31/08/2021
Motorsport, Rally, British Rally, Web-Zine, E-Zine, E-Mag, Magazine
Motorsport, Rally, British Rally, Web-Zine, E-Zine, E-Mag, Magazine
The 2021 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship finally got underway with the opening round, The Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally. After an enforced break from the action last year when the entire Championship was cancelled due to the global pandemic of COVID. The old saying of “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” was fitting here, as everyone was itching to get back out on the stages.
Organised by the Epynt Motor Club, the Mewla rally held the honours of restarting the National Asphalt Series over the ever-popular Epynt Military ranges in Powys, Wales. A fitting location for the first round, which offered up approx 65 miles over 9 stages on a rather pleasant sunny day.
Andretti United Autosport become the first team to defeat Rosberg X Racing and win in Extreme E.
The Andretti United Autosport pair of Catie Munnings and Timmy Hansen held off the challenge of Rosberg X Racing and JBXE Racing to secure their first Extreme E victory.
They also became just the second team to win an Extreme E event after RXR won the first two rounds of the electric racing championship.
The FIA European Rally Championship headed to Zlín in the Czech Republic for Round 4 of the 2021 season. Having been a part of the ERC for no less than 16 years, this years edition of the Czech rally was the 50th and once again offered up a challenging test across 15 Asphalt stages which covered some 210km.
Before the rally had even begun there was early drama for defending ERC champion and title contender Alexey Lukyanuk. The Russian suffered a sizable crash during pre-event testing which rendered his Citroen C3 out of action. Unable to repair the damage or find a replacement car ahead of the rally, he was left with no option but to sit out the rally, a terrible blow to his title defence.
The FIA World Rallycross Championship arrived in Höljes, Sweden for round 2 of the 2021 season. Close to the Norwegian border, this iconic 1.9km rallycross track has always attracted huge crowds of Scandinavian motorsport fans earning itself the nickname of “The Magic Weekend”. This year, however, numbers were restricted due to COVID and perhaps this affected the atmosphere also?
Because of this near-legendary status in the world of rallycross, it has always been the event that everybody wanted to win and the possibility of beating the Swedes on their home turf has always been an added attraction for the non-local drivers. But is this still the case given that in 2021 the event had only attracted 10 RX1 drivers?
The British Rally Championship headed to North Eastern Scotland for round three of the 2021 championship. The Grampian Forest Rally, which features stages just a stone’s throw away from Aberdeen for the first time since the 1980’s offered up a fresh new gravel challenge for BRC contenders.
Organised by the Stonehaven and District Motorclub, the event which also hosted the Scottish Rally Championship, featured 6 stages totalling 44 miles of competitive action. 13 BRC1 registered crews were joined by a number of other top National Cup crews to take on the fast and flowing Scottish gravel stages in the Durris, Fetteresso and Drumtochty Forests.
Unbelievably making its first ever appearance into the FIA World Rally Championship, the Ypres Rally, Belgium hosted round 8 of the 2021 Championship.
Becoming the 35th Nation to hold the highest level of international rallying, Belgium and indeed Ypres is no stranger to rallying. For many years the roads of Belgium have been a playing field for European rallying and the Historic Ypres has been a battlefield not just through two great wars but for motorsport also.
First, held in 1965, the Ypres rally has played its part in the European Rally Championship over the years but finally was given the opportunity to test the worlds best driver on its very own challenging Asphalt roads.
The BTCC returned north of the border for its annual visit to Scotland and rounds 13, 14 and 15 at Knockhill. Colin Turkington put his poor results at Oulton Park to the back of his mind and put his WSR BMW on pole position for the first race on Sunday in an attempt to catch up on his championship rivals. Alongside him was Senna Proctor, once more showing good qualifying form, and just behind was Chris Smiley and Josh Cook.
The BTCC returned after its annual summer break and to an action-packed race day at Oulton Park. Ash Sutton headed into the weekend as championship leader, with Tom Ingram just behind.
The top spot for race one was taken by Senna Proctor after an impressive qualifying performance he took his maiden pole position in the series. Alongside him was Gordon Shedden, with Rory Butcher and Daniel Rowbottom on the second row. The biggest loser would be Tom Ingram who wasn’t able to set a time due to a mechanical failure and had to start from the back of the grid.