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 Update

Excited! There's only 28 days to go until Wales Rally GB – the UK's only WRC round and the 2013 season finale. 

And the new-look WRC event looks set to be a classic, with a fresh base in North Wales proving popular with entrants and fans alike, the creation of new family friendly 'RallyFest' stages designed to give a full day's entertainment for less hardcore rally fans and now the news that ex-F1 star, Robert Kubica is set to enter the event in a Citroën DS3, in WRC spec. 

Kubica has been piloting a DS3 RRC in WRC2 this season, and will make the jump up to the full-on WRC car for the Welsh gravel classic, November 14-17th, Robert Kubica will step up to the DS3 WRC for the final round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), competing with co-driver Maciek Baran.

A Wales Rally GB spokesman said: "With four category wins from the six rallies in which he has competed, Robert Kubica can rightfully feel pleased with his debut season in the WRC. Currently leading the WRC2 championship standings, he will be trying to seal overall victory later this month at Rally RACC Catalunya, where second place would be enough for him to win his first world title. Wales Rally GB, which until now was not part of his programme for this year, will provide him with the perfect opportunity to put his skills to the test in rally's top-flight category."

Robert Kubica added: "This one-off outing for the works team is a great opportunity for me, but it's also a huge challenge. Wales Rally GB wasn't part of my original programme, so I'm very happy to be able to have this precious experience. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my partners, and especially the Lotos Group and Citroën Racing for having made this possible."
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WRC 2013's freshly crowned champion, VW Motorsport's Sébastien Ogier, says he is hoping to end his title winning season in grand style with victory on Wales Rally GB, despite his lack of experience on the tricky, wet, muddy, foggy, gravely, classic forest stages of Wales. 

"It's not my favourite event - I have had a lot of accidents there!" admitted the man who has tackled Wales Rally GB on five occasions and is yet to post a top ten finish, let alone come close to winning. "The stages are really nice but very difficult to judge with varying grip levels, and then there's the weather. But now with more experience, I'm hoping to secure a good result this year."

And, on top of this, surely the all-conquering VW Polo R WRC – set-up by a Wales Rally GB master, Carols Sainz – will see him onto the podium, for a fab finish to an unreal season for him and the team.
We can't cover the whole event in person this year (although you will be able to get all the latest event news from us on Twitter & Facebook), but we're planning a road trip in a new Subaru Outback CVT to go to the new-look event this year – for a nice big article in Road Magazine. Instead of marching the gravel stages as per usual, we will be attending one of the new RallyFest, family friendly stages, with huge TV screens showing off all the rally action, bands playing live and twin passes of the WRC stars and cars. It sounds different and great fun. Can't wait! And neither can my three month old (Michelle Mouton in the making...!).

Get involved: Book your tickets here.

NEWS: Opportunity Knocks for Amateurs @ Wales Rally GB

 

