to Swansea service whereby repairs were effected, Perez went into the penultimate stage of Rheola 2 hoping to charge further up the leaderboard but a puncture scuppered any chances, followed by a hefty collision with a bank, meaning he dropped a place to 20th overall.

However, the Chesterfield driver pulled out all the stops in the final 20km Port Talbot 2 stage to set 20th fastest time and in doing so, climbed up to 19th place overall after the tough three day event.

Steve Perez: "To just get to the finish is a major achievement given this is one of the toughest rallies I have ever done. The ice, snow and fog made the going treacherous so I'm doubly delighted to achieve a top twenty finish on a World Championship event with very few top name retirements. The problems today really cost us a place and 18th would have been fantastic but I'm pleased with 19th which is what we set out for. The car has been sideways more than it's been facing forward on this rally!"

Paul Spooner: "It was a difficult rally and well done to Steve for bringing the car home in 19th place. It reminded me of Rally GB in 1996 when it was very icy and snowed a lot then and a lot of people have been saying just how tough it has been this year. We gave the bank a fair old clout towards the end and I'm glad it didn't do too much damage but it's fantastic to get to the finish."

The rally was won in dramatic fashion by Frenchman Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) who overtook Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala on the very last stage to win by just 12.7 seconds after the three day event.

Convincing class win for Tom Cave on WRC debut

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:49 PM

Tom Cave, the 17 year-old who became the youngest driver to compete on Wales Rally GB, this afternoon recorded a convincing class win on his first event in the FIA World Rally Championship. Cave and co-driver Gemma Price reached the finish ramp of the event in Cardiff in 30th place overall, with a class lead of almost 15 minutes and additionally, were the second two wheel-drive car to finish the event outright.

The third and final day of the WRC season finale was again cold and clear, with temperatures hovering around freezing. However, with a class lead of almost 12 minutes after the second day, Tom knew that there was no reason to push on the last day and adopting a steady pace, as he had done for the first two days, was the best approach to ensure what would be a fantastic result.

As it transpired, this was exactly the approach to take. While conditions on the final day were not as bad as the first two, they still required a considerable amount of care to avoid any punishing mistakes. Tom and Gemma suffered several lock-ups on the way to their result but none that threatened their dominating class lead, which they held from the event’s first stage.

Speaking from the finish ramp outside City Hall in Cardiff, Tom said; “This is an absolutely fantastic result, for me, Gemma and the team. I’m over the moon to finish my first WRC event, particularly as it’s my home round but to do that and win our class is an unexpected bonus. Everything seems to have worked perfectly for us this weekend; the car performed without fault, the Yokohama tyres were excellent and I really could not have asked for more.

“There was a lot of black ice on the final four stages and this gave us a few heart-stopping moments here and there. But again, we found a good pace and rhythm for the stages that we felt would get us to the end, stuck to that pace and achieved what we set out to do.

“Before the event, I said I just wanted to finish but deep in my heart, I secretly hoped we might be able to get close to the class top three and perhaps to top 70 overall. I couldn’t have dreamed that we would win the class and be in the top 30 of the event outright. The result really surprised me but it’s unbelievably encouraging to see what we are capable of, as a team.

“The reaction to us here this weekend has been absolutely amazing. There was a lot of media interest around me passing my driving test and becoming the youngest driver ever to do the event but more encouraging than that was the reaction from the other crews, the marshals and of course, the fans. It began at the ceremonial start on Thursday evening and everywhere we went, people were wishing us luck. I’ve been asked to autograph service passes, programmes and jackets this weekend and almost every marshal we’re spoken to had the same advice – “Keep it on the island, son…”.

Just as important to Tom and Gemma as the support from the rally community has been that of the various people who made their record entry to the event possible. “There are so many people I need to thank for this opportunity,” said Tom. “My father has been the inspiration for my rallying and ultimately, has given me this chance while my mum and my sister have both been behind me all the way. Gemma’s support and experience have been invaluable, both in Latvia and of course, here this weekend and the help that Martin [Rowe, former Production car World Rally Champion] has given us also contributed to our success.

“I also have to thank the m3motorsport team for making sure the car ran without a fault this weekend and Yokohama for providing us with exactly the tyres we needed for the conditions, as well as technical support throughout the event. And of course, I have to say an enormous thanks to the Latvian Automobile Federation, whose support ultimately led to my International Rally license and two years of experience, both of which were essential in this weekend’s result.”

Commenting on the weekend’s result, Martin Rowe said: “This is an amazing result from Tom. The conditions have been extremely tricky and the only way to achieve a result was to drive carefully and use every ounce of understanding. Tom’s approach to the event was mature and showed experience and skill that far outweigh his time in a rally car so far. I thought he would do well but like him, I didn’t expect it to be quite this good.”

Latvala second for Ford in Britain as Hirvonen creates history

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:48 PM

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished second on Wales Rally GB today after a titanic final day battle. The Finns led for most of this 15th and final round of the FIA World Rally Championship in their Focus RS World Rally Car. However, their slender lead disappeared during a thrilling final loop of competition that ended with just 12.7sec splitting Ford's rising young star and established master Sébastien Loeb.

Team-mates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished eighth in their Focus RS WRC and created a slice of history. The single point ensured they became the first drivers ever to score points on every round of the championship. This remarkable achievement added to Ford's record-breaking season. The Blue Oval became the first manufacturer in history to score points on 100 consecutive rounds in Turkey in July and Latvala became the youngest driver to win a WRC round in Sweden in February.

Treacherous conditions in the forests of mid and south Wales made this one of the hardest rallies of the season. Ice and snow forced organisers to cancel much of Friday's opening leg and wintery conditions continued to provide a stern challenge throughout the weekend. The scheduled 348.99km route was reduced to 275.01km as two of the 19 speed tests were cancelled and four others shortened.

Latvala moved to the front on Friday afternoon and withstood a fierce challenge from Loeb during yesterday's second leg. They started today split by just 7.3sec and that was reduced to 1.4sec after the first of two identical loops of two special stages in the Vale of Neath. Loeb incurred a 10sec penalty for a jump start on the penultimate stage and the final test began with Latvala leading by 2.2sec. However, the 23-year-old 'young pretender' could not hold off the Frenchman and the margin at the finish was 2.7sec, later increased to 12.7sec when Loeb's penalty was removed.

"I couldn't have driven that final stage any quicker," said Latvala. "I told myself I would be either first or second, and not waiting in the forest for a trailer to come and collect the wreckage. I'm disappointed but this is my best finish in Britain and the battle has made me mentally stronger. I now feel ready to start next season and fight for the title. I need to be better than the best because it's the winner who is remembered, not the driver who finishes second.

"The roads were frozen solid today and the grip changed all the time. It was hard to find a rhythm and I hit a bank on the opening stage. I took quite a few risks this morning and at times it was a scary drive," added Latvala, who won five tests and finished fourth in the championship.

Hirvonen spent most of the weekend recovering from a near-four minute time loss after rolling his Focus RS WRC on Friday. The 28-year-old, already assured of second in the championship before the start, climbed back into a points position this morning to seal his place in the record books.

"There was more ice than yesterday and when the sun came up it polished the surface. I had two or three close escapes but that's acceptable in these unpredictable conditions. I want to thank the whole team for helping me to second in the championship. I've had no major mechanical problems this season thanks to such a reliable car and the team has done a fantastic job. To claim this scoring record is a great achievement and I want to move into next year and challenge for the title again. I feel stronger after this season and more ready to fight for the world title again," said Hirvonen.

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr finished 16th in another Focus RS WRC. "Just finishing this event feels like a victory! This is without doubt the hardest WRC event I have ever taken part in. Just finding the necessary grip to feel confident in the car was near impossible and it means a lot to me to have reached the finish," said Al Qassimi.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team director Malcolm Wilson said: "It was an incredible performance by Jari-Matti against a five-time world champion. He was under severe pressure and he's made a big step in his career path with a performance that is good for his confidence. Mikko recovered well and has enjoyed a fantastic year. It's a great achievement to score points on every rally."

Ford of Europe motorsport director Mark Deans added: "We're disappointed not to win a third consecutive manufacturers' title after taking the battle down to the final round. But the Focus RS WRC proved its ability once more here with five cars in the top 10, and we look forward to renewing our challenge for title again in 2009."

News from our Rivals

Victory for Sébastien Loeb (Citroen), his 11th of the season, and third for team-mate Dani Sordo gave the French squad the manufacturers' title. Petter Solberg (Subaru) claimed fourth while fifth for Per-Gunnar Andersson (Suzuki) equalled his team's best result. Stobart driver François Duval (Ford) claimed sixth after team-mate Henning Solberg retired with broken suspension in the penultimate test.

Rossi rewarded for perfect partnership with Stobart

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:46 PM

Wales Rally GB has seen a relationship blossom this weekend between MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi and the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team. When the two-wheeled champion made the decision to contest the final round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship the Stobart squad were more than happy to accommodate and help his cause to raise funds for the Children in Need charity.  

Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler and COO William Stobart were delighted with the presence of the six-time MotoGP champion and the atmosphere he generated around the team’s service area and indeed the entire event.  

“The Stobart team has done a great job here on our home event. I am really pleased that Valentino came to drive one of our cars and we have both worked extremely well together; he is a fantastic draw for fans and spectators and we have had a massive interest in the team. Some of his splits and stage times have been really impressive.  

“Valentino’s run here has really raised the global and national media exposure for both the team and Stobart Group. To have the support of a motorsport legend for our home event is a real boost and is something really special to end off a great year in business for Stobart Group and a great year in motorsport for our rally team.” said Tinkler.  

Rossi also generated a phenomenal amount of publicity and media coverage and ramped up the global exposure the team already achieve through the World Rally Championship.  

