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RALLY NEWS
M-SPORT SETS NEW
POINTS-PAYING RECORD
British team lands 250th consecutive scoring result on Monte
Photos: mcklein-imagedatabase.com
ByDavidEvans of andsomethingthatIdon’t 185podiums,three Carsthatcreatedthisrecord.
thinkwillbebeatenforavery manufacturers’titlesand Rushbrooksaid:“M-Sport
M-SportFordWorldRally longtime,if ever.It’stestament twodrivers’championships. andFordhavetogetherachieved
Teamcelebratedits250th totheincredibleteamwehaveat Wilsonwasquicktopay somethingunparalleledin
consecutivepoint-scoring DovenbyHall–andespecially tributetohisstaff,adding: motorsport:250consecutive
WorldRallyChampionship whenyouconsiderthatwedidn’t “Iwouldliketosayahuge WRCpointsfinishesreflectsthe
finishatlastweek’sMonte haverestarts[Rally2superally thankstoallthe22driversand28 dedicationandprofessionalism
CarloRally. regulationsallowingcrewsto co-driverswhomadethispossible, of theM-Sportteamandisyet
DriversEsapekkaLappiand returntotheclassificationafter andanevenbiggerthankstoallof anothermilestoneforoneof
TeemuSuninenbroughttheir retiring]whentherecordbegan. thepersonnelwhohavepassed motorsport’smosticonicand
FordFiestaWRCshomeinfourth “Dedicationandattention throughthedoorsof Dovenby successfulpartnerships.
andeighthplacesrespectively,to todetailissomethingwepride Hall–withoutwhomthis “Whenyouconsiderthelongest
furtherarunwhichbeganwith alongsideourpassionand incrediblerecordwouldn’t streakof consecutivepointsfor
CarlosSainzandColinMcRae commitmenttothesport,and havebeenpossible.” anyF1teamwas81forFerrari
finishingthirdandfourthon that’splayedabigpartinour Globaldirectorof Ford between2010and2014,andthen
thesameevent18yearsago. reliabilityandsuccessover PerformanceMarkRushbrook considerthebrutalpunishment
M-Sportmanagingdirector theyears.” wasequallychuffedathaving thatWRCcarstake,itreally
MalcolmWilsonsaid:“Thisis Duringthatunbrokenrunof theBlueOvalattachedtothe putsM-Sport’sachievement
somethingI’mextremelyproud 250,M-Sporthasscored50wins, FocusandFiestaWorldRally inperspective.” M-Sporttooktwotop-eightfinishesontheMonteCarloRally
Yates sets his sights on British Rally Championship outings to perfect his craft
M-SportForddriverRhys vital to success in BRC. If you says the BRC’s now annual trip to
Yateswilltrytoemulatehis don’t make a good start, it’s Ypres in Belgium is a highlight,
fatherJohn’sachievement hard to catch that time back.” but it’s the trips across the Irish
andwinthisyear’sBritish Yates added the opportunity to Sea which are also exciting him.
RallyChampionshiptitle. bring a second British title home “Look at the calendar,” he said.
YatesJr,whomadehisdebut was a motivating force. He said: “They’re all proper rallies and
withtheCumbrianfactoryteam “Dad’s been a British champion really quality events, but those
atlastweek’sMonteCarloRally, on two wheels and it would be Ulster stages are awesome. I went
confirmedtoday(Wednesday) really nice for me to do the same there in 2018 and I think we were
thathewilltacklethisyear’s on four wheels. But, you know, unlucky not to win. I ended up
BRCinaFordFiestaR5.His they don’t just give these things hitting a concrete pillar, but we
motorbikeracingfather out, you’ve got to get out there got away with it and finished
JohnwontheBritishSuper Yates will use BRC mileage and earn them. You only have to third. I put in some fastest
Sport400titlein1990. look at the names on the trophy to times, the rain and the conditions
“I’vealwayssaidthatIwould rallies land nicely between know how much this title means. worked in our favour and I felt
wanttosupporttheBritishRally the WRC rounds we’re doing, “There’s a lot of good the speed was good. I’m looking
ChampionshipwhenIcan,”said which is great for seat time. competition out there with forward to getting back there.
