As well as the battle for overall positions, this weekend’s round six of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, International Rally Yorkshire, will also see the fight for the Formula 2 title continue where it left off in round five, Todds Leap Rally NI. This time round though the surface turns from asphalt to gravel and therefore, the event is less likely to see one of the increasingly quick front-wheel-drive cars make it to the top of the podium…or will it?
As the history books will reveal, the Northern Irish event worked out in favour of the Formula 2 machines when, driving their Citroën DS3 R3, Ulsterman Marty McCormack and Irish co-driver David Moynihan scored the first overall victory in the BRC with a front-wheel-drive car for eleven years. Adding to the outcome were Irishmen Tommy Doyle and Liam Moynihan, who backed up their fellow F2 competitors with a resounding second place in their R3 Renault Clio.
Their win last time out sees McCormack and Moynihan top the F2 championship tables on 78 points, with the Estonian pairing of Siim Plangi and Marek Sarapuu sharing second spot on 60 points with Autosport Technology Renault Finnish Twingo team-mates Mikko Pajunen and Jani Salo. Similarly, fourth place is shared by two crews on 51 points: Welshmen Osian Pryce and Iestyn Williams in a Ford Fiesta and Mark Donnelly and Barry McNulty, from Southern and Northern Ireland respectively, in their Renault Clio.
Having to contend with a misfire for most of the Ulster Rally, Donnelly will be looking to make up for lost ground this weekend and therefore, in the absence of Doyle, is destined to be the man most likely to challenge McCormack. Other drivers who could well occupy a step on the F2 podium this weekend are Finland’s Jussi Kumpumäki and, although he enjoyed the asphalt of Northern Ireland, has admitted he is much more at home on gravel.
The pace of Pryce and Kumpumäki so far this season also sees them first and second in the Fiesta SportTrophy standings, with Welshman Nick Cristofaro currently third. In the BRC’s other one-make series, the Citroën Racing Trophy Irishman Desi Henry tops the tables, with fellow countryman Joe McGonigle in second.
Following a high-speed off in the closing stages in Ulster, it is good to see Fiesta driver Alex Laffey back behind the wheel. On this occasion he is accompanied by John Connor, as his regular co-driver Chris Williams is still recovering from the broken collarbone he sustained in the incident.
International Rally Yorkshire kicks off with a ceremonial start from 18.00 on Friday evening at Scarborough’s West Pier, with the competition commencing on Saturday morning.
After leaving the show-case service area at the town’s Weaponness Car Park, the route comprising nine stages and 86 competitive miles sees competitors tackle some of the best-know stages in the sport, such as Dalby, Cropton, Gale Rigg, Staindale and Langdale, before returning to the West Pier for the finish at 17.04.
Dulux Trade MSA British Formula 2 Rally Championship standings after round five
1 Marty McCormack 78
2= Siim Plangi 60
2= Mikko Pajunen 60
4= Osian Pryce 51
4= Mark Donnelly 51
6 Craig Breen 47
7 Nick Cristofaro 44
8 Callum Black 43-
9 Jussi Kumpumäki 42
10 Louise Cook 32
2011 Calendar of events
25/26 February Rallye Sunseeker International
1/2 April Bulldog Rally of North Wales
29/30 April Pirelli International Rally
27/28 May Jim Clark International Rally
19/20 August Todds Leap International Rally NI
23/24 September International Rally Yorkshire
28/29 October Isle of Man International Rally
For more information on the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship visit www.rallybrc.co.uk.