21st – 22nd August 2020
Photo: Drew Gibson
Bird, driving a Ford Focus WRC ’07, took the win in the first rally in the UK following the COVID-19 crisis, after the team’s three entered drivers – Matthew Wilson in a current-spec Fiesta WRC and WRC2 regulars Rhys Yates and Adrien Fourmaux – all chose to retire from what were the top three positions.
Matthew Wilson, driving a current Fiesta WRC on the event, had been leading after the final stage but chose to withdraw. Photo Credit: M-Sport
Third after the six stages was Sam Moffett in the first Mk2 version of the R5 Fiesta on the leaderboard. He finished just two seconds adrift of Hunter, with fourth place Cathan McCourt just one second further behind.
The event was designed to show stakeholders of the sport how rallying can safely get back underway following the COVID-19 crisis, as well as being used by M-Sport to celebrate the wide range of cars that have been built by the team over the last 20 years.
21st – 22nd August 2020
Photo: Drew Gibson
Hunter took second overall and was the fastest R5/Rally2 entrant. Photo Credit: Drew Gibson
A total of 43 entrants competed on the Greystoke-based rally, with the fastest Rally4/R2 entrant being Junior British Rally Championship driver Finlay Retson, 32 seconds quicker than Elliot Payne in a similar spec Fiesta R2-T.
Both Fiesta’s and Focus’ from throughout the last 20 years took part, with everything from early-2000s Fiesta ST machines all the way to Wilson in the current-spec Fiesta WRC all competing.
Another noticeable name on the entry list was M-Sport’s World Rally Team Principal Richard Millener, who finished a respectable 34th overall in an older-spec R2 Fiesta.
For the one-off event, M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson was on zero car duties aboard his MK2 Ford Escort, although rolled the car on stage four.
Source: thecheckeredflag.co.uk