Opportunity knocks for rally amateurs at this year's re-vamped Wales Rally GB – with amateur rally crews are being offered three different national rally competition options to compete against the sport’s elite on this event running from its new base in North Wales, 14-17 November. This gives even more VFM for the fans watching the only British WRC event. Hooray!
Following extensive research among competitors, two different National events will be run alongside Britain’s concluding round of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC); there’s also the opportunity for more ambitious entrants to contest Wales Rally GB in its entirety.
Ensuring all participants take full advantage of the WRC’s presence in north Wales, all teams will be based beside the premier world championship outfits in the new Service Park situated in Deeside. Adding to their appeal, the two National events feature many of the same classic Welsh forest stages as tackled by the WRC crews as well as the exciting new spectator stages at Chirk Castle and Kinmel Park, and the historic Great Orme. Finishers will receive their trophies on the newly designed, high-profile WRC Start/Finish Podium in Llandudno on Sunday afternoon.
The longer, three-day National rally includes no fewer than 11 of the 13 Wales Rally GB stages starting on Friday with challenging tests in Hafren, Sweet Lamb and Myherin. The shorter two-day National rally commences on Saturday morning and then shares the same route as the on-going three-day event.
Saturday’s schedule includes four challenging stages – Gartheinog, Dyfi, Dyfnant and Chirk Castle. Sunday kicks off with a second run through Dyfnant and then follows the WRC route via Penllyn, Clocaenog and Kinmel Park before a dramatic conclusion on the historic Great Orme.
As well as giving amateurs an outstanding opportunity to compete on the same classic stages as the top stars from the FIA World Rally Championship, the two National rallies offer great value for money. The three-day event includes 114 miles of competitive stages for an entry fee of just £900 while the 72-mile, two-day alternative is priced at £600. Categories for historic and FIA classes are available all with their own awards. A generous Guest Pass package is also available for competitors with a dedicated hospitality facility being constructed in the Deeside Service Park.
More ambitious amateurs can, of course, tackle Wales Rally GB with its 196 miles of timed sections starting in Snowdonia after dark on Thursday evening. Indeed, to encourage local teams to gain World Championship experience, the organisers are offering crews where both driver and co-driver hold an MSA competition licence and a British passport, a significantly discounted entry fee reduced to £1500 from £2598.
“Wales Rally GB is the grand finale to both the FIA World Rally Championship and the British rallying season and we are doing everything we can to ensure we are providing something really special for all those wanting to compete,” said Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of event organiser International Motor Sports. “The move to north Wales and the reintroduction of some truly classic Welsh forest stages and, of course, the Great Orme has been extremely well received. Now by offering the choice between two National rallies, plus discounted entries into the main event, we are confident that Wales Rally GB will be a hugely attractive opportunity no one will want to miss. It offers not only a chance for amateurs to pit their skills against rallying’s elite but also some fantastic stages and great value for money.”
What’s more the addition of many of the country’s top amateur crews will add further to the thrilling spectator experience with the promise of lots more spectacular action plus the inclusion of some exciting rally cars from past and present eras.
Adding to the appeal of the new-look Wales Rally GB, prices of adult admittance to individual forest stages on the day have been reduced to £15 (from £20 in 2012) while Day Passes have been re-introduced providing multiple stage access for just £33. Four-day World Rally Passes are available for £99. Moreover all adult tickets include a free programme priced at £7.50. The popular ‘Kids for a Quid’ scheme has been extended providing those aged between 9-15 years old with a four-day ticket giving access to all 22 stages for just £1. Those aged eight and under are admitted free. Full details can be found on the www.walesrallygb.com websites, now with a dedicated version optimised for mobile phones via www.walesrallygb.com/mobile/home.php.
For the latest updates, directions and stage information, follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter@walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com.

NEWS: At Last: WRC Terrestrial ITV4 Deal & Extra Wales Rally GB Shows!

Thank God... TV media moguls have finally agreed to screen the FIA World Rally Championship to UK audiences on free-to-air terrestrial television – namely ITV4 and ITV4 HD – for the remainder of 2013! Hooray! Not only that... for our home event of Wales Rally GB two additional 30-minute highlight programmes will be broadcast on Friday and Saturday evenings during the event. Double hooray!
Naturally, the news has been enthusiastically welcomed by International Motor Sports Limited, organiser of Wales Rally GB (14-17 November), Britain’s concluding round of the 2013 WRC – with its new-look route, North Wales base and the welcome return of night stages for the hardcore rally fans and more family-friendly town spectator stages.
Following an agreement between WRC Promoter GmbH, the WRC’s new commercial rights holder, and leading UK television network ITV all remaining rounds of the globe-trotting WRC will be broadcast on both ITV4 and ITV4 HD channels. The coverage actually started several months ago but only now has the programming for the full season – including additional airtime for Wales Rally GB – been confirmed.
Highlights from all remaining rounds of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship will be featured in a series of action-packed, stand-alone, one-hour programmes and will be transmitted in the week following each WRC round. And these programmes also will be available for subsequent repeat viewing as well as for additional exposure on mobile devices via the ITV.com website and ITV Player.
"This is fantastic news for the vast numbers of hard-core rally fans here in the UK as well as for a much wider television audience seeking some truly breath-taking entertainment," enthused Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of IMS. "Top class rallying is one of the world’s most spectacular sports and now UK viewers can follow all the thrilling action as the WRC travels around the globe en route to what’s going to be a fitting finale right here in the legendary Welsh forests. With its strong reputation for screening world-class sports such as the Champions League and the Tour de France, ITV4 is the perfect broadcaster for WRC. More importantly perhaps, these very welcome programmes will not only provide UK rally enthusiasts with free-to-air WRC coverage for the first time in five years but also help to introduce an all-new generation of thrill-seeking fans to what’s possibly the most stunning form of motor sport."
Reverting its traditional end-of-season date, Wales Rally GB is the grand finale to this year’s 13-round WRC which commenced with the classic Monte Carlo Rally in January.
For the latest updates, directions and stage information, follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter @walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb  or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com

