Wales Rally GB: Series pre-event notes

BRC v PWRC v WRC

In the run up to Wales Rally GB there are several drivers in the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship with experience of this round of the WRC.

Both Higgins brothers are in the frame for good results in the Welsh forests having contested the event several times before, Mark taking fourth in 1996 when it was a 2 litre only rally and sixth in a WRC car in 2002. Guy Wilks should not be disadvantaged though, contesting the event every year since 2002 and winning his class in 2004. He also comes to Rally GB on a high after an excellent sixth place on last weekend's Rally Ireland.

Wilks, team-mate Gwyndaf Evans and David Higgins have all been moved up the running order to join Mark as FIA seeded drivers, a gift of the organisers to "wild card" PWRC entrants. Higgins succumbed to pressure in his PWRC campaign on Rally Ireland while on course for victory, but despite being unable to take that title he will still use his Production Championship Mitsubishi.

This year will be Evans' eighteenth Rally GB, equalling Mark's sixth place back in 1995, while Rob Swann and Rob Gill's joint total is into double figures. Most recently Rautenbach (who swaps his C2 for a WRC C4 on this occasion), Beebe and Graham all have double Rally GB experience, so their respective classes should all take note.

The stages of Wales Rally GB will no doubt resound to the bark of World Rally machinery and the fight for the PWRC, but the British Rally Championship has been a training ground for WRC Champions for many years. Vatanen, Mikkola and Blomqvist all took BRC wins in the 70's & 80's while sadly missed are two 90's stars in the form of Richard Burns and Colin McRae.

The winner of the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship may well appear on the WRC roll of honour in the future, but before that there is the small matter of some serious Welsh forest action--.

-credit: rallybrc.co.uk