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Ingram & Kihurani win Round One Probite BRC

Chris Ingram and Alex Kihurani claimed victory on the opening round of the Probite Motorsport UK British Rally Championship by winning the Legend Fires North West Stages on Saturday 23rd March. Ingram blasted his Michelin-shod Volkswagen Polo GTi through the lanes of Lancashire to score four fastest times and secure his maiden BRC win, taking home maximum points in one of the most exciting lineup of series contenders for many years.

Irish ace and 2021 Junior BRC champion William Creighton mounted a late charge in his Pirelli-supported Ford Fiesta Rally2 to secure second overall whilst Meirion Evans gave the Toyota Yaris GR Rally2 an impressive debut on UK soil to round out the podium spots in third.

The re-invigorated British Rally Championship attracted a star studded entry to the opening round of the season which would see 10 tests over 57 stage miles on the twisty closed-public roads around the Garstang based rally, coupled with several high-speed and open moorland stages. It was a demanding start to the BRC's highly anticipated season.

The public were out in force to see the stars and their cars on Friday night as Garstang town centre saw thousands of rally fans line the high street for the ceremonial start as the crews were waved over the ramp to a rapturous welcome, before the real action began on Saturday and the already challenging stages would become even more demanding on cars and crews thanks to capricious weather, with heavy rain showers falling on already sodden stages to add further jeopardy to the competition.

Against this challenging backdrop it was Ingram who showed the BRC contingent the way, with scratch time over the opening Beacon Fell test, opening a 5.9-second lead to four-time BRC champion Keith Cronin who was back for another shot at claiming a fifth title. But in turn, Cronin was 5.8 seconds up on 2022 British champion Osian Pryce. Ingram put his 2022 event-winning knowledge to good use and having a clean road in front of him would aid his bid to take back-to-back North West Stages wins.

The Manchester-born ace edged out another eight seconds on the second test and despite a fastest time for Pryce and co-driver Rhodri Evans on the third, would find himself almost 18 seconds ahead with two tests to go in the loop. Sadly with several incidents blighting the opening loop of stages, organisers were forced to cut the morning short, cancelling the fourth and fifth stages and leaving many without any stages completed over the first run.

With all cars re-routed back to service, the afternoon leg would go ahead as planned and the battle resumed, albeit in much wetter conditions than the morning pass. Pryce was quickest out of the blocks on the Beacon Fell repeat, going an impressive eight seconds faster than anyone else in his Fiesta Rally2, but would exit the rally on the very next test with mechanical issues. Creighton would do his best to gain ground on Ingram but the Polo driver was uncatchable and took his first BRC win against some of the toughest competition the series has seen in many years.

"It's amazing to win at home against such strong competition," said an elated Ingram. "I knew there was going to be some quick guys, especially the Irish who have had a lot of seat time. And especially this guy [Meirion Evans] who's been really quick this afternoon so it's going to be one hell of a battle for the rest of the season. We had to get the job done, we had a strong start but overall it's been a difficult day actually; we went out on slicks thinking it would be dry out here, but I think overall we've managed it well".

Fresh from a podium at the West Cork Rally last weekend, Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan were delighted with second spot, further cementing their pace which saw them secure the 2023 FIA Junior World Rally Championship title. Creighton would be the leading M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver home.

It would be Evans, along with co-driver Jonathan Jackson who rounded out the podium, returning to Garstang to spray the champagne alongside teammate Ingram, giving the Castrol MEM Rally Team an early lead in the BRC Teams Championship. Despite having only driven the car for a handful of miles prior to the event, Evans did enough to put the all-new Yaris Rally2 into the top three on its UK debut.

The drama would unfold throughout the field and James Williams would have to overcome a few new-car niggles as he settled into his Hyundai i20 N Rally2. With Ross Whittock alongside, Williams salvaged fourth from a tricky day behind the wheel and valuable points in his BRC campaign.

It was a positive result for Neil Roskell and Dai Roberts in their Ford Fiesta Rally2. Up against some of the giants of the rallying world, Roskell held his own to take the fifth spot, despite clashing with a straw bale chicane on the final stage, managing to coax the car over the finish ramp, albeit battered and bruised.

Rounding out the top six would be Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin in their Fiesta Rally2. On the crest of a wave after back-to-back Irish Tarmac Rally Championship wins, Cronin couldn't quite make it pay in the BRC. A puncture, driveshaft failure, handbrake issues and a wrong tyre choice made it a troubled day behind the wheel for the Irish pairing.

There were plenty of casualties during a brutal day on the stages, with Kyle White and Sean Topping's Hyundai i20 exiting on the opening stage after a heavy impact. JKS Team Northern Ireland teammates Alan Carmichael and Claire Williams would also be forced out after their Hyundai i20 suffered power issues. Putting an end to a strong showing, Max McRae and Cameron Fair slid off the road in their M-Sport Fiesta Rally2 on the ninth test.

Highlights of the Legend Fires North West Stages will be aired on ITV4 and ITVX on Tuesday 2nd April at 17:45 and repeated on Sunday 7th April at 08:00. The next round of the Probite British Rally Championship heads for the gravel and world-class stages of the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages in April.

26th March, 2024

Lappi's winning drought ends in Sweden!

In contrast to the comparatively snow-free Alpes Maritime of round one, Rally Sweden saw an abundance and Esapekka Lappi scored a popular Rally Sweden victory, alongside co-driver and fellow Finn Janne Ferm. Lappi produced a faultless victory, just six years, six months, and 19 days since he won Rally Finland in 2017, his first and only WRC to date.