Photo credit: www.worldrallypics.com.

NEWS: Wales Rally GB "Village" Success @ Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

Wales Rally GB's "village" – rammed with amazing WRC and BRC stars and cars – at last weekend's Cholmondeley Pageant of Power proved a huge success with the crowds.
The event gave rally fans "a taste of the excitement to come in North Wales on 14-17 November, at Wales Rally GB" – and details of the new course in North Wales and the lower ticket pricing.
Taking centre stage, was Colin McRae’s 1996 WRC Subaru Impreza (which we have featured in this issue of Road Magazine) and his 1999 Safari-winning Ford Focus. During his hugely successful career, McRae's outstanding performance whilst at the Subaru World Rally Team enabled the outfit to win the World Rally Championship (WRC) Constructors' title three times in succession in 1995, 1996 and 1997.
Also on display in the Wales Rally GB Village was Jari-Matti Latvala’s 2010 Ford Focus, in which he finished on the podium in Wales Rally GB that year, a newly launched 2013 Ford Fiesta R5 from M-Sport, and over 20 iconic Group B cars.
Fans at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power wanting to take in the thrills of rallying from watching the on-track action, were treated to a Wales Rally GB demonstration on the 1.2 mile course on each day of the event. The driver line-up included Elfyn Evans, winner of the 2012 FIA WRC Academy (the one-make feeder series to the WRC) and British Rally Championship (BRC) stars Tom Cave, Benjamyn McKay and Alex Parpottas, all showcasing young British rallying talent.
Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of Wales Rally GB event organiser International Motor Sports, said: “It has been fantastic to see so many attendees at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power visiting the Wales Rally GB Village. Rallying is such a unique form of motor sport, and one of the most spectacular to watch, which is why we are making every effort to ensure that this year’s Wales Rally GB is both easily accessible and affordable, for everyone.
A Wales Rally GB spokesman said: "This weekend we wanted to bring a slice of the action to all of those located near to North Wales, to truly demonstrate what Wales Rally GB, as the finale and only British round of the 2013 WRC, has to offer. We are continually trying to find ways to engage with our spectators, enabling them to get up close and personal with the current WRC and BRC stars and cars. In addition, we’ve had our new start and finish podium on display this weekend, along with some phenomenal historic rally cars. From the feedback we have already gathered, the Wales Rally GB Village, new to Cholmondeley this year, has been well received."
In less than five months time, Wales Rally GB, totalling 22 timed special stages and 196-miles (316kms) of fiercely fought competition over four-days, will be well underway from its new base in Deeside.
Prices of adult admittance to individual forest stages on the day have been reduced to £15* (from £20 in 2012) while Day Passes have been re-introduced providing multiple stage access for just £33* including the Qualifying Stage at Llandegla on Thursday morning. Moreover all adult tickets include a free programme priced at £7.50. The popular ‘Kids for a Quid’ scheme has been extended providing those aged between 9-15 years old with a four-day ticket giving access to all 22 stages for just £1*.
Those aged eight and under are admitted free. Though included in Day Passes, individual tickets for RallyFest Stages are also available priced at £25* with significant discounts available for families. The price for two adults and two children, for example, is £42* with an extra £1* for each additional child. Full details can be found on the official www.walesrallygb.com websites, now with a dedicated version optimised for mobile phones via www.walesrallygb.com/mobile/home.php.
For further updates follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter @walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com

And see our image gallery from the event on our Facebook page.

