Some 17 months had passed since the last BTRDA Rally event, the Malcolm Wilson Rally way back in March 2020. But finally, the long wait for the return of one of the UK’s most popular Rally series and the return of Welsh Rallying happened with The Nicky Grist Stages.
Sponsored by the man himself (Nicky Grist) and organised by the experienced Quinton Motor Club, the 2021 edition of the Nicky Grist Stages featured 8 stages (2 loops of 4 stages repeated) covering 44 stage miles on some of the World-Class Welsh gravel stages in and around the Epynt Military ranges.
The second round of the 2021 British Rally Championship brought with it not only the return to gravel but the long-awaited return for Welsh Rallying. Organised by the very capable Quinton Motorclub, The Nicky Grist Stages offered up a 44-mile gravel rally spread over 8 very popular stages (2 loops of 4 repeated stages) in and around the Epynt Military ranges close to Builth Wells where the rally was based.
Following on from the opening round of the BRC, The Neil Howard Stages at Oulton Park; the battle between a top