The 2015 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has blasted off in traditional style high up in the Alps with the 83rd running of the world-famous Monte Carlo Rally. The 13-round calendar then sees the intrepid competitors travel from the snow packed roads of Sweden to the dusty tracks of Argentina, Australia and Mexico before the WRC reaches its thrilling conclusion right here in the fearsome Welsh forests.
Wales Rally GB (12-15 November) not only provides a fitting finale to the global series that challenges drivers and cars to the maximum – and sometimes beyond – but also enables UK rally fans to cheer on local heroes Elfyn Evans and Kris Meeke.
Both British drivers graduated to frontline WRC teams in 2014 and both produced some highly impressive performances in what was their first full campaign in the sport’s exalted premier league. Having posted four podiums and finished seventh overall last year, Meeke will be targeting his first win while, with slightly less experience under his belt, Evans is setting his sights on his first top three finish.
“In 2014, I was experiencing the vast majority of the rallies on the calendar for the first time,” admitted Meeke. “I learned a lot and I realised just how important it is to rack up the miles. Generally speaking, all drivers make progress in their second full season and I hope I’m no exception to the rule. My goal is to fight for one of the leading places.”
“I’m really looking forward to this year,” said Evans whose best results to date are last year’s fourth places in Mexico and Germany. “We’ve had a great first season and gained so much knowledge and experience of the events. There’s going to be a lot of hard work – analysing all of the data that we’ve collected from all of the rallies – but I’m confident that we can continue to progress and improve our speed and performance on each event.”
Full details of the 2015 Wales Rally GB route will be published later in the year with ticket details announced at the same time.
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