Fans too greatly enjoyed the presence of the champ who was more than happy to meet his supporters in Great Britain. The Italian thoroughly enjoyed his time with the entire Ford family and his time behind the wheel of the Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC.  

“We have had a great time here with the Stobart team and everyone has worked fantastically well together,” commented Rossi. “I have really enjoyed this rally, especially when we got some fast times today and hopefully we will get a chance to work again together with Stobart.”  

Rossi was also awarded the Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally award today. The fact he entered one of the calendar’s toughest WRC rounds and put his reputation on the line speaks volumes for the man and the entire WRC family. To come out with such a highly commendable finish shows his unique natural ability. The Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally award recognises parties demonstrating the same values that the UAE capital stands for: respect, innovation, integrity and teamwork. It also acknowledges a positive contribution to the WRC by any of the myriad of parties involved in the sport.  

“I’m very proud to receive the Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally award. I think it is a great idea for Abu Dhabi to provide this and it helps to show the effort that people put into motorsport.” He added.

Citroen Press Release

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:44 PM

Citroen Press Release

Rapid Rossi helps Stobart celebrate a Fantastic fifty

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:42 PM

The final round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship has come to a close as has another fantastic year for the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team at this weekend’s Wales Rally GB.  

Leading the way for the side were François Duval/Denis Giraudet who finished sixth overall. The event for Duval started off in cracking fashion as he completed the opening stage as the second fastest driver. Unfortunately a big moment, resulting in a small off, on stage 3 knocked his confidence slightly but the Belgian was able to keep his composure for the remaining stages to finish inside the top-six.  

Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin flew in as the next best placed Stobart crew in ninth on their home event. Treacherous weather conditions on the opening day slightly affected the 21-year-old’s confidence but fortunately he was able to regain it as conditions eased off and he began setting some impressive stage times on Saturday and Sunday.  

Completing a hat-trick are Barry Clark/Paul Nagle who have made it three top-ten finishes on three different surfaces by finishing Wales Rally GB in 10th overall. Like fellow competitors the Scotsman found the conditions quite tricky with a few small incidents but luckily he was able to get to the finish and with another impressive result to his name.  

The man of the hour, Valentino Rossi, and his co-driver Carlo Cassina come in as the next best placed Stobart-backed crew in 12th after finishing day 1 in 24th position. Rossi stuck to his plan taking things step-by-step and by the final day was setting some sensational stage times despite being a MotoGP world champion by trade. The atmosphere and excitement he brought to the event was incredible and a real buzz for the Stobart camp which was out in full force for the home event.  

Unfortunately for Henning Solberg/Cato Menkerud it just hasn’t been their rally, or indeed year, after retiring on the penultimate stage with broken suspension after colliding with some large rocks. Solberg was running sixth at the time and in a close battle with fifth placed PG Andersson but unfortunately for the Norwegian a top-five result was not to be.  

In all it has been a fabulous end to Stobart’s 50th WRC event which sees three cars in the top-10 and a phenomenal amount of new fans thanks to the presence of the two-wheeled champion. The team has finished the year fourth in the Manufacturer Championship with four of its star drivers inside the top-10 in the Drivers’ Championship standings.  

Day 1 saw conditions like no other as the itinerary had to be shortened to just 50 competitive kilometres due to dangerous ice and fog. Fortunately for competitors Pirelli’s Scorpion gravel tyre held strong but with the one-tyre rule crews found things tough going on the deceptive, icy sections.       

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Driver François Duval said:
“We found this rally very hard and it was difficult to really get into a rhythm. We had a few spins on the first day and after the accident in Japan I didn’t have confidence to be fully committed in the fast sections. The important thing for me here was to get to the end of the rally with no problems and pick up points for the team. The rally was difficult and finding grip was not easy, sometimes the road had ice and sometimes it was just wet but it always looked the same and was very hard to judge.”  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Driver Matthew Wilson said:
“It has been very tough from start to finish and not very nice conditions to drive in. The final day was definitely the best for us and we enjoyed it the most. The stages were so mixed and I don’t have any experience of driving on frozen ice and gravel so it was hard to get the confidence to push harder. But we did the best we could, didn’t make any mistakes and got the car to the finish inside the top-10. At the end of the day it’s more experience for me on conditions I’ve never driven on before so with that in mind it’s been a positive end to the season.”  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Driver Valentino Rossi said:
“I’m very happy today, firstly to finish the rally and secondly to set some very good times on the four stages today. The car was fantastic and I was finding it easy to drive when we got a precise setting. My approach here was to take the race step-by-step and try not to make any mistakes and this worked well. I think this rally was very difficult and finishing it makes me very happy indeed. The Focus was really nice to drive and it’s been fantastic working with the Stobart team; they are all very friendly and hopefully we will get a chance to work again together.”  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Driver Henning Solberg said:
“Obviously I’m disappointed we didn’t finish the event but I had to have a go to try and catch Andersson. We ran slightly wide and over some rocks which damaged the rear suspension so it wasn’t really the best way to end off the year. This was a difficult event for everyone and we started off slowly here as the conditions were so tricky and finding grip on the frozen gravel was hard. We did find a really good setting with the diff on Saturday and after that we set some good times so I was pleased with that.”  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Driver Barry Clark said:
“It’s not every day you get to drive a world rally car on your home event so I really enjoyed the experience. We have had a great year, three rallies and three top-10 finishes on three different surfaces. You have to remember I’m competing against the best drivers in the world who do this for a living so I think we have proven a point this year. I would just like to thank Malcolm Wilson for all his help in making this possible and hopefully I will get a chance again next year as there is definitely more to come.”  

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said:
“What a fantastic weekend for the team with all three Stobart liveried cars finishing with no problems. There has been so much excitement with Valentino in the team and his presence here has been a massive boost to the squad; his times today have been remarkable. All the crews have driven well in what proved to be the most difficult event in the championship and the team have collected more manufacturer points on their 50th WRC rally.”  

Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler said:
“It’s been another fantastic result for the Stobart team and a great way to finish off the year. Valentino’s presence has really raised our game and he has been an inspiration to everyone in the team. Matt has driven well in terrible conditions and François has claimed more points for the team once again; I believe there has been only one event this year we haven’t scored points. So, yes, a great way to end the year for Stobart.”

Fourth for Solberg in Wales confirms Subaru third in Championship

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:36 PM

After a long season, a final brace of four stages on the last day of competition in the 2008 World Rally Championship confirmed both fourth position on Wales Rally GB for Petter Solberg and Phil Mills, and third position in the WRC Manufacturers’ Championship for the Subaru World Rally Team.

Though shorter, the day was no less tricky and really favoured the brave and the battle at the front reached fever pitch. At minus five degrees Celsius, it also boasted the coldest temperatures seen during the rally. Fortunately none of the stages were interrupted or shortened by the prevalence of ice on the roads. Grip was as unpredictable as ever as ice took hold of every stage and cars skittered and scrabbled to find any grip as they swung between heavy braking and hard acceleration.

“Petter and Phil drove well this weekend and we saw them deliver some very encouraging stage times in incredibly tricky conditions” said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal. “It is a shame to have just missed out on a podium at home, but nevertheless it marks the end of a year in which we have seen the performance of our new car consistently improving and there are yet more positives we can take from this weekend into the winter break as we continue our preparations for next season.”

The traditionally season-ending Welsh finale brings the curtain down again on a long and tough season for SWRT halfway through which came of course the launch of Subaru’s first totally new World Rally Car in eight years.

Petter and Phil rounded off the year with an encouraging note. “We have had some good stages and done a lot of very positive split times so it’s been quite a good weekend and I’m pretty happy” said Petter Solberg. “I tried hard but this morning was full ice so we were on the limit definitely. We just had to settle for fourth though as we just didn’t have the grip to push on the ice. I tried some small adjustment on the dampers before service but it was worse so I had to go back again for the afternoon.

“We knew yesterday that if there was ice this morning, we would not have a chance, but if it was normal gravel or mud, it would have been ok because that’s where we have improved the car since Japan. On the fast sections I’m as fast as everyone else, just not on the ice. But we are definitely moving right. There are still a few things to sort out, but now the team have some time until next season so I’m sure we’ll return strong and able to really fight.”

There is not much of a Christmas rest for the team. With only a short drive north to the team’s headquarters in the town of Banbury, UK, the team and cars will return this evening and get straight back into preparations for the 2009 WRC season which kicks off in Ireland on 30 January.

Results - WRC & BRC

Posted: December 9, 2008 4:34 PM

WRC
1. S Loeb/D Elena                        F                  Citroën C4               2h43m09.6s
2. J-M Latvala/M Anttila                 FIN               Ford Focus RS          +12.7s         
3. D Sordo/M Marti                       E                  Citroën C4               +1m20.6s     
4. P Solberg/P Mills                       N                 Subaru Impreza       +1m59.6s
5. P-G Andersson/J Andersson        SWE             Suzuki SX4              +4m04.1s
6. F Duval/D Giraudet                    B                      Ford Focus RS           +5m07.8s     
7. T Gardemeister/T Tuominen       FIN               Suzuki SX4              +5m25.0s
8. M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen               FIN               Ford Focus RS          +5m38.8s
9. M Wilson/S Martin                      GB                   Ford Focus RS           +8m13.9s
10. B Clark/P Nagle                        GB                   Ford Focus RS           +9m53.1s

BRC

Round six
1 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 33:26.9
2 Patrik Flodin/Göran Bergsten (Subaru Impreza) 33:56.3
3 David Higgins/Ieuan Thomas (Subaru Impreza) 34:23.8
4 Gwyndaf Evans/Gareth Roberts (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 37:29.1
5 Hugh Evans/Iestyn Williams (Subaru Impreza) 41:30.2

Round seven
1 Patrik Flodin/Göran Bergsten (Subaru Impreza) 2:22:05.0
2 Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 2:24:42.1
3 Gwyndaf Evans/Gareth Roberts (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 2:25:43.7
4 Jason Pritchard/George Gwynn (Citroen C2) 2:45:12.6
5 David Higgins/Ieuan Thomas (Subaru Impreza) 2:53:08.1

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www.wrc.com

Rally GB

• 2008 World Rally Championship
• 2008 British Rally Championship

Pre Event News

Posted: December 5, 2008 4:56 PM

Pre Event News

Posted: December 5, 2008 9:39 AM

Stage 1 cancelled due the icy conditions.
It is hope the repeat stage (SS4) will run in the afternoon.