NEWS: Wales Rally GB In Full: Night stages, great value, family-friendly spectator stages & Welsh classics

Wales Rally GB chiefs say they've laid on a "fitting finale to the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship, with 22 challenging special stages and 196-miles (316Km) in the classic Welsh forests" – including challenging night stages in Snowdonia on Thursday evening – as they have today revealed full details of the 14th-17th November WRC round, now based in North Wales. It's like the good old days (just without Killer Kielder!).  

Making it even more great news, the only UK-WRC event is now supported by a completely revised ticketing structure offering fans even better value and more flexibility (with stage, day and event tickets on sale at lower prices than 2012), not to mention family-friendly spectator stages at Chirk Castle and Kinmel Park, as part of an exciting new 'Rallyfest' venue program aiming to "bring one of the world’s most spectacular sports to a wider, family audience." 

As previously announced, the UK’s concluding round of the FIA World Rally Championship is moving to a new headquarters in Deeside with a spectacular ceremonial start at Conwy Quay on Thursday early evening and the finish in Llandudno on Sunday, following a dramatic final competitive timed section on the Great Orme.
Harking back to "the good old days," the WRC crews face three tricky timed special stages – Gwydyr, Penmachno and Clocaenog – in darkness on Thursday, none of which has featured on the rally route for more than 15 years. Then after an overnight stop in Deeside, Friday sees the crews back on more familiar ground tackling two runs through the Welsh gravel classics of Hafren, Sweet Lamb and Myherin special stages either side of a remote service in Newtown where the public can watch the highly trained technicians preparing the state-of-the-art rally cars for further high speed competition.
Saturday’s stages are set slightly further north closer to Dolgellau starting with two blasts through Gartheiniog and Dyfi forests ­(the latter restored to its full 13.4-miles length for the first time since 1998). A mid-morning regroup in central Machynlleth will provide the public with another great opportunity to see the world’s top rally drivers and cars up close.
The teams then return to Deeside, first via another 13-mile classic Welsh forest stage in Dyfnant and finally taking in the first of two new spectator stages set against the dramatic backdrop of Chirk Castle, which dates back to 1295 and is now in the ownership of the National Trust. Located close to the A5 near Wrexham, Chirk will be easily accessible for spectators from both sides of the border.
Sunday’s itinerary en route to the grand finale on the Great Orme sees second runs through both Dyfnant and Clocaenog forests – the latter being the official Power Stage where extra championship points are awarded – plus a first visit to Penllyn near Bala, another stage making a welcome return, this time for its first inclusion since 1991. The route back to Llandudno also features the second of the reintroduced short spectator stages, this time set in the grounds of Kinmel Park close to the A55 near Abergele in Conwy.
Kinmel Park along with Sweet Lamb on Friday and Chirk Castle on Saturday are designated special RallyFest Stages and all three will provide a package of day-long family entertainment. As well as seeing the WRC stars and cars in action twice, the three RallyFest Stages will include a big screen, catering village, public address commentary, special displays, a Rally Dome, on-stage shows as well as other attractions aimed at providing a full day’s entertainment for all ages.

"A massive amount of work has gone into moving the event to North Wales but we’re confident the final result is both worthy of all these efforts and a fitting finale to this year’s FIA World Rally Championship," said Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of event organiser International Motor Sports. "We have a well positioned new base in Deeside, great start and finishing locations in Conwy and Llandudno plus the re-introduction of a number of legendary Welsh forest stages which will appeal to both competitors and hardcore rally fans. On top of that we have found two exciting new venues at Chirk Castle and Kinmel Park close to major road networks that will, I’m sure, help us to attract a whole new generation of rally followers."

Lower prices!