Lappi's winless period qualifies for the longest gap between WRC victories, which stood at five years and 359 days as jointly held by rally greats Shekhar Mehta and Jean-Luc Therier. Statistically Lappi is only the fifth Hyundai-powered driver to win a WRC round, giving Hyundai its 29th world championship victory in an event that saw Toyota and M-Sport Ford also on the podium.

Lappi started Rally Sweden's deciding leg of three stages on Sunday leading by 1min 06.3sec and with 18 WRC points banked for leading at the end of Saturday, but while his rivals adopted full-attack mode, Lappi kept a cool head to reach the finish unscathed with his lead intact. Even though his winning margin was trimmed to 29.6sec, victory was all that mattered to the Finn, who is embarking on a partial campaign for the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team in 2024.

Behind Lappi, Toyota's Elfyn Evans snatched second from Adrien Fourmaux when the Frenchman lost time striking a snowbank on Sunday's first test. But the M-Sport Ford Puma driver didn't let that moment knock him off his stride as he raced to his maiden WRC podium in third. Despite sliding his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid into a snowbank at high speed on SS17, Evans topped the Super Sunday classification to bag seven world championship points to add to the 13 he scored on Saturday under new rules for 2024. The Welshman, who also took four points on the Wolf Power Stage for an event total of 24, is now three points adrift of Thierry Neuville in the race for the 2024 WRC crown. But that could have been just two points behind Neuville had he not slid into another snowbank nearing the finish of the Wolf Power Stage, denying him the fastest time and five bonus points by 0.039sec.

Neuville, the winner of Rallye Monte-Carlo last month, fought back from fuel pressure issues and set-up problems to finish fourth, but with the rear of his Hyundai sporting significant cosmetic damage following a heavy Wolf Power Stage landing. While the Belgian's title lead has been cut from six to three points, his efforts helped Hyundai draw level with Toyota at the top of the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers after two rounds.

The irrepressible Oliver Solberg won WRC2 for the second year running in fifth overall followed by category rivals Sami Pajari, Georg Linnamäe, Roope Korhonen and Mikko Heikkilä. Italy's Lorenzo Bertelli, making his second WRC start in as many years in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1, rounded out the top 10.

World champion Kalle Rovanperä claimed five points by setting the pace through the rally-deciding Wolf Power Stage following his Saturday morning restart. Ott Tänak, who also crashed out on Friday, scored six points via the Super Sunday classification and his Wolf Power Stage result.

Early rally leader Takamoto Katsuta's bid to salvage championship points following his off on Saturday's first stage suffered a setback when he spun at high-speed nearing the finish of SS17. The Japanese Toyota driver came away with three points. Perhaps it's appropriate that the winner has the last word:

"It feels really good, I've been hunting for this second victory for quite a while. I would like to say a million things but probably I'll forget many of them. But many thanks to Cyril [Abiteboul, Hyundai Motorsport president and team principal], he kept me in the team after a very bad second half last year. It's quite a massive contrast from that moment until now. So, thanks to the team and my family as well."

Next, the World Rally Championship circus heads to Africa for the fabulous Safari Rally Kenya, round three of the 2024 season, from 27 - 31 March.

WRC Drivers Championship after 2 of 13 rounds

1. Thierry Neuville 48
2. Elfyn Evans 45
3. Adrien Fourmaux 29
4. Sebastien Ogier 24
5. Ott Tanak 21
6. Esapekka Lappi 19
7. Takamoto Katsuta 12
8. Kalle Rovanpera 11
9. Oliver Solberg 8
10. Sami Pajari 6

Manufacturers Championship

1. HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM 87
2. TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT 87
3. M-SPORT FORD WORLD RALLY TEAM 47



18th February, 2024

Opel Ascona wins 26th Monte Carlo Historique!

Congratulations to the German crew of Michel Decremer/Jennifer Hugo, leaders of the rally for most of the week, for claiming a great victory earlier today in their Opel Ascona 400. Second was the Austin Cooper S of Giorgio Schon and Francesco Giammarino and third the Lancia Beta Coupe of Maurizio Aiolfi and Carlo Merenda. Results were declared final by the event stewards at 12:30 hrs Monaco time.

Of the 207 international crews that finished, the IRDC five car team were a commendable 8th from 25 teams and just a tantalizing 10 seconds behind the 7th team!

* Ritson & Michael Thomas Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF - 44th,
* Gordon & David Glen Opel Kadett GTE - 48th
* Stephen & Tony Graham Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF - 49th
* Rick Pearson & Stuart Pringle Lancia Fulvia 1.3S - 55th
* David Ring & Julian Marshall Datsun 240Z - 109th

The venerable Tyresoles Trophy for best IRDC performance was won by Ritson & Michael Thomas. Congratulations to all finishers!

7th February, 2024

Monte Carlo Historique 2024 - Latest News

Latest news after SR14 of the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique 2024 is that the German crew of Michel Decremer/Jennifer Hugo continues to lead the rally in their Opel Ascona 400, ahead of a gallant little Austin Cooper S and a Lancia Beta.

Of the 216 international crews currently remaining in the rally, the top IRDC entered cars are:
Ritson & Michael Thomas Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF 50th, Stephen & Tony Graham's Fulvia 1600 HF 51st and Gordon & David Glen's Opel Kadett GTE 57th. In 65th position is the Lancia Fulvia 1.3 S of Rick Pearson, co-driven by Silverstone MD Stuart Pringle.

6th February, 2024

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