Posted: December 5, 2008 8:56 AM

Despite the adverse weather conditions, all eight of Friday, 5th December's stages are scheduled to be run. However, for the safety of spectators, marshals and competitors, the competitive route for stages one to six has been shortened.

SS1 (Hafren) is shortened to 3.67 kilometres, SS2 (Sweet Lamb) to 4.28 kilometres, SS3 (Myherin) to 18.28 kilometres. Stages 4, 5 and 6 are an exact repeat of stages 1, 2 and 3.

Stages 7 and 8, Walters Arena 1 and 2, will run as planned but at the later times of 17.29 and 17.40.

The revised time for the first car due in to the Swansea service park is 18.22 hrs.

Rally cars will pass all designated spectator areas at competitive speeds. Spectator car parks will be open as usual - and at published times.

Stages on Saturday, 6th December and Sunday, 7th December, remain unaffected.

Posted: December 2, 2008 3:15 PM

Darren Gass has been forced to pull out of Rally GB after breaking his hand in a fall at his home over the weekend.

Posted: December 2, 2008 3:12 PM

Conquering the carbon footprint

In an effort to help reduce the carbon footprint M-Sport will be introducing a more ecologically friendly means of service park transport during this weekend�s final round of the FIA World Rally Championship � Wales Rally GB.

SCOTT Sports UK � personal sponsor of Stobart VK M-Sport Ford driver Matthew Wilson � have kindly supplied four personalised SPORTSTER P2 sporting/commuting style bikes for team use during Rally GB and the 2009 season.

With M-Sport searching for a practical solution to reduce carbon emissions the switch to SCOTT bikes is the perfect answer with the brand tried and tested by Wilson and co-driver Scott Martin during their mammoth end2end charity cycle from Land�s End to John O�Groats earlier this year.

Two of the bikes have been branded with the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team logo while the other two have been stickered up to incorporate the Stobart livery as they help the team to cut down on unnecessary vehicle usage during events.

With the team normally using petrol powered scooters to transport engineers and co-drivers to and from Service Park time-controls this will be a rewarding change as the squad looks to do its part for the benefit of the environment.

The SPORTSER shows up as the perfect all-around option with a sporty framework design and fast 700C wheel-set, it feels good on both, asphalt roads and on forest-trails and is the ideal transport solution within busy WRC Service Parks.

This move to pedal-powered transport also comes in line with the Stobart Group�s policy of reducing waste in the transport industry and working on greener ways of multimodal logistics and transportation.

Posted: December 1, 2008 9:47 AM

O Mahony and Higgins to contest Wales Rally GB for first time

Irish crew Brian O�Mahony and John Higgins will be back in action in the final two rounds of the British Rally Championship (BRC) when they contest Wales Rally GB this weekend (4-7 December) for the first time.

County Cork driver O�Mahony and County Mayo driver Higgins will be back behind the wheel of their OM Concrete Products and MIS-backed Super 1600 Renault Clio for the 230-mile Cardiff-based gravel event.

Last time out on the International Rally Yorkshire in September the pair came home 10th overall and won class R3.

They�re aiming to simply finish this event with none of their main rivals in the junior or privateer�s championships taking part.

O�Mahony heads into the event sixth overall in the drivers� championship with Higgins joint fifth in the co-drivers� points, O�Mahony leads the Junior Rally Championship and is second in the Privateer�s Cup with Higgins first in the navigator�s.

�We�re pretty much going to be in safe mode so we can definitely make the finish,� 24-year-old O�Mahony said. �We�re going to try and keep up with the lads in front though.

�We�ve never done this event before or competed on any of the stages so it�s going to be totally brand new for us but hopefully we can do well.

�It�d be nice to finish the BRC year well with a good result and get a good final position in the series.�

O�Mahony and Higgins start Wales Rally GB at number 65. The event gets underway with a ceremonial start in Cardiff on Thursday evening before heading out to the stages on Friday morning.

The penultimate round of the BRC will be classified at the end of Friday with the final round finishing on Sunday.

Posted: November 29, 2008 7:49 AM

Battle of the Legends:

Valentino Rossi and S�bastien Loeb - two of the biggest and most successful names in motorcycle racing and rallying - will go head to head next week on Wales Rally GB.

Rossi, the showman of MotoGP and eight times World Champion will line up behind five times FIA World Rally Champion Loeb at 6pm on Thursday 4th December for the ceremonial start outside Cardiff City Hall.

The 29 year old Italian - nicknamed "The Doctor" - will be driving a 130 mph Ford Focus World Rally Car in the livery of Stobart VK M-Sport and displaying the Pudsey Bear logo, in support of BBC's 2008 Children in Need appeal. This will be his second attempt at Rally GB (debut in 2002) and his third World Championship rally.

Loeb, whose mascot is "Scratch", is the most successful driver in the history of rallying after winning an unprecedented fifth FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title for Drivers. Along with co-driver Daniel Elena and his Spanish team-mates, the 34 year old Frenchman now has his sights on winning the FIA WRC Manufacturers crown for Citroen. This year he has won 10 of the previous 14 WRC rounds, bringing his tally of outright WRC wins to 46 - another record. Surprisingly, from six starts in a Citroen WRC car he has yet to win Rally GB.

Although Rossi (carrying 46 on his rally plates - to match his racing number) is unlikely to beat Loeb over the closed road special stages over Forestry Commission and Military land in mid and South Wales, Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson says he has the potential to finish in the top 10 of the three-day, 892 mile rally.

Coincidently, Rossi (with Ferrari) and Loeb (with Red Bull) have recently tested Formula One cars - both setting impressive times and confirming their position as perhaps the most talented drivers of their generation.

Both are expected to have spectators cheering and blasting air horns inside the Millennium Stadium which hosts the timed Cardiff Stage at 6 pm on the evening of Saturday 6th December.

Latest Rossi news:
Rossi on the new 2009 FIAT Yamaha was fastest at the recent two day winter test at Jerez. The majority of his MotoGP rivals were there. He commented,
"Now we can look forward to holidays and Wales Rally GB where I hope we can have lots of fun".

Posted: November 29, 2008 7:14 AM

Strengthened Stobart squad search for a fabulous fifty in GB

After 14 rounds, the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship season comes to a close next week as crews head to the UK for round 15 of 15; Wales Rally GB. This marks a golden milestone for the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team who enter their 50th WRC event after four years involvement within the elite level of the sport. �

Nominated to score points for the team are founding members of the Stobart outfit, Cumbrians Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin. This will be the pair�s third attempt at Rally GB together and Wilson�s fifth after first contesting the event in 2004 at the tender age of just 17 in a Ford Focus RS WRC. After a solid year which sees the 21-year-old lie 10th in the Drivers� Championship the young Brit will be hoping to close the year in a positive fashion on his home event next week. �

Backing up the pair as the second nominated point scoring crew is Fran�ois Duval who joins the Stobart side for the fifth time this season. He will be joined by experienced co-driver Denis Giraudet with regular co-driver Patrick Pivato out of action as he continues his positive recovery from injuries sustained on Rally Japan last month. This is the Belgian�s seventh Rally GB attempt and with a raft of top-five finishes under his belt this season, he will be aiming for another strong performance on gravel. Duval will also run the name of Pivato�s wife � Agn�s � on the front of his Focus RS as a gesture to his injured friend.� �

Another Stobart supported crew at Wales Rally GB is MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi and his co-driver Carlo Cassina who will sport a fully liveried Stobart Focus RS incorporating the Children in Need charity�s logo and mascot, Pudsey Bear. This will be Rossi�s third WRC event and his first in a Focus RS as the Italian looks to go one better than his previous WRC outing in New Zealand in 2006 and slide into the top-10 for the first time in his career. His passion for motorsport and boundless energy will provide a real attraction for spectators and instil a shot of Italian energy into the Stobart team. �

Henning Solberg lines up as the next Stobart entered driver and he will be accompanied by Cato Menkerud as the pair look to finish the season on a high. Solberg comes in as the most experienced of the lot having contested the British-based event seven times. Yet to crack into the top-10 the Norwegian will be hungry for a good result here as he currently lies equal on points with team-mate Duval in a battle for seventh in the Drivers� Championship. �

Next up is WRC class newcomer Barry Clark who is being co-driven by Irishman Paul Nagle. In only his first season in a world rally car, Clark has secured two top-10 finishes from three starts including a sterling drive in Corsica; his first WRC car drive on asphalt. This will be the Scotsman�s fourth attempt at his �home� event and his experience of the roads will put him in good shape to attempt to score his first ever WRC drivers� point. �

The final two Stobart entries will both run Focus RS cars and are household names within British rallying who have vast experience of the Welsh-based forests. Steve Perez � owner of the team�s primary sponsor VK and Kick Energy � will be attempting Rally GB for the first time since 2003 in his strikingly branded WRC machine. �

Scotsman Dave Weston and co-driver Aled Davies join the army with Weston contesting his third ever WRC event in Wales. As a former Scottish Rally Champion Weston is all too aware of the conditions crews are likely to face and will be hoping to battle the elements to a strong Rally GB result in 2008. �

This year Wales Rally GB is set to be another nail-biter with both the WRC Manufacturer title and Production WRC title still to be decided on this final round of the season. The event will once again be predominantly based in Swansea with a ceremonial start and the 0.99 kilometre Millennium Stadium super special taking place in the country�s capital Cardiff. �

In total crews will cover 349 kilometres of competitive distance over 19 special stages. Rally GB has always been one of the biggest challenges of the season for crews with rain, wind, snow and fog forming difficult conditions. Roads are typically muddy and slippery and, with heavy ruts likely to form over the second run of stages, this will also be a stern test for Pirelli�s tried and tested Scorpion control tyre. �

However, this year�s Rally GB is forecast to be one of the toughest so far. With some stages run in darkness and speed tests that haven�t been used for a few years, competitors are under pressure to perform without making any mistakes. �

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Matthew Wilson said:
�The plan for GB is to go as quick as possible from the start and try and match the result from last year, if not better it. It is interesting to have some new stages on the Friday and this will spice things up a bit for the opening day. I guess the only down side is that while this is the event we have most experience of, the new stages and the reversed stages from 2007 will mean we�ll have to write entirely new notes but this is going to be the same for everybody and for me it�s good to have lots of experience of what the conditions will be like. It�s a strong field as well but I�m feeling very confident ahead of this one and I think we will know a lot more about the route after recce.� �

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Fran�ois Duval said:
�I�m looking forward to returning to Rally GB because I have had some good results here in the past. Denis has come in as my replacement co-driver for this rally and I am very thankful to him for this gesture because I think it will help my confidence a lot in my first rally since Japan. I am going to head to the first stage and take it step by step from there. This rally can be very difficult especially if the conditions turn bad and this can have a big influence on the results. I think with the new stages on Friday and the fact I have not done this event since 2006, that it will be very important to get a good set of notes from recce.� �

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Henning Solberg said:
�This year seems like it has gone very quickly and now here we are at the final round of the season. I have done GB a lot of times before but never quite managed to pick up a good result so I will try my best to change that this year. I like the stages in GB and I will try my best on this event and drive as fast as I can. The roads can be difficult at GB but this is my eighth time here so I know what to expect from them. The Focus has been great all year and I have had an especially good felling on gravel.� �

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Driver Barry Clark said:
�This is my fourth WRC event of the season and one I have been waiting all year for because it will be on some familiar territory. It�s great to be competing under the Stobart banner here in GB and I look forward to competing with some top class team mates who I will be able to learn from.The first day there are some classic stages which I am really looking forward to and hopefully if it stays dry and the conditions consistent, we can put in a quick pace from the start.� �

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said:
�It�s great to see the Stobart Team�s 50th WRC event has coincided with Wales Rally GB and to have seven cars running under the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford banner really shows the strength the team has in the championship. Matthew was sixth here last year and he will be looking to improve on this position with this now being his fifth attempt at the rally. Fran�ois has a good track record in GB but it is his first rally since the accident in Japan so it might take him a bit to settle back in and get used to his new co-driver. Having a six-time World Champion in the Stobart team is fantastic for the rally and hopefully �The Doctor� can attract some of his two-wheel fans to the spectacle of Wales Rally GB. I think if conditions stay dry and consistent a top-10 finish is definitely within his reach.�

Posted: November 29, 2008 7:12 AM

Ford's fight for world title goes to final round face-off in Wales

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team takes its challenge for a third consecutive manufacturers' world title to the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Wales next week. The squad must overturn an 11-point deficit on Wales Rally GB (4 - 7 December) with the record-breaking Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, so realistically nothing less than a fourth 1-2 finish of the season from Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila will suffice.

Both Finnish pairings have good records over the fast forest roads in Wales. Hirvonen won here last year while Latvala finished fourth in 2006 and posted a string of special stage wins last year while recovering from a first day time loss.

All but one of the 19 speed tests are held on privately-owned gravel tracks, more commonly used either by lorries transporting timber or military vehicles. They are narrow but fast and invite attacking driving, while Friday's opening leg offers the rare challenge of competition in full darkness. However, it is Britain's unpredictable weather that can make this 15th round of the series so demanding.

The hilly forests in south and mid-Wales can be evil in early December if wintry weather takes a firm grip. Tree-lined sections high in the forests contrast with wide open stretches, both on military land and where forestry work has removed the timber. In gloomy weather fog hangs between the trees while throwing a white blanket across exposed areas on higher ground. The gravel surface can be treacherously muddy and early-morning ice or even snow is possible if temperatures plunge.

Twenty-eight-year-old Hirvonen, who identified the weather as the trickiest aspect, likened parts of the rally to his home event in Finland. "Some parts of the rally are very fast, even quicker than in Finland. The difference is that the fast parts here don't last long because there are usually hairpin bends that bring the speeds down again. The nature of the roads changes more than in Finland," said Hirvonen, for whom this will be his sixth Rally GB start.

"Last year was probably the toughest Rally GB I have ever driven. Driving in darkness in fog and rain was incredibly difficult. Night driving makes the rally even trickier, because this is the only round where we drive in the dark apart from Japan and Monte Carlo. It's something I will practise during my test this weekend. I feel confident and think we have a good chance of a 1-2 finish and if we can do that I hope it's enough to win the title for Ford," he added.

Twenty-three-year-old Latvala began his career in Britain aged just 17 in 2002 and is preparing for his seventh Rally GB. "I regard this as my second home rally. I drove many rallies here in 2002 and 2003 and I'm familiar with the nature of the roads. It's a classic rally and one that I would really like to win. The mid-Wales stages will be new to many drivers but I have something in my memory of those roads from those seasons. They are high on the hills and quite open, but enjoyable to drive," he said.

Latvala tested in darkness last week in preparation for the rally. "When it's dark and gloomy in Wales, then it's incredibly dark. If it rains the roads become very muddy and conditions can be really difficult. Night driving is specialised so it was important for me to test in the dark and get used to driving with the extra lights we fit to the car.

"Fog is probably the most difficult weather in which to drive, especially if it's dark as well. A driver needs to feel confident with the pace notes, be brave and rely heavily on the co-driver. If the notes are not precise enough then it's easy to lose confidence quickly. On the other hand, a good performance in those conditions can gain a lot of time," added Latvala.

Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Michael Orr will drive a third official Focus RS WRC. "This will be my GB debut and I had a two-day test last week to get used to the conditions. I don�t like wet weather rallies so it will be hard to adjust to. It's easy to slide, spin or go off in those conditions. The test was important because driving on mud in the forests helped me find my pace," said Al Qassimi.

"This is my last event of a long year, my first full season. It�s gone well and I feel I'm progressing better than last year. After 10 events this year, I feel I'm part of the team on merit. I've gained extra mileage, extra confidence, achieved some good results and generally lifted my pace. I�ve made many changes to my notes and all the time I'm developing my knowledge and experience," he added.

Team News
* As part of the sport's new regulations, BP Ford Abu Dhabi will have just one tyre pattern from Pirelli. The Scorpion gravel tyre will be available in soft compound only.
Because anti-deflation mousse is also outlawed this year, the Scorpion includes reinforced sidewalls to offer increased protection against punctures. Teams are not allowed to hand-carve additional cuts into the rubber and each car can carry two spares.

* Seven other Focus RS cars will start. Matthew Wilson / Scott Martin and Fran�ois Duval / Denis Giraudet are nominated by the Stobart VK M-Sport squad, which has also entered Henning Solberg / Cato Menkerud, Barry Clark / Paul Nagle, Steve Perez / Paul Spooner, Dave Weston / Aled Davies and Moto GP ace Valentino Rossi and Carlo Cassina. Nine Fiesta STs are entered, of which seven will be tackling what is the final round of the Fiesta SportingTrophy International.

* Double world champion and Ford ambassador Marcus Gr�nholm will entertain the crowds at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium before Saturday's stage by giving a pre-production version of the all-new Focus RS road car its public driving debut. Ford's fastest-ever European production car, which goes on sale next spring, will take pride of place in a cavalcade of heritage Rallye Sport (RS) cars.

Rally Route
Although the rally remains based in south Wales, major changes take competitors back to the classic mid-Wales forests of Hafren and Myherin for the first time in eight years. As a result the Brechfa Forest tests have been dropped. The start and finish remains in Cardiff with the service park again in Swansea's marina area, 70km away. The new mileage forms the bulk of the opening day, with two short spectator friendly tests at Walters Arena in Rheola Forest completing the action. Saturday mixes the long Resolfen test in the Vale of Neath with the traditional tests further north, run in the opposite direction to 2007, before a modified stage inside Cardiff's spectacular Millennium Stadium. The final day is based solely in the south. Drivers tackle 19 stages covering 348.99km in a route of 1428.44km.