Prices of adult admittance to individual forest stages on the day have been reduced to £15 (from £20 in 2012) while Day Passes have been re-introduced providing multiple stage access for just £33 including the Qualifying Stage at Llandegla on Thursday morning. Moreover all adult tickets include a free programme priced at £7.50. The popular ‘Kids for a Quid’ scheme has been extended providing those aged between 9-15 years old with a four-day ticket giving access to all 22 stages for just £1. Those aged eight and under are admitted free. Though included in Day Passes, individual tickets for RallyFest Stages are also available priced at £25 with significant discounts available for families. The price for two adults and two children, for example, is £42 with an extra £1 for each additional child. Full details can be found on the official www.walesrallygb.com websites, now with a dedicated version optimised for mobile phones viawww.walesrallygb.com/mobile/home.php.

For further updates follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter @walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com.

And look out for our extensive coverage of the new-look event in a Rally GB special of Road Magazine later this year. And of course plenty of video here on the blog, and even more on our social media platforms: Facebook & Twitter.  Can't wait!

NEWS: Wales Rally GB Gets Better & Better

More great Rally GB news! First the exciting new North Wales route and now – after six front-runners from the MSA British Rally Championship already gained free entries into Wales Rally GB – a similar partnership has been launched with the British Trial and Rally Drivers Association (BTRDA).
International Motor Sports – organiser of Wales Rally GB – announced the news this week of "an exciting new partnership with the prestigious BTRDA Rally Series as another key component to its far-reaching ‘Road to Wales’ initiative."
They say: "In IMS’s strenuous efforts to ensure the new-look Wales Rally GB (14-17 November) is a fitting finale to both the globe-trotting FIA World Rally Championship and to the busy UK rallying season, every effort is being made to encourage top local crews to maximise their end-of-season opportunity to compete on the illustrious world stage.
"The REIS-Get Connected BTRDA Rally Series is the most popular Championship in the UK with over 260 registered contenders this year, and incorporates selected rounds of the MSA English Rally Championship and Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship within its nine round Series. The crew that captures the premier Gold Star Championship will be rewarded with a free entry into the three-day National Rally (15-17 November) being run alongside Wales Rally GB. What’s more the winners of the BTRDA Rally First Championship – a class for lower cost two-wheel-drive production cars – will receive a free entry into the two-day version of the National Rally (16-17 November), once again running on exactly the same classic Welsh forest stages as Wales Rally GB."
"We are determined to ensure our round of the World Rally Championship sits at the pinnacle of a thriving UK rallying scene," said Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of IMS. "This is one of the few sports where enthusiastic amateurs, as well as budding young stars keen to make a name for themselves, can compete alongside world champions and it should be the one big end-of-season event on which everyone wants to compete. That’s why we are doing everything we can to encourage and assist the cream of UK rallying, whether competing in the BTRDA or British Rally Championships, to be a part of what’s going to be a massive and unmissable Wales Rally GB – hence the provision of these free entries. It will not only be a great experience for the winners but also provide spectators with even more top class action to follow."
BTRDA Championship Coordinator Steve Gregg is thrilled with IMS’s generous proposition. He said: "The British Trials and Rally Drivers Association is delighted to be offered these prizes by the Wales Rally GB organisers. As the largest rally championship in the country, this invitation gives our BTRDA competitors the opportunity and incentive to compete in the UK’s premier event. It will also ensure that the BTRDA maintains its long association with the event having provided a Team Entry for its members on previous rallies.
"The choice of the overall BTRDA Gold Star Champion and the Rally First Champion to receive these prizes also ensures that spectators will have the opportunity to see both the country’s top national driver as well as a Rally First driver from one of the most successful formulae introduced by the BTRDA to encourage and retain competitors into the sport,” continued Gregg.
"Wales Rally GB in all its previous guises was always an event that British competitors, including many who came from the BTRDA Rally Series, had on their ‘must do’ list and we hope this new partnership will encourage more to take up the challenge and support the excellent opportunity the event now provides for British competitors."
This new collaboration between the UK’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship and the BTRDA provides yet more impetus to the well-received ‘Road to Wales’ campaign – a targeted activity promoting Wales Rally GB with special displays at major events such as the renowned Cholmondeley Pageant of Power (14-16 June), Castle Combe’s popular Rallyday (21 September) and selected rounds of the MSA British Rally Championship.
For the latest updates, directions and stage information, follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter @walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb  or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com