Yates.“Ireallyenjoytherallies, “And the fact that they are some really fast guys. I’m looking “I’ve never been in West Cork
they’regreateventswithgreat that little bit shorter is actually forward to it, we’ve come close before, but I think we’re all well
stages.OK,they’reabitshorter a good thing – one area I want to in the past and it’s good to be aware of the reputation of those
thanWRCrounds,butit’sreally work on this year is getting out of giving it another go this time.” brilliant stages. I’ve done a few
goodfortimeinthecarandto the blocks quicker. That’s crucial Asked which events he’s events in Ireland and it’s always
Yates was fourth inWRC 2 class for M-Sport in Monte Carlo helpbuildtheexperience.The for me and it’s something that’s looking forward to most, Yates an awesome place to go.”
Jimmy McRae to handle Colin’s 1996 Subaru Impreza at Castle Combe Rallyday
Jimmy McRae willdrive Thaticoniccar willreturn to surpriseforRallyday visitors. motorsport’siconicbrands.
Prodrive’s ex-ColinMcRae WiltshireforRallyday’s all-new Talking of theteam’s Davissaid:“Inayearwhen
SubaruImpreza555 at June’s summerdateonJune20. alliancewithRallyday, Prodrive we’recelebratingavery,
Rallydayaspart of theCastle The Metro willbe joinedby chairmanDavidRichardssaid: veryspecialseasonfromColin
Combeevent’s25th anniversary the2011 MiniJCWWRC driven “Itis great tosee howRallyday McRae,tohaveProdrive with
celebrationof the Scot’s World byDaniSordo onRallyGB and hasremained truetoits roots us asapartnerfortheeventis
RallyChampionship title. SaeedAlHajri’sMiddle East and,overthe last two decades, fantasticnews. Whenyouthink
TheImpreza555 –a 1996 ChampionshipPorsche 911SC grownto become thebiggest aboutColin andDerek [Ringer]
McRae car–is part of Prodrive’s RS.It’s Subarus,however,that annualcelebration of rallying orColinandNicky[Grist]
biggestever commitment to Prodriveis mostsynonymous inthiscountry. competing,youthinkof them
Rallyday,with sixcars coming with andthere will beabrace “We’re bringingsomeof our intheblueand yellowof a
fromthemultipleworld of factory Imprezason show. mosticonic rallycarsfromthe ProdriveSubaru.Prodriveis
championship-winning outfit. TheImprezaWRC99 Richard last35yearsand I amsurethey aniconicbrand,one that’s
Lastyear, the Banbury-based Burns droveon the2000 Safari willbeinverygoodcompany.” recognisedaroundtheworld.
team reunitedfive-time British willbe joinedby the earlier Rallyday organiserTomDavis “And tohavethempromising
champion McRaewith the GroupA555. saidhe was delightedwith asurpriseseventhentryaswell
Rothmans-backedMG Metro In additionto thosecars, thesupportof what he only servesto furtherwhetthe
6R4 hedrovethrough 1986. Prodrivehaspromisedapopular describedas one of world appetite forrallyfans.” Colin McRae’s 1996 Subaru will grace Castle Combe Rallyday
Two young Britons aiming for success graduate to Junior World Rally Championship with outings in 2020
Britons JonArmstrong and wasthe DriveDMACK Cup changedandit’s moreuncertain graduating fromtheBritish “Of course,it’sallabout
Ruairi Bell will bothcompete buthas sofaronlymanagedto thanwewere expecting. RallyChampionshipwhere learningbutequallyIthink
in theJuniorWorldRally securefunding forthe opening “Apodiumshouldbepossible hewon a€60,000 prizefrom Ineedtogainexperienceof
Championship thisseason, tworoundsof thechampionship. inSwedenandthenthereisabig M-Sportand Pirellitoput everything[like]driving
beginningwithRally Sweden “I thoughtI wasgoing tohave gapbefore RallyItalytowork towardsthisseason. harder[andagainst]different
next month. budgetto competefor the full onfinding somebacking.” “[This]istherightsteptotake competition.If weenjoy[it]
Armstronglast competedin season,”ArmstrongtoldMN. Bellmeanwhile willcomplete andthatprizehasbeenakeypart thenhopefullyit’llwork,that’s
Bell has impressed in JBRC theJWRCback in 2016when it “Theninthe NewYear things afull JWRCcampaignafter of whereIamnow,”Bellsaid. mytheoryatthemoment.”
FEATURE: GARY PREBBLE – THE KING OF CASTLE COMBE PAGE 27