Posted: November 29, 2008 7:10 AM

Citroen Preview

Citroen Preview

Posted: November 29, 2008 6:55 AM

A super Swansea finale for the Fiesta SportingTrophy

The 2008 Pirelli-supported Fiesta SportingTrophy International (FSTi) series comes to a close next week on Wales Rally GB and competition couldn�t be tighter as seven Ford Fiesta STs line up for the finale.� Heading into the sixth and final round of the FSTi, the top-two placed drivers are split by just one championship point while the battle for third is currently a dead heat between two competitors making the most nail biting finish in FSTi history. �

Currently leading the way in the series on 29 points is Castrol Team T�rkiye member Emre Yurdakul (25) and his co-driver Can Erkal (24) who will be aiming for nothing but victory as they hunt down their first ever FSTi crown.� Yurdakul�s impressive form of late has seen him take victory on the previous three FSTi rounds to catapult himself into the championship lead. This will be his second attempt at the Welsh-based event.� �

Burcu �etinkaya (27) from Turkey and co-driver �i�ek G�ney (26) lie just one point behind their team-mates and will be fighting hard to write their names in the history books as the first ever all-female crew to win a one-make series run alongside the FIA World Rally Championship.� �etinkaya also contested the event in 2007 finishing fourth Fiesta against a strong field and one place ahead of Yurdakul. �

Currently equal third in the championship with Joachim Muller-Wende is Koray Murato�lu (30) who will again be joined by Caglar Suren. Two non-scores on the last two FSTi events haven�t helped Murato�lu, but now, back on a familiar gravel surface, he will be looking to rectify the situation and post some positive results on the final round of the season. �

Russian Denis Grodetskiy and navigator Safoniy Lotko also rejoin the FSTi regulars after two non-starts in Germany and Spain. This will be Grodetskiy�s first attempt at Wales Rally GB and he will be looking to make his mark on the final round after a season of learning for the Russian. �

A newcomer to the series is VK FST UK regular Tom Walster (22) and co-driver Tim Sturla, whose vast experience of the Welsh forests could see them become a real challenge to the front-running crews.� With some strong performances on this year�s Severn Valley Clubman Rally and Swansea Bay Rally � both with stages encompassing the Wales Rally GB route � Walster will be one to watch on his second Wales Rally GB outing. �

Another newcomer to the FSTi series on the final round is 2008 Fiesta SportingTrophy Italy Champion Marko Jeram and co-driver Simon Lapajne.� The pair won the drive on Wales Rally GB as a prize for their Italian FST championship victory this year and will use the event as the perfect platform in preparation for the FSTi Shootout the following week at M-Sport. �

The 2008 FST International Shootout is set to take place on 9 and 10 December at M-Sport in Cumbria and will bring together competitors from nine FST championships across the globe. The two day event will test the drivers� psychology, physical fitness, media skills and, of course, driving ability.�� One outstanding candidate will be announced the 2008 FST International Shootout winner, collecting a prize of one year�s work experience and training at M-Sport with the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team. �

Rally Travel - official championship travel partner - is offering the FSTi series winner a credit-crunching first prize of �500 in the form of vouchers towards travel arrangements for use on any 2009 FSTi events. Rally Travel has been a partner of FSTi for the past three seasons and supported competitors by providing competitive deals on accommodation and other travel services such as bespoke spectator packages for team guests, family and friends. �

Emre Yurdakul (25) from Turkey said:
�I am very close to winning the FSTi title which is one of my dreams in the sport. It is a very good feeling to enter the last round of the series as the leader. It was my objective at the start of the season to win the FSTi Championship so to achieve this on Rally GB would be something special. It has not been an easy season for me and we had some unlucky moments in some rallies, but, now we have the advantage going into the last round and we will give everything we have to win the championship. I did Rally GB last year so I think this experience will help me a lot. What I need to win the championship is to finish the rally in front of my team-mate Burcu but we will have to see what happens. We have been preparing well and we will see how tough it will be next Friday. I am very happy that we are in the top-two positions in the championship and I hope Koray will take third place at the end of the rally. We will do our best for the team, Castrol Ford Team T�rkiye, because we want to show our gratitude to our sponsors, who will come to watch us on the event.�

Posted: November 28, 2008 9:09 AM

Mitsubishi wins appeal and confirms entry in Wales Rally GB

The Mitsubishi Motors UK works Rally Team is delighted to announce that its appeal against Guy Wilks� exclusion from September�s Rally Yorkshire was upheld at a Motor Sports Council National Court hearing on Wednesday 26th November.

The decision sees Wilks and his co-driver David Moynihan reinstated as winners of the event, which represented round six of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship. Consequently, the team�s points score is also reinstated, which means it now has the opportunity of challenging to retain its British Driver�s and Team�s titles at this year�s Wales Rally GB.

�Naturally we are delighted with the outcome of the hearing�, said General Manager of Ralliart Paul Brigden. �We build our cars in accordance to the rules and the decision by the MSC confirms this.�

The circumstance which brought-about Wilks� initial exclusion was a protest alleging that the upper part of his car�s steering column did not comply to Group N regulations. However, the MSC National Court agreed that although it was not the homologated item, it complied with Appendix J of the FIA International Sporting Code, article 254, section 6.7.3, which states that the controls may be adapted to facilitate their use and accessibility.

Because of the timing of the hearing, the team had no choice but to enter its two cars in the Rally GB a few weeks ago - before the closing date. However, if the decision had not gone in Mitsubishi�s favour, the team had made no secret that it would have withdrawn both its cars put the money it would cost to contest the event towards its 2009 campaign.

Although the result of the appeal has come just one week before the Rally GB, both works Lancers are ready to go and the team has planned a pre-event test for Wilks and his team mate Gwyndaf Evans during the next few days.

After crossing the line one-and-a-half minutes ahead of his rivals in Yorkshire, Wilks was over the moon to hear that his deserving victory had been reinstated and was delighted that he now has the opportunity challenge for the championship title for the second year in succession:

�It is great news to know that I�ve got my Yorkshire win back and therefore still be in with a shot at the championship,� said Wilks. �I am now really looking forward to Rally GB and I am more determined than ever to bring back the title, not just for me but for the team, as it has been a difficult few weeks for them as well. Bring it on!�

For Gwyndaf Evans, confirmation of the team�s entry for the Rally GB is also good news, with this year seeing the 20th time the former British Champion and highly-experienced Welshman has taken part in the UK�s round of the World Rally Championship:
�It would have been such a disappointment for the whole team not to have had the chance to compete in the Rally GB�, said Evans. �For me, it is great to have the opportunity to compete in this event for the 20th time � especially as it�s on my home ground. It will be a tough event, but rest assured I�ll be trying my hardest to provide the best result possible for the team. They deserve it.�

Now with the Mitsubishi team preparing for the Wales Rally GB, Paul Brigden has the aim of regaining the British titles firmly in his sights and said:
�Victory in both the British Team�s and Driver�s Championships is an important accolade for Mitsubishi and our focus will be well and truly on achieving this goal next weekend. The whole team is ready and looking forward to the challenge. It�s going to be an exciting finale for us all.�

After a six-month lay-off due to a recurring back problem Phil Pugh, Wilks regular co-driver, makes a welcome return to the team. Evans will be accompanied for the first time by Gareth Roberts, who has been competing alongside the Welshman�s son Elfyn this season.

The Wales Rally GB kicks off with a ceremonial start in Cardiff on Thursday evening. The action starts on Friday morning with eight stages in the forests of south and mid-Wales before the overnight halt in Swansea. A further seven stages take place on Saturday, the last being the spectacular showcase spectator stage inside Cardiff�s Millennium Stadium. Four more stages are run on Sunday, with the finish ceremony held in Cardiff that afternoon.

For British Rally Championship crews, the event hosts two rounds and subsequently two points scoring opportunities, one on Friday and another which combines Saturday and Sunday.

The team�s two Lancer Evolution IXs are built by Chesterfield-based ADR Motorsport, who also provide the on-event technical support. The team is sponsored by Lovell Group and Virgin Money, together with its technical partners: HKS, Sparco, Speedline Corse, PIAA and Ricardo.

Posted: November 27, 2008 9:15 PM

Stage set for WRC finale on Subaru World Rally Team�s home soil

Just a few hours south of the Subaru World Rally Team�s headquarters, the gravel roads of Wales Rally GB will be the scene of the finale of the 2008 World Rally Championship season on 4 � 7 December. Run on Wales� notoriously tricky forest tracks, mud, rain and fog are sure to feature heavily throughout the weekend. The rally is split between the cities of Swansea and Cardiff. The service park is based in Swansea�s SA1 waterfront development whilst the event begins with a ceremonial start outside the Cardiff Law Courts on Thursday evening at 1800hrs. Returning to Cardiff for a spectator stage inside the Millennium Stadium on Saturday at 1815hrs, the rally consists of 19 stages and a total of 348.99 competitive kilometres. Wales in December is notoriously cold, and the temperature is expected to be�just a few degrees Celsius by day, dipping below freezing overnight. �SWRT has always enjoyed a great record of success on Rally GB and it is an event we therefore look forward to� said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal. �Being slightly later in the season this year I am sure the conditions are going to be even more challenging than usual with a strong likelihood of ice and even snow in the forests of mid-Wales. Rally GB marks the end of a very long season during which we have steadily improved the performance of our new car, and I am sure that after recent testing both Petter and Chris are looking forward to starting the event.�

In addition to a handful of stages that will be run in the dark, the opening day of the rally offers a further two twists to make it more challenging. Six of the opening day�s eight stages have not been used on a WRC round in recent years, winding north through the mountains towards Aberystwyth and Newtown. Furthermore, there is only a remote service at midday, meaning that crews have limited resources and are only able to use spare parts that are carried inside the rally cars.

�Day one will be critical as there�s no proper service, so you only need to do something silly or puncture a radiator, and look at the kilometres you�ll struggle to complete� said Paul Howarth, Subaru World Rally Team Operations Director. �It�s a remote service so we�re only permitted to fit parts that are kept within the car. You only need to look at what happened in Sweden earlier this year when Sebastien Loeb had a problem, and with only a similar remote service, it virtually retired him from the event. �There are three new stages, each run twice, which have been re-introduced from past years. The first day will be majorly critical to the outcome of the event due to the number of kilometres and the limited service. With the expected conditions, it will be wet and there�s a good chance of fog in the tree line which will make a big difference. You have to have a lot of confidence to be able to attack in these conditions.

�It�s been very wet recently, so it�s tricky to predict how quickly some sections of the stages will deteriorate. We won�t see the same extreme conditions experienced on Rally Japan though as in general the GB roads have very hard bases. There might be short sections that are softer, but overall they�re much harder than those in Japan as they�re regularly used and highly maintained logging roads.