NEWS: Cholmondeley Pageant of Power/WalesRally GB Rally Star List Grows

The list of amazing WRC and BRC stars and cars attending this year's Cholmondeley Pageant of Power – thanks largely to a fab new association with Wales Rally GB – is growing nicely and now includes the Qatar M-Sport Ford Fiesta, which just came third in Rally Acropolis.

On top of this, the famous Rally Village to host famous historic models driven by Colin McRae, Jari-Matti Latvala and others and a host of top WRC and BRC drivers to race at the Pageant, including British WRC Academy-winner Elfyn Evans and junior rally champions, no to mention legendary Group B cars to carry out full-acceleration demonstrations for crowds.
Visitors to the 2013 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power (www.cpop.co.uk; 14-16 June) will be able to get up close and personal with some of the biggest names from both the World Rally Championship (WRC) and British Rally Championship (BRC), as a host of star drivers and their 2013 championship-contending machines descend upon the Cholmondeley Estate.
An exciting new partnership with Wales Rally GB will see the Pageant of Power – the UK’s biggest celebration of power and speed – play host to a packed schedule of on-track action featuring a number of British rally drivers.
Amongst them will be rising Welsh star Elfyn Evans, who will take to the course in his Qatar M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5. Throughout the 2012 season, hot shot Evans secured first place in the FIA WRC Academy, the one-make feeder series to the WRC, along with the R2 title in the BRC and the UK Fiesta Sport Trophy.
Other notable British stars lining up to compete around the 1.2-mile track include Tom Cave, who finished second in the 2012 BRC, and reigning Class 3 Welsh National Champion Benjamyn Mckay, while James Ford, Alex Parpottas and Gary Wright complete the BRC entry list.
From further afield, the Proton R3 Motorsports rally team will also be participating in the Pageant of Power, entering the Satria Neo S2000 into the event. Proton Motorsports has enjoyed a great deal of success across Asia with the vehicle, which took the 2011 Asia-Pacific Championship title and finished runner-up in the 2012 Super 2000 World Rally Championship.
Away from the latest rally cars, over twenty iconic Group B cars and drivers will go head to head in machines from an era that many consider to be the ‘golden age’ of rallying. The line-up of these incredible machines will include an Audi Sport Quattro, Audi Quattro A1 and a Peugeot 205 T16, with ex-Peugeot works driver Kevin Furber behind the wheel.
Also on display in the Pageant’s Rally Village – a new addition for 2013 – visitors will be able to view some of the most iconic cars from rallying history, including Colin McRae’s 1996 WRC Subaru Impreza and his 1999 Safari-winning Ford Focus. Also confirmed to be on display will be Jari-Matti Latvala’s 2010 Ford Focus, which took a podium finish in Rally GB that year, and Mikko Hirvonen’s 2010 Monte Carlo-winning Ford Fiesta S2000.
With 2013 seeing the twentieth anniversary of its first win, Francois Delecour’s Ford Escort Cosworth WRC – winner of four rallies between 1993 and 1994 – will be on display to the public for the very first time. There will also be the 1970 Ford Escort which took Hannu Mikkola to victory in the gruelling 16,000-mile London to Mexico World Cup Rally.
James Hall, Event Director for the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, said: "The rally display is going to be one of the highlights of the event and we’re really excited to be hosting some of the greatest cars and drivers from all eras of the sport. Out on track, visitors will be able to witness some of the fastest, most versatile racing machines in the world, while the new Rally Village will showcase some of the most successful and iconic vehicles from the rallying history books."
Now in its sixth year, the 2013 Pageant will take place on the Cholmondeley Estate in Cheshire from 14 to 16 June, celebrating power and performance in its many forms. Until 13 June, adult tickets start at just £24 for the Friday Preview Day, and £32 to see all the action on Saturday or Sunday. Under-16 tickets are currently available from just £5 for the Friday Preview Day and £7 for Saturday and Sunday tickets.
To buy tickets or find further information, visit www.cpop.co.uk.

