The Jim Clark International Rally marks a change from gravel to asphalt for all the crews in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, but it is especially relevant for the two wheel drive runners in Formula 2, as a dry event could easily see the front-runners vie for an overall podium.
The advantage held by the four wheel drive cars on gravel has been eroded in previous years by sticky Tarmac. Most recently when a Renault Twingo took fifth place on the Isle of Man in 2010, an astonishing feat made possible by the F2’s lightweight nimbleness.
But whether on the overall podium or not, the return of a truly British title for two wheel drive cars has thrown up three winners from the first three events. BRC newcomer Estonian Siim Plangi took first blood, while Northern Ireland’s Mark Donnelly and Martin McCormack scored top points for the UK on rounds two and three respectively.
This bald statement does not, however, give any credence to the enormity of the battles that have taken place on the opening three gravel events.
His win on the season opener, coupled with a pair of puncture-hampered fifth places on rounds two and three, means that new boy Siim Plangi, the eighteen year old Estonian, leads the revived BRC Formula 2 championship. Siim and co-driver Marek Sarapuu might only have a slim single point lead at the head of the leaderboard, but their performance has been astonishing as they encounter each of the BRC events for the first time in the diminutive Twingo.
Arguably more consistent so far have been Irish driver and Welsh co-driver Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts with two thirds and a fourth. Moving back to a two wheel drive Fiesta after a season aboard the monster S2000 car last year, their season didn’t begin well. A broken water pump in February set them back several places, but their fight back was worth watching, as has been their tenacity against more powerful machinery on rounds two and three.
As the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship allows two dropped scores towards the title at the end of the season, Marty McCormack and David Moynihan’s absence from the first event shouldn’t be an issue for the Irish duo. They debuted the Citroën DS3 in Wales and despite niggling problems, wowed onlookers with a ding-dong battle to take second. The Pirelli witnessed an equally enthralling fight too, this time falling in their favour.
Their competition in the R3 class includes Mark Donnelly and reigning BRC champion co-driver Barry McNulty, who switched to the fearsome Renault Clio after round one and have not looked back. Although a Clio appeared last year, it took the Northern Irishman’s skill to make it scream to victory in Wales after a tooth and nail fight with McCormack. It was all a bit much on the Pirelli though, taking a penalty when they were late for the Saturday re-start which left them fourth.
Another new boy showing consistency and maturity beyond his years is Welsh youngster Nick Cristofaro. The seventeen year-old is the youngest driver in the BRC, but he and Rob Fagg have put in some giant killing performances in their out classed Fiesta. He shares fourth in the F2 tables with Donnelly, but is clear third in both the Junior and R2 classes, his ST model car up against much more modern machinery – certainly one to watch as the season progresses.
Promising much at the start of the season was BRC Challenge Champion Callum Black. He wheeled out his awesome Suzuki Swift S1600 and made the step up from the national support series with an excellent podium place on his International debut. But after another strong performance in Wales, he and Paul Wakely suffered head gasket failure on the run to the Pirelli Rally’s first Saturday morning stage, leaving them sixth F2 ahead of the Jim Clark.
Having a difficult season is the first of the Finns Mikko Pajunen. The 26 year-old amazed onlookers in 2010 at the wheel of a Swift and looked like repeating the feat with second place in Bournemouth. But punctures plagued him and Jani Salo in Wales, a front flat forcing them off the road and into retirement in Kielder.
Two Fiesta BRC newbies hold eighth and ninth in the F2 tables; eighteen year old Osian Pryce flying the flag for Wales while Dan O’Brien carries the Irish Tricolour with pride. Pryce has the upper hand by three points despite running an older specification Fiesta, but both have had problems, so are pleased to have scored on all three rounds so far.
Tenth in the Formula 2 classification is the leading BRC female driver Louise Cook. Like Pryce versus O’Brien her older Fiesta heads opponent Aussie Molly Taylor in an R2 car, but unlike the boy’s Ford battle, she has a full set of scores whereas Taylor began the year with a pair of DNFs.
Outside the top ten in the F2 classification are several drivers who have either had a difficult start to the season, or have joined late. Jussi Kumpumäki’s first season in the UK has proved that the Finn has pace, but he has yet to translate that to a podium place and the transition to tarmac won’t favour his gravel experience. Alastair Fisher returns to the BRC after a testing first few events in his FIA Academy season. Moving back to two wheel drive after some excellent results in 2009 and 2010 in his Mitsubishi was a brave move, but like Breen and Molly Taylor he has made the step up to the WRC and will use the BRC events to stay match-fit.
Two drivers hoping for solid finishes are the Team C2R2 Max pilots Desi Henry and Joe McGonigle. The Irishmen have one finish between them, but Henry is alone in starting all three events so far, McGonigle missing all season after a huge shunt on home soil earlier in the season.
Jim Clark International Rally
The Scottish Borders’ Jim Clark Rally is based in Kelso, but the start and finish take place in the centre of Jim’s hometown from the age of six, Duns. The ceremonial start and Mantis Instant Shine street stage take over the whole of the centre of Duns, kicking off with an autograph session in the Market Square at 17.30, the stage running at 19.00 and 21.30.
With 43 of the event’s 140 stage miles completed on Friday evening, the remaining ten stages loop around the Kelso service area, finishing with champagne back in Duns just before 18.00 on Saturday.
For more information on the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship visit www.rallybrc.co.uk.