�It�s the simple things that can make the difference here � not carrying too much extra weight on the car with all the mud that gets collected, having the lights calibrated and working at 100 per cent in the few dark stages, and having a good windscreen demist system are all essential� continued Howarth.

�The Manufacturers� Championship is still to play for on this final round, and both Citroen and Ford absolutely want it so will be pushing hard. The Ford is remarkably good in the expected conditions, as are their drivers Hirvonen and Latvala so they�ll be fast for sure.�

On what will be their 125th WRC event together with the Subaru World Rally Team, Petter Solberg believes his excellent working relationship with co-driver Phil Mills is critical to their success on this event.

�I like the rally a lot and we�re normally fast when it�s foggy or raining with lots of mud so I�m looking forward to it� said Petter Solberg. �I think pace notes play a huge part here. It�s about perfection with the notes and the way Phil gives them and helps with judging distances when visibility is poor. That�s where he is very strong. In the past we�ve generally always been fighting for a win or fighting at the top here. We had some good speed on Saturday and Sunday in Japan which gives us a positive going into GB. There are still a few little things we need to work on for sure, but there was another small improvement with the car in the last test.�

Chris Atkinson echoes Paul Howarth�in his belief that�speed on Rally GB�comes from having the confidence to attack the treacherous forest roads�when visibility is often poor.

�GB is one of the trickiest rallies and one that takes probably a few years to get used to, but last year we had some good speed there� said Chris Atkinson. �I�m still cautious as it�s hard to know after a one day test where you really stand and we�ve got a few things still to sort out, but if you have confidence you can go a long way in the tricky conditions. Especially this year with some new stages I think confidence is the most important thing. It�s obviously quite difficult driving in fog, and there�s a fair chance of it being icy as well so they�ll be some of the most tricky and unpredictable conditions we�ve driven in. We�ll go there with the strategy that we�ll drive as fast as we can from the start, as we always do. I don�t think only having a remote service on the first day will have much impact on that�strategy though as if you have a problem on any rally you�re usually out of the running anyway.�

Entries
The Subaru World Rally Team has entered two Impreza WRC2008s for Wales Rally GB. Petter Solberg and Phil Mills will drive number five, and team-mates Chris Atkinson and St�phane Pr�vot number six.

The Subaru World Rally Team have won�on Rally GB a total of nine times over the years, four victories of which�belong to Petter and�Phil. They�won every year from 2002 � 2005, although the latter was marred by the tragic death of Michael Park.

Between the rallies
After Rally Japan, Petter and Chris stayed in Tokyo for an extra two days to visit a Japanese publishing house and to meet with�members of�FHI and STI. In the four weeks between Rally Japan and Wales Rally GB there was also a three-day pre-event test, of which Petter and Phil completed two days and Chris and St�phane one day. Petter celebrated his birthday on 18 November, and Chris will celebrate his on 30 November, two days prior to the start of the recce in Wales.

Posted: November 26, 2008 12:32 PM

Final outing for reigning Pirelli Star Driver

2007 Pirelli Star Driver award winner, Darren Gass, will contest Wales Rally GB, the final round of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, starting from Cardiff on Thursday 4th December.

The rally is the last in the six-event prize at the wheel of the Pirelli liveried Mitsubishi, estimated to be worth in the region of �250,000. The Northern Irish youngster will be partnered by Scot Neil Shanks on the famous event, also the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Officially classed as a privateer entrant on each of the other rallies, Darren has secured a place within the Production World Rally Championship nominations, under the Orion World Rally Team banner, consequently running just two places behind British Championship leader David Higgins on the road.

The seeding should help the crew make good use of the power of the yellow Evo 9, running higher up the order meaning they will be closer to the action at the front of the field than without the PWRC place.

The Armagh driver has had a mixed season, a couple of minor indiscretions and mechanical problems distracting from some stunning stage times in the unfamiliar car.

He won a place in the BRC�s Pirelli Star Driver scheme whilst battling for the Rally 3 class in 2007, at the wheel of a Citro�n C2 S1600, beating the other finalists in a head-to-head shootout just after last year�s Rally GB.

�Before this year I had limited experience of four wheel drive,� he explained, �so this season has been an excellent opportunity for me to learn and show what I'm capable of, as Neil and I got to grips with the Mitsubishi.�

�I'm really looking forward to Rally GB. It�s a tough event, but I think we have a very good chance of mixing it at the front of the BRC runners. Hopefully that will put us in amongst the PWRC regulars too.�

He concluded, �We would love to be back in the British Rally Championship next year, but we'll have to wait and see.�

Posted: November 25, 2008 7:06 PM

No Withdrawls.... so far

Surprisingly none of the 86 entries that were published on 7th November have withdrawn, despite the worsening "credit crunch"
The only question hangs over the two entries by Mitsubishi Motors UK for County Durham's Guy Wilks and Gwyndaf Evans from Dolgellau, pending a technical appeal arising from Trackrod Rally Yorkshire, the previous round of the Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship, in October. Wales Rally GB is the final two rounds of the British Championship. Wilks, the defending Champion and Evans, the 1996 Champion, are entered in Mitsubishi Lancer's prepared by Chesterfield's ADR Motorsport.

Posted: November 25, 2008 7:05 PM

36,000 batteries will be saved from landfill

36,000 batteries will be saved from landfill thanks to an innovative new sponsorship deal between leading European battery manufacturer, Varta and Wales Rally GB. All 4,500 of the volunteer marshals and rally officials will be provided with Varta's new wind-up Dynamo Light which was launched in September alongside Varta's rechargeable and wind-up product range. This further endorses the credentials of Wales Rally GB as the first World Rally Championship round to achieve CarbonNeutral� status. Varta are also backing Worksop's Rob Gill, starting his eighth Rally GB. (Rally number 72)

Posted: November 25, 2008 7:04 PM

Youngest ever Rally GB Driver gets green light

Welshman Tom Cave passed his practical driving test today (Tuesday 25th) and when he goes over the Wales Rally GB start ramp in Cardiff on Thursday 4th December will - at 17 years and 18 days - be the youngest ever driver on Britain's round of the FIA World Rally Championship event.

His examiner noted only seven minor faults (up to a maximum of 15 are acceptable to gain a pass) and attributed some to Tom being "over confident".

The teenager from Aberdyfi has been competing on special stage rallies in Latvia for the past two years where local laws allowed him to drive the competitive timed sections but not on the public road! His co-driver, Wolverhampton-born Gemma Price, took the wheel on the non-competitive road sections.

"Our objective for Wales Rally GB is simple; to bring our Group N Ford Fiesta ST to the finish, ideally without using SupeRally [regulations which allow cars retiring on days one and two to return on the following day with additional time penalties]. To complete the event on my first attempt, on the same stages as the best drivers on the world, would be an incredible feat for me and a perfect culmination of two years of competition in Latvia."

The Latvian Automobile Federation (LAF) has granted Tom his international rally license allowing him to participate on Wales Rally GB.

Posted: November 21, 2008 3:42 PM

Successful pre-Wales Rally GB test for youngest entrant ever

The UK�s first minor international rally driver, Tom Cave, recently completed a successful pre-event test as he prepares for his entry in the finale of this year�s FIA World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB. The teenager from Aberdovey will be the youngest driver ever to take part in the event, which starts just 18 days after his 17th birthday.

Having competed in Latvia for two seasons, Tom already has his International Rally license, required to enter Wales Rally GB. However, as he has only just turned 17, he has to pass his driving test and gain his full road license before he can take the start of the UK�s premier rally. Despite this, the youngster has been working flat-out to ensure that the competition side of his dream is ready to go.

He recently competed a two-day test in mid-Wales at the impressive Geoff Jones Motorsport complex just outside Machynlleth, testing the Yokohama tyres he will use on the event as well as establishing a base set-up for his Group N Ford Fiesta ST. Entered as a privateer, Tom is likely to be running close to the tail end of the field over the course of the event and while the prospect of competing on the same stages as the best drivers in the world is guaranteed to set his pulse racing, he is also keenly aware of the challenges ahead of him.

�Ever since I can remember, it�s been my dream to compete on the UK round of the WRC. Some of my earliest memories are spectating on the event with my father, who was an avid fan and always took me to watch when he wasn�t competing himself. I think to compete alongside the best drivers in the world on the season closer is a defining moment for any driver; for me to do it, just a few days after getting my driving license, is an unbelievable opportunity and one not to be taken lightly.�

�I fully expect to be one of the tail-end Charlies on the event,� said Tom. �I think the conditions will be pretty rough by the time we get to the stages, especially on the second run through, but with a good set-up, we�ll plough on and make sure we enjoy every mile.

�Our objective for the event is simple; to get to the finish, ideally without using SupeRally [regulations which allow cars retiring on days one and two to return on the following day with additional time penalties]. To complete the event on my first attempt, on the same stages as the best drivers on the world, would be an incredible feat for me and a perfect culmination of two years of competition in Latvia.�

Not only has Tom been working on his physical preparations, he has also enlisted the help of former Production car World Rally Champion Martin Rowe to assist in his Wales Rally GB campaign. Rowe, who won the P-WRC in 2003, was on hand at the test to work with Tom and the Yokohama technicians to assess different tyre options for the event and was impressed with the youngster�s feeling and feedback. �I first worked with Tom at the beginning of last year, when he attended one of our ice-driving schools in Norway,� said Rowe. �Since then, his pace and skill have developed massively and I was impressed with both his speed and approach at the test. We blind-tested several tyre options over the two days, including separating possible tyre options with a control pattern and he felt and understood every option that we fitted to the car. We also worked on some suspension settings and the feedback he gave, both on this and the tyre behaviour, was very impressive.

