A RALLY supremo from Gwynedd has been speaking about his son’s chances in the upcoming Wales Rally GB and how he is hoping for typical Welsh weather to help him succeed.
With more international drivers taking part in this year’s event than ever before, the rally is now considered one of the most important in World Rally Championship (WRC), according to former British Rally champion, Gwyndaf Evans.
Seventy seven drivers will take part in the rally which spans Conwy, Denbigh, Flint, Meirionnydd, Powys and Ceredigion across 21 stages.
From Thursday, 26 October to Sunday, 29 October, the Ralïo+ team will show the highlights from that day, as well as broadcast highlights from both the WRC rally and the National Rally, on Monday, 30 October.
Presenters Emyr Penlan, Hana Medi, Llinos Lee and Howard Davies will also keep viewers up to date, alongside the young driver from Machynlleth, Osian Pryce, and the former rally driver from Dinas Mawddy, Gwyndaf Evans, father of current WRC driver, Elfyn Evans.
So how does Gwyndaf rate his son’s season so far?
“It’s been a good season for Elfyn. He has impressed in a number of rallies during this year’s championship, particularly in Argentina and Finland where he was second in both rallies, and that has certainly given him confidence.
“I feel that he’s gone up a gear and hopefully he’ll get some luck in the future.
“This rally suits Elfyn and with his car and his team, I can’t see why he couldn’t be successful in the race.
“If the weather is slippery and wet, it will suit him even more, so it’s promising for him.
“We went to Spain without much expectation, but we’re going to this rally a lot more with hope.”
Gwyndaf remembers his own days on the Welsh tracks fondly.
“It’s one of the most popular rallies in the world, in terms of entries and all the best drivers put Wales Rally GB at the top of their list,” he said. “That is a credit to the organisation of the rally and the Welsh forests, which contribute so much to the stages.
“Wales Rally GB is one of the strongest in the WRC and every year the result of the current championship is to reach Wales, so there is a lot of pressure on the race that makes it exciting to say the least.
“At present, the race for the world championship for the makers and drivers continues to live.
“Sebastien Ogier and M-Sport are the leading horses in these championships but they would not want to make a mistake. The stages are all based in the forests and that can make it very wet and slippery and a big challenge for the drivers.”
The former British champion believed this year would be one of the most popular yet.
“The sport has been up and down over the years,” Gwyndaf added.
“It was very popular during the time of Colin McRae and Richard Burns, and it’s also been on a downward curve.
“But certainly this year, with British drivers, Chris Meeke and Elfyn, and Craig Breen from Ireland, things are looking good again.
“The new cars are different animals these days, not only to look at but in terms of speed, noise and everything else, and that has added more excitement as well.”