Wales Rally GB takes place from 14 to 17 November, moving to North Wales in 2013. For event and ticket details go to www.walesrallygb.com.
For the latest updates follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter @walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com

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! 

NEWS: 2013 Wales Rally GB Moves North & Night Stages Return

Great news for Wales Rally GB fans – the 2013 event (November 14-17) will feature a brand new route, a new base (for the UK’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship), new HQ on Deeside and special ceremonies in Conwy and Llandudno on the stunning North Wales coastline. Plus, there will be a return to the popular night stages and family spectator stages – likely to be in the coastal towns, to draw in the crowds and involve the community. And the new, more compact route will also offer a wide range of tickets, to encourage spectating. 

Always a great, well respected event, but at risk of getting stuck in its ways down in South Wales, this is great news, we reckon. And organisers say the rally's new route – which will be announced here soon –  "will reinforce the legendary event’s position as one of the most challenging and attractive on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar." 

The UK's only WRC event has been based in South Wales since 2000 and the move comes after the recent announcement of an extended partnership with the Welsh Government and as a result of wide-scale consultation with manufacturers, teams, competitors and spectators. 

A spokesman said: "Highlighting the automotive industry’s importance to the Welsh economy, the rally’s Headquarters and central Service Park will be located on a new site being prepared alongside the Toyota Engine Plant on Deeside in Flintshire. The event’s ceremonial start will be hosted in Conwy on the Thursday evening with the finishing line celebrations in neighbouring Llandudno on Sunday afternoon." 

Four-days of competitive action will feature a more compact route with the majority of the timed Special Stages set in the classic Welsh forests. Adding to the overall appeal both night and family-friendly spectator stages are being reintroduced into the itinerary and fans will be offered a wider range of tickets at significantly lower prices than before. Full ticket details will be announced when the final route is confirmed but the pricing structure is being radically changed to cater for both traditional rally enthusiasts in the forests and new audiences expecting additional facilities.
"We have listened to what the teams and fans want in our determined efforts to create what we are confident will be not only one of the best rounds in the WRC but also a fitting finale to the entire 2013 world championship," explained Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of rally organiser International Motor Sports. 

"South Wales has provided us with a fantastic home for Wales Rally GB since 2000 but the move to North Wales has a number of significant advantages. Most importantly, perhaps, we are closer to the sport’s traditional heartlands, some iconic rally forests, as well as being within a short drive of some of the larger conurbations in the UK such as Liverpool, Manchester and the Midlands. Taking those factors into account, as well as our new ticket pricing policy which is designed to cater for both hardcore rally fans and a wider family audience, we are confident that the 2013 Wales Rally GB will be a highlight on the motor sport calendar."
Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Transport and Science, Edwina Hart, said: "This is exciting news for the Wales Rally GB and for North Wales. The event has always drawn the crowds in North Wales in previous years and I'm sure this move will refresh the event for spectators and competitors alike.
"The spectacular scenery and landscapes of North Wales will provide the perfect backdrop for Wales Rally GB, which will be the pinnacle for the UK domestic rally season and an exciting finale for the high-profile World Rally Championship this year.
"It also shows the Welsh Government's continued commitment to Wales Rally GB, which has significant links with the automotive sector in Wales. Wales is home to around 150 component and systems manufacturing companies and has 15,000 people employed in automotive manufacturing with an annual turnover of £3 billion.”
Cllr Graham Rees, Cabinet Member, Conwy County Borough Council said: "We’ve been working closely with the organisers of Wales Rally GB over the last few months to secure the return of this prestigious sporting event to Conwy County Borough, and we’re very pleased that Llandudno and Conwy have been selected to host this event. Motor sport is very popular and, along with a large number of supporters, can attract considerable economic benefits to an area. I’m sure it will be a great success."
Ticketing details and more information on a special pre-sale offer can be found on the newly redesigned official website www.walesrallygb.com.
Further announcements on the route and 2013 event will be made at a press conference in North Wales on 16-17 May with the Economy Minister, Edwina Hart.