�We also carried out several endurance runs, since Wales Rally GB will feature much longer stages than he is used to, as well as some running in darkness. Again, he coped very well with the demands he is likely to meet on the event and from what I saw over the two days, should do well in December.�

Commenting after the test, Tom said; �The test went very well. We were able to assess various types of Yokohama tyres at Geoff Jones� facility, as well as several different cuts to see how they affected the grip and handling of the car to deal with the conditions we are likely to face on the event. It was also fantastic having Martin on hand. He was a very easy-going guy and gave me loads of tips and pointers for the event, which will help make our event as successful as possible.�

Before he rolls over the start ramp at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff however, Tom has to pass his driving test. He has already passed his theory test and has a series of four-hour lessons booked to ensure that although he is well versed in car control, he is able to spot hazards and temper his impressive skill to driving on the UK roads, as opposed to stages.

Assuming he passes his test, he will become the youngest driver to compete on the UK round of the modern FIA WRC, an impressive feat after just two seasons of rallying and a perfect transition from his competition in Latvia to the next phase of his rally career.

Posted: November 19, 2008 6:12 PM

Free view at the Wales Rally GB Start and Finish ceremonies

Autograph Signing Session and Ceremonial Start
Located on King Edward VIII Avenue, adjacent to Winter Wonderland and Cardiff City Hall, the all-free rally entertainment begins at 4.30pm when the world's top rally drivers - including five-times World Champion S�bastien Loeb, four-times Wales Rally GB winner Petter Solberg and defending Wales Rally GB champion Mikko Hirvonen - will meet fans and sign autographs until 5pm.

Fans will also be able to meet Olympic gold medal winner Geraint Thomas. The Cardiff-born cyclist broke the world record in the Team Pursuit Final at the Beijing Olympics, and he'll be signing autographs with the WRC drivers and will cycle over the start ramp before the first WRC car.

Between 5-5.30pm, Britain's top rally drivers and the leading competitors in the FIA Production World Rally Championship will be available for autographs, before the spotlight moves to the start ramp itself.

The first of 86 competing cars will be flagged away at 6pm.

There will also be an opportunity for fans to buy the official 2008 Wales Rally GB merchandise, with the full range of high-quality items available at the Ceremonial Start.

The Ceremonial Finish
Rally cars and drivers will return to King Edward VIII Avenue on Sunday 7 December, when the official champagne-spraying Finish Ceremony takes place.

The winners of the 2008 Wales Rally GB will drive onto the finish ramp at 2.50pm, with celebrity guests there to congratulate them at the end of a hard-fought event.

Once again, viewing is completely free of charge. Don't miss the final ticket posting date! Make sure you don't miss the cut off date for posting out tickets!

Tickets ordered by UK based customers on or after 9am on 28th November and tickets ordered by overseas based customers on or after 21st November will not be posted as delivery cannot guaranteed before the Rally. Instead they should be collected from the event ticket office in front of gate 3 of the Millennium Stadium from Tuesday 2nd December.

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Rally GB

Posted: November 16, 2008 9:50 PM

Wales Rally GB set to rev up Swansea's SA1 Waterfront

Swansea City Centre will be the focus of world motorsport attention when Wales Rally GB (December 4-7) sets up its Service Park at the SA1 Waterfront - bringing world champions, live on-stage entertainment, trade stands, giant screen, driver interviews and fireworks to the heart of the city.

Rally cars will visit the Service Park a total of seven times over the four-day event, giving spectators the opportunity to see how teams change gearboxes, wheels and tyres in a frenzy of activity.

A trade area, selling hot food and official Wales Rally GB and team merchandise, will be open on all four days.

More Details:

Rally GB

Posted: November 15, 2008 7:52 AM

Stobart support Valentino Rossi�s run for Children In Need

Stobart Motorsport have backed MotoGP star Valentino Rossi�s bid to raise funds for Children In Need on next month�s Wales Rally GB. Rossi will drive a Ford Focus RS with full Stobart livery and incorporate the charity�s logo and mascot Pudsey Bear. �

In an effort to increase charitable donations for the Children in Need appeal the Stobart team are offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to one lucky person by putting up for auction a priceless item within the realms of world motorsport. �

In keeping with all Eddie Stobart trucks, and the team�s other rally cars, the five times MotoGP champ will sport a girl�s name on the front of his car; and the choice of name will go the highest bidder in a charity auction. After the event, the name will then be transferred to one of the 1850 Eddie Stobart trucks where it will be cemented in the history books of the trucking Superbrand. The winner will also receive Stobart VIP hospitality for the event. �

The auction will run from Friday 14 November until Friday 21 November and details on how to place your bid can be found at

www.stobartmotorsport.com

� The 29-year-old Italian is attempting the Cardiff-based event for the second time in his career and will be in the safe hands of expert co-driver Carlo Cassina who has contested 24 WRC events in his career. Cassina�s impressive resume includes one victory on Rally Portugal in 1988 beside the last and only Italian to win the World Rally Championship for drivers, Miki Biasion. �

For decades the Eddie Stobart transport company has upheld an idiosyncratic tradition of identifying its many trucks by allowing their drivers to choose a female�s name to adorn it. The fact that thousands of people are currently on the waiting list to name a Stobart truck demonstrates the popularity of the iconic UK-based logistics firm; now part of the newly-formed Stobart Group. This tradition has since been employed by its motorsport wing which has seen cars named by their drivers in the WRC, British Rally Championship, Production World Rally Championship and the Fiesta SportingTrophy.� �

Valentino Rossi said:
�If two wheels are the big love of my life, 4 wheels, and especially rally cars, are surely my big passion! Having the chance to race at the Wales Rally GB and having, at the same time, the possibility to raise funds for Children In Need is something really special and I am very proud and happy. I cannot wait to be in the car and to have a lot of fun!� �

Stobart Group CEO Andrew Tinkler said:
�We are very excited to have Valentino driving a Stobart car on Wales Rally GB and its only right that the company does its bit to help raise money for the Children in Need charity which he is driving for. I am a great fan of Valentino�s and it will be a massive compliment to have our brand on his car and it will really bring a lot of excitement to the whole team next month.� �

*Full terms and conditions available at www.stobartmotorsport.com� �

Posted: November 12, 2008 9:02 AM

Duval confirms GB and new co-driver

Fran�ois Duval has confirmed he will contest next month�s final round of the FIA World Rally

Championship � Wales Rally GB � with WRC expert Denis Giraudet on the notes. Duval�s entry now confirms a six-strong Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team contingent as he is joined by Matthew Wilson (second nominated point scorer), Henning Solberg, Barry Clark Dave Weston and Steve Perez, all driving Ford Focus RS WRC cars.

Giraudet joins Duval after an accident in Japan saw regular co-driver Patrick Pivato hospitalised and placed in intensive care. Fortunately Pivato recovered from his critical condition and is currently on a flight back to Lyon where he will be transported to hospital for the final operation to set his broken pelvis.

During the ordeal in Japan Giraudet was one of the first on the accident scene and, as a good friend of Patrick�s, did not hesitate to accompany him and Duval to the hospital to help with the situation. Despite all this the Frenchman still managed to rush back to the Sapporo dome to complete the final two super special stages with PWRC driver Eyvind Brynildsen before returning back to hospital where his friend was undergoing surgery.

It is a tremendous showing of admiration to both Pivato and Duval that Giraudet has offered to co-drive for the Belgian driver. Duval began to question whether he was psychologically fit enough to enter Wales Rally GB after the incident in Japan but the new partnership with Giraudet seems like the most appropriate one for the situation given the events which have affected both of their lives over the past two weeks.

The Stobart team also appreciate the acceptance of the decision by Brynildsen who was set to be partnered by Giraudet on the Welsh event but kindly agreed to let him partner Duval on this rather unique and special occasion.

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Team Principal Malcolm Wilson said:
�This is a great gesture by Denis and I believe that Fran�ois couldn�t have a better person sitting next to him for GB considering what they both went through in Japan. Denis will also bring a wealth of experience with him and his presence will give Fran�ois more confidence than anyone else. I�m also looking forward to him building on his last performance from Rally GB in 2006 which really impressed me.�

Posted: November 10, 2008 3:29 PM

RALLY GB AND RAC RALLY CHALLENGES FOR PEREZ

Kick Energy rally driver Steve Perez has a busy month ahead planned taking in two major events of differing formats in entirely different cars.

Making a return to the world championship arena, the Chesterfield businessman will tackle Wales Rally GB over the weekend of 5/7th December at the wheel of his Ford Focus WRC 05, which he will share with co-driver Paul Spooner.

It will be the third time that Steve has entered a world championship event following on from an outing a couple of seasons ago in Catalunya to add to Wales Rally GB in 2002.

Prior to that, Perez and co-driver Kevin Rae will attempt the four-day Roger Albert Clark Rally, which gets underway in Leeds on Friday 14th November, driving the ubiquitous Lancia Stratos in the event which is a throwback to the legendary Lombard RAC Rallies of the Seventies and Eighties.

After the disappointment of retirement last year, Perez and Rae, last year's winning co-driver, will wow the thousands of fans expected to line the route in the Italian legend around the forests of Yorkshire, Kielder and Scotland.

"Now that Wales Rally GB is venturing a little bit further north to such forests as Hafren, Sweet Lamb and Myherin, I thought I'd like another go at it as the route is much better. Mid Wales has always been a favourite of mine and I'm aiming to be top British amateur driver. But with the likes of Gareth Jones and Dave Weston, as well as Irishman Eamonn Boland, it won't be easy, but we'll give it our best shot. The one driver I'm really looking forward to competing against is MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi and if he needs any refreshments, I'm sure we can sort him some Kick Energy drinks out" said Steve.

