MAGAZINE: Wales Rally GB 2013 Special

Check out our FREE Wales Rally GB special of Road Magazine – featuring the tale of VW's total dominance in this historic, gritty gravel event and the 2013 season (unbelievably their 1st in WRC!), a local WRC2 win by Elfyn Evans' M-Sport Ford, Citroen's many rolls, Olympian Amy Williams & TV's Tony Jardine's ace class win and a report from the new 'RallyFest' stages, and more. This epic event – when it was the iconic Lombard RAC, then Network Q – is what made me a petrolhead, motoring journalist and lifelong rally fan. Standing stage-side as a young boy, obligatory bobble hat on and armed with an airhorn, I witnessed the legendary Group B cult cars – 205 T16, Delta Integrale, Audi Quattro – spit flames and gravel, wastegates chattering: I was hooked. I adored that era of rallying, but I’m not all misty-eyed. The event, the cars and the world of rallying got faster and evolved and I moved with it – always enjoying the unique, special sport. But, in recent years, our only UK WRC round – Wales Rally GB – lost its way, the crowds, and the buzz that went with them. I’m not sure, but it may have even come close to losing WRC favour too: A tragedy. Cue a re-think, a revitalisation of this historic, amazing, challenging event. And boy, did MSA Chairman, Alan Gow and all the Wales Rally GB team work wonders this year – new North Wales base, night stages, the introduction of family-friendly “RallyFest” stages, lively ceremonial start/finish, pop concerts... the lot. And, best of all, 196-miles of some of the best, most challenging, technical, slippery, tricky and epochal special stages in the world – Hafren, Sweet Lamb, Myherin, Gartheiniog, Dyfi... names that sing louder than a male voice choir to rally fans the world over. The event re-brand – and targeted, hard work of the PR and social media team – not only created what is essentially a new Wales Rally GB event, but it did something even more magical... it brought the crowds back, and with it the uniquely Welsh forest flavour. And the WRC and national drivers didn’t disappoint... as you can read here in our Wales Rally GB special.

NEWS: Wales Rally GB Showcase @ Cholmondeley Pagent Of Power & 20% Ticket Offer

More great news for Wales Rally GB, Cholmondeley Pagent of Power & motorsport fans! Following the announcement last week that Wales Rally GB is to have a new, compact home and town and night special stages in North Wales 14-17th November, the UK's only WRC event is set to be showcased at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power on 14-16th June. And there's up to 20% off tickets right now too (see below)!

New and central to the awesome Cholmondeley event will be the Wales Rally GB Village where WRC stars and cars as well as cars from the Group B era will be on display and competing on Cholmondeley’s 1.2-mile sprint track. Competitors will include Elfyn Evans, 2012 FIA WRC Academy Champion, driving a Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Tom Cave driving a Citroen DS3-R3 and Garry Pearson, 2012 MSA British Junior Rally Champion driving a Ford Fiesta R2.
Displays of iconic rally cars will include Colin McRae's Safari winning 1999 Ford Focus WRC, Jari-Matti Latvala's 2010 Ford Focus WRC (in which he became the youngest ever winner of Rally Finland) and Mikko Hirvonen's Monte Carlo Rally winning 2010 Ford Fiesta S2000.

Aside from the Wales Rally GB village, the Pageant of Power features competitive motorsport around the estate track, powerboat racing, aerobatic displays and the Tri-Services helicopter competition with highlights including:

• Over 120 most valuable cars and bikes competing on track
• Aston Martin centenary celebration with track action
• Lamborghini 50th anniversary concourse
• Autocar Supercar Paddock
• Air displays including Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster Bomber
• Bolddog Lings Motorcross Stunt Display
• Marine action including wake borders and flyboarding displays

20% off tickets

Wales Rally GB has teamed up with Cholmondeley to offer a 20% discount on tickets for the three day Pageant of Power so that you can come and get a taster of the November WRC event, chat to the organisers and benefit from a ticket offer while mingling with the crews and watching them compete on track. 

Tickets to the Pageant of Power are priced from £22, terms and conditions apply. To qualify for your 20% discount, book online at www.cpop.co.uk and quote: WRGBPT (Saturday, Sunday or weekend ticket).

Happy days!