Bring it on! We will be there to celebrate this great, revised and revitalised event... will you? 

See some images here.

NEWS: New Era For Wales Rally GB With BRC Partnership

Great news for rally fans! International Motor Sports – the organisers of the fabulous Wales Rally GB – has announced an exciting new partnership with the MSA British Rally Championship, which as well as providing a raft of mutually beneficial marketing and publicity benefits will offer no fewer than six front-runners with FREE entries into Wales Rally GB (14-17 November). Airhorns at the ready! 

The top three finishers in the overall BRC championship as well as class winners in both British Junior and RallyTwo Rally categories will all be offered free entries into the concluding round of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship. Additionally the winner of the NGK Spark Plugs BRC Challenge will be awarded a free entry into the National Rally that runs alongside the WRC event in the legendary Welsh Forests. These free entries will be transferable to the next highest finishers should the winning crews not be able to attend Wales Rally GB.
The far-reaching collaboration between the UK’s round of the globe-trotting FIA World Rally Championship and this country’s premier national rally championship will form an integral part of IMS’s latest the ‘Road to Wales’ initiative – a targeted activity promoting Wales Rally GB including special displays at major events such as the renowned Cholmondeley Pageant of Power (14-16 June) and Castle Combe’s popular Rallyday (21 September):

"It’s every rally driver’s dream to compete on the world championship stage and we are thrilled to be helping the top performers from the British Rally Championship to make that step up into the big time," explained Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of IMS. "While there are, of course, other significant costs involved, hopefully the provision of these free entries will be a big incentive as we’d like to see all the front-runners from our top national championship furthering their careers by competing in what’s the sport’s biggest event in this country. After all that’s how future champions such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns earned their spurs and came to prominence."

Coe is keen to emphasise that the provision of free entries into Wales Rally GB is just one aspect of a wide-ranging new affiliation between IMS and the BRC.
"By working together we can really make a difference in promoting rallying within the UK," continued Coe. "The exciting partnership includes a comprehensive programme of joint advertising, database, social media and other marketing schemes that will benefit all involved in the sport as well as forming a key component in our overall ‘Road to Wales’ campaign."
Mark Taylor, Managing Director of the MSA British Rally Championship, also welcomed the new partnership. He said: "I want to commend the Wales Rally GB team; they are determined to make the 2013 event a real success and we are resolute in our support of the Road to Wales campaign. The WRGB roadshow will be attending some of the BRC events taking the opportunity to talk to marshals, officials as well as competitors and fans.
"Let's not kid ourselves, the winning drivers will still need to find some more budget to enter Wales Rally GB, but thanks to Pirelli and Citroën who have kindly assisted in support with cash prizes and tyres, the additional costs are much less than what they would normally be.
"The Road to Wales leads to an end of season finale, an aspirational pinnacle for our champion drivers and co-drivers. I hope the rally community gets behind the scheme – let's showcase and celebrate the very best of our home grown talent to the rest of the world."
For the latest updates, follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter @walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com

VIDEO: 2012 WRC Wales Rally GB Highlights

Here's all the action from Wales Rally GB this weekend. The 1604-kilometre, 19-stage (325kms) event, drier than usual thanks to its move out of Winter to the end of Summer on the WRC calendar, finally gave Finnish Yari-Matti Latvala a Rally GB win, in the Ford Fiesta RS WRC. He won eight from 19 special stages and completed the event in 3 hours 3 minutes 40.3 seconds, almost a whole half a minute quicker than second-placed Frenchman Sébastien Loeb's Citroen DS3 WRC. Latvala's Norwegian Ford team-mate Petter Solberg completed the podium after losing out to Loeb by the tiny margin of 0.9 seconds, in one of the closest dog fights on the event for years. Ace! See more news and special stage times at: www.walesrallygb.com