He continued: "As for the Roger Albert, it is one of my favourite events of the year as it's how rallying used to be. Day and night, lots of stages and road miles, a proper endurance event and after the problems we have had over the past couple of years, I'm due some luck this year. It's tough on the crews and the cars but I think I'm better prepared this year than I've ever been. The fans always turn out in their thousands and hauling through the forests of the north in November is true rallying in my book."

Comprising a total of 19 stages, Wales Rally GB gets underway with the ceremonial start in Cardiff on Thursday 4th December before the first loop of competitive stages around Mid Wales on Friday 5th December. The action continues with stages in Resolfen, Crychan and Halfway as well as the spectator special at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and on Sunday, the final leg sees crews tackle four stages in South Wales before the finish back in Cardiff. More details can be found on www.walesrallygb.com

The Roger Albert Clark starts from Leeds United FC's ground of Elland Road on Friday evening (14th November) followed by a couple of blasts round Temple Newsam stately home that night. The following morning (Saturday 15th) after a 7am start, and after another two stages at Temple Newsam, crews head out towards Scarborough whereby stages at Langdale and Harwood Dale are interspersed with four runs round the motorcycle racetrack at Oliver's Mount. Then it's a trek back across to the Lake District and Greystoke Forest in darkness before an overnight halt at Carlisle at midnight.

Sunday sees another dozen stages in southern Scotland and the final five stages of the 31 stage event provides the sting in the tail with over fifty miles of 'Killer Kielder' before the finish in Carlisle on Monday afternoon. Log onto www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org for further information.

Posted: November 7, 2008 2:54 PM

Entry List & Rally Guide 2 Available

Available under "Competitors" on:

Rally GB

Posted: October 21, 2008 1:20 PM

S�bastien Ogier to contest the Wales Rally GB in a Citro�n C4 WRC

Following S�bastien Ogier's excellent season which saw the young Citro�n C2 1600 driver clinch the 2008 Junior World Rally Championship title* on the recent Rallye de France-Tour de Corse, Citro�n Sport and France's motor sport governing body (FFSA, F�d�ration Fran�aise du Sport Automobile) have decided to enter a Citro�n C4 WRC for the French driver on the Wales Rally GB (December 4-7).

"Spotting and grooming talented young drivers is an integral part of Citro�n's approach to motor sport," explains Citro�n Sport Director, Olivier Quesnel. "There is no finer example of this than the rise to fame of S�bastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, and their status today as multiple World Champions. This year, we chose to support the programme of S�bastien Ogier in the Junior World Championship which is a first class springboard to the premier category. S�bastien's score of three wins from seven starts helped him achieve the objective he was set, and he ended up making sure of the title* in Corsica. As a reward for his results, and in association with the FFSA, we have decided to enter a C4 WRC for him on the 2008 Wales Rally GB."

Like the cars campaigned by Conrad Rautenbach/David Senior and Urmo Aava/Kuldar Sikk, S�bastien's C4 WRC will be run on the event by PH Sport with the assistance of technicians from Citro�n Sport Technologies. His car will feature a similar livery to that of his C2 and will sport the colours of the FFSA, Total and, of course, Citro�n.

"Nothing has yet been decided concerning 2009," continues Olivier Quesnel. "The Wales Rally GB will give us a chance to see how S�bastien performs in a WRC car and will give him another opportunity to show what he can do. To be sure he feels under no pressure, all I ask of him is that he gets as many kilometres under his belt as possible. It will be down to him to demonstrate his ability to adapt. After that, we will look together to see what openings there might be for his future."

"This is a great opportunity; in fact, it's more an early Christmas present," enthuses S�bastien Ogier. "Once again, I would like to thank Citro�n and the FFSA for their confidence. I am perfectly aware of how fortunate I am. The Wales Rally GB is one of the most complex rounds of the season and I will tackle it cautiously, with humility and with the intention of learning."

* Subject to the publication of the official results by the FIA.

Posted: October 18, 2008 4:47 PM

Hot new girl group to entertain Rally fans

Pop fivesome The Saturdays will wow crowds with a live performance at this year's Wales Rally GB, when the event returns to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday 6 December.

The girl group, who have this week launched their second single 'Up', will be headliners at the spectacular fire and ice-themed show as part of their nationwide tour.

The Saturdays are the icing on the cake of the event's hour-long entertainment package prior to the special stage of the rally at the Millennium Stadium. The line-up includes world record holding stunt driver Terry Grant, the UK's number one freestyle motorcross rider Jamie Squibb and the Fuel Girls, a sassy collective of stunt artists and dancers.

The Saturdays are made up of five feisty, attractive girls whose catchy lyrics and energetic dance moves are guaranteed to entertain the crowds and get everyone up on their feet. The young starlets have taken the UK singles chart by storm with their first single, 'If this is love', which debuted at number eight and their success is set to grow rapidly.

Tickets for Wales Rally GB's Millennium Stadium stage start at just �1 for a child with the Kids for a Quid ticket offer and �13 for an adult (terms and conditions apply).

To keep up to date with news and information about Wales Rally GB or to book tickets online visit

Rally GB

The Saturdays

Posted: September 10, 2008 8:53 PM

Wales Rally GB Entries Open Friday 12th September

Entries open for this December's Wales Rally GB (4th - 7th) on Friday 12th September with 120 places available for professional and amateur crews.

The Cardiff-based event has, measured by the number of entries received, long been the most popular event in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and the organisers have again committed to giving both professional and amateur drivers, both from within the UK and overseas, the opportunity to enter Britain's biggest sporting event.

And while the rally will attract the fastest and most spectacular World Rally Cars it also encourages drivers with more modestly powered 1400cc cars to participate with a reduced entry fee of �1402 plus vat. The standard entry fee is �1,914 plus vat. The lower entry fee applies to classes N1 and A5 when the entry is made prior to the closing date of Friday 31st October.

In addition, the first 40 amateur drivers who submit their entry form and fee before the closing date will be guaranteed a place in the line-up which, this year, is expected to include at least 12 "Priority 1" manufacturer team drivers.

With the introduction of a Pirelli control tyre for this year's FIA World Rally Championship, the rally organisers will be providing 12 vouchers (four per day), each with a face value of 63 Euros, towards the purchase of tyres for non-priority drivers in 4WD Production cars entered in Class N4.

Several leading drivers have welcomed the return of the fast and flowing gravel roads in Hafren, Myherin and Sweet Lamb forests near Llangurig in Powys. Each of these famous special stages will be run twice and feature a mixture of classic rally routes as well as new sections, offering rally crews a refreshing change to the format of Friday's (December 5th) first full day of competition.

More Details:

Rally GB

Posted: July 17, 2008 8:59 AM

Rally Guide 1 is now available

Rally GB

• 2008 World Rally Championship
• 2008 British Rally Championship

Posted: May 13, 2008 2:27 PM

Draft route issued to FIA and WRC Teams for approval prior to formal launch on 4th June.

A draft route and itinerary for December's Wales Rally GB has now been submitted to the FIA and WRC Manufacturer teams for their comments and approval. Subject to all parties agreeing, the final route, timetable and schedule of Special Stages will be confirmed at a formal launch in Cardiff on Wednesday 4th June.

The Ceremonial Start on the evening of Thursday 4th and the Finish in the early afternoon on Sunday 7th will both be in Cardiff and for the fourth consecutive year Rally Headquarters and the "Cardiff Special Stage" will be in the Millennium Stadium.

The City and County of Swansea will host the Service Park in the prestigious SA1 Waterfront Development on the site first used last year. Thursday's Shakedown stage will again be in Penllergaer Forest, accessed by a Park and Ride service.

For the first time since 2000 the rally will return to Forestry Commission roads in mid Wales. Three stages will run during Day 1 on Friday 5th December and feature a dedicated spectator area. In addition there will be a number of new roads to increase the challenge for drivers and viewing opportunities for spectators.

Friday's competitive route will conclude with two short spectator stages in Walters Arena, normally part of the longer Rheola Forest stage. These will be run twice in quick succession.

During Saturday 6th December the traditional Halfway Forest and a shortened Crychan Forest stage near Llandovery will be run in the reverse direction to last year. The 1.1 kilometre special stage held inside the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff will again be the final stage of Saturday.

On Sunday 7th December the Rheola stage will be identical to last year and will incorporate the Walters Arena section that was used on the first day, but the roads will have been re-graded. The Port Talbot stage will be run in the reverse direction to last year.

Comprehensive details of the route, timetable and stages, together with ticketing details will be announced on 4th June in Cardiff.

Posted: March 26, 2008 9:45 PM

FIA approve date change for 2008 Wales Rally GB - New date 5th to 7th December 2008

The Federation International de L'Automobile (FIA) has, today (26th March) approved a date change for Wales Rally GB, the 15th and final round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship.

The rally will now begin with a ceremonial start on Thursday 4th December and conclude after three days of competitive driving on Sunday 7th December, one week later than originally scheduled.

This is to avoid clashing with another major International sporting event in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday 29th November.

"For the past two months we have been working closely with the major events teams in both Cardiff City Council and the Millennium Stadium to avoid a clash of these two major International events in the Welsh capital. They both require a huge amount of resources, such as accommodation, traffic management and facilities to welcome visitors from around the world," said Andrew Coe, chief executive of International Motor Sports, organisers of Wales Rally GB. "We are grateful to the FIA for agreeing to our request for a date change which now allows us to plan the running of the 76th edition of this world-renowned rally in detail," added Andrew Coe.

Details of the rally start and finish locations in Cardiff together with the overall route and timetable are traditionally announced in late May or early June.

Posted: January 28, 2008 10:44 PM

Rally GB

• 2008 World Rally Championship
• 2008 British Rally Championship