It's time for the hype to stop and the action to begin! The rejuvenated 2016 MSA British Rally Championship is about to get underway, with the Mid Wales Stages kicking off the season on March 5th. The Mid Wales Stages, based in Newtown, provides the perfect playing ground for the new-look BRC to roll into action. With the first 26 miles being held in the dark and Sunday's action seeing the crews tackling infamous stages from Wales Rally GB like Myherin, Sweet Lamb and Hafren, it's guaranteed that the BRC is set to return in style. After taking a sabbatical in 2015, the BRC has been completely re-jigged with a new organising committee, new rules and new events that have all added up to create a championship that looks as if it deserves to be the British Rally Championship. The BRC used to be the go to national championship for competitors to test themselves and for the WRC teams to keep an eye on potential future employees. Leading the ensuing pack away as car number 1 are Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry, a very exciting addition to the BRC contingent. After two years in the WRC where he collected two podium finishes, Evans is driving for the DMACK team in the BRC as well as competing on WRC2 events in a Ford Fiesta R5. Evans last competed in the BRC in 2012 in a Fiesta R2 after a strong season in a Subaru Impreza, and is a firm favourite for the 2016 title and a home win on round 1.
Triple British champion Keith Cronin is set to challenge for a fourth British crown in 2016, behind the wheel of his Citroen DS3 R5. Cronin is also contesting the Irish Tarmac Championship this year, and won his class on the season opening Galway International Rally. Another former British champion has committed himself to the series in the shape of David Bogie, who has replaced his Ford Fiesta with a Skoda Fabia R5. The five time Scottish champion was the last man to win the BRC when 4WD cars were eligible, and is already looking comfortable in his new car after claiming victory on last Sunday's Red Kite Stages. (pictured at top) Tom Cave is another driver who has formerly contested the BRC, and returns with a good bank of international experience. Campaigning a Fiesta R5, Cave is a strong contender for a victory on home soil, although there is work to do to get his car ready after a crash on last weekend's Red Kite Stages. The highest seeded BRC rookie and international competitor is Fredrik Ahlin of Sweden, who is also driving one of M-Sport's Fiesta R5. Fredrik was impressive in WRC2 on Rally Sweden, and could be a real dark horse. Euan Thorburn and Paul Beaton complete the set of R5 cars with their Peugeot 208 T16. The former 2013 BTRDA and 2014 Scottish champions will be looking to prove what they and the Peugeot can do on the best stages in Britain, and it will be great to see the Duns driver renew his rivalry with Dumfries' David Bogie. (pictured above) Elfyn Evans' team mate for the 2016 BRC is Max Vatanen, who like Evans has a father who is a former British champion. Max, much like Fredrik Ahlin, is a BRC rookie but he has a good wealth of international experience, a competitive car and a team mate and father who have expert advice for him to mount a serious challenge. Could this start in Wales? 2015 Mid Wales Stages winner Jamie Anderson is to contest the 2016 BRC in yet another Fiesta R5. Stepping up from the BTRDA, Anderson will be looking to get his season off to a strong start in Wales. Other R5 runners to keep an eye on are the Moffett brothers Josh and Sam in Fiesta R5s, Jonny Greer who has a wealth of BRC experience in a DS3 R5 and Neil Simpson, who last took on the BRC in 2000, in a Fabia R5. The DMACK Junior BRC is also well worth a watch, with these drivers gunning to become international superstars and champions. The Vauxhall work drivers Mattias Adielsson, Robert Duggan and Arron Windus are armed with a competiitve car in the ADAM R2 and have works backing behind them. However, they will be a battling a host of Fiesta R2Ts such as Gus Greensmith so the battle in this class is set to be very close! The action kicks off at night on 5th March before concluding the following afternoon. Who will be the first winner of a BRC round in over a year? You only have to wait a week to find out!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
BRITISH RALLYINGArticles covering rally in Britain, looking at the MSA BRC Archives
September 2017
Categories |