Washington Grant James 1933 – 2020 Washington James, the last surviving member of a historic and tenacious 1970s Welsh rally team, died peacefully on New Year's Eve in Newcastle Emlyn aged 87. Washington - affectionately known as 'Washy' - from Cenarth in Cardiganshire, was joined on the 1970 World Cup Rally by two friends, renown Cooper S road-rally star Alun Rees from Carmarthen, and … [Read more...]
Rallying
Britain’s out of WRC 2021 as NI bid fails
Britain has been dropped from this year’s WRC calendar after uncertainty over funding and the Coronavirus pandemic. Belgium will stage a round of the FIA World Rally Championship for the first time after Renties Ypres Rally Belgium was last week added to the 2021 calendar in August on a date to be confirmed. It will replace the UK’s proposed fixture in Northern Ireland, which has unfortunately … [Read more...]
Evans raises game and looks towards 2021
Elfyn Evans’ dream of becoming the first Welsh driver to win the FIA World Rally Championship were put on hold when he crashed out of this year's title-decider in northern Italy. The 31-year-old from Dolgellau arrived at the ACI Rally Monza holding a 14-point advantage over his Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Sébastien Ogier and, despite some atrocious weather conditions, at the mid-point seemed on … [Read more...]
Evans poised to put WRC crown on his head
Elfyn Evans is on the cusp of making British motorsport history as he heads to Monza in Italy this weekend for the final round of this year’s FIA World Rally Championship. The 31-year-old Dolgellau driver arrives at the historic ‘Cathedral of Speed’ with a significant, but by no means unassailable 14-point lead over Sébastien Ogier, his Toyota Gazoo Racing teammate. Hyundai’s top performer, … [Read more...]
Colin McRae’s legacy 25 years on
Twenty-five years ago next Sunday, Scot Colin McRae climbed out of his iconic blue Subaru Impreza to wild adoration as he became the youngest ever world rally champion. Massive crowds celebrated at Chester Racecourse with McRae, co-driver Derek Ringer and their Prodrive team after victory at Britain’s RAC Rally sealed the crown. McRae was 27 years and 109 days old. He was the first British … [Read more...]
Driving Combe for Christmas ideas
As Lewis Hamilton clinched his seventh World Drivers' F1 Championship crown, Chippenham’s Castle Combe Circuit has unveiled an array of thrilling experience days and gifts aimed at providing local motorsport enthusiasts with presents they’ll never forget this Christmas. The local race track has been a hub of high-speed petrol-infused action for over 70 years now, with its recently-launched … [Read more...]
Evans leaps towards WRC crown
Elfyn Evans has moved another step towards becoming the first Welsh driver to be crowned FIA World Rally Champion following the cancellation of this month’s Renties Ypres Rally Belgium. Belgium was due to host the FIA World Rally Championship for the first time but, following rising COVID-19 infections in the country, directions from regional government forced the organisers to cancel the … [Read more...]
Osian impresses at Goodwood
Osian Pryce made a successful return to rallying after a coronavirus restriction-enforced eight-month layoff by finishing runner-up on the Goodwood SpeedWeek Super Special Stages at the weekend. Contesting his first event in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, and without any pre-event testing, the 27-year old Machynlleth born driver set second fastest time on all but one of the tight and … [Read more...]
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 unveiled
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing has unveiled the i20 N Rally2, an all-new rally car intended for privateer teams and drivers. It follows on from the Hyundai i20 R5 with which Hyundai Motorsport entered the Customer Racing arena at the end of 2015. The i20 N Rally2 builds on the experience gained by the department over the last five years to deliver an improved all-round package. The car is … [Read more...]
Monza finale to WRC as UK round remains unclear
Italy’s ACI Rally Monza will host the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship after being added to the heavily disrupted calendar this year. The asphalt event on 4 - 6 December is based at the famous Monza race circuit near Milan and known as The Temple of Speed, in the north of the country. The itinerary will adopt the FIA WRC’s short format schedule, featuring about 220km of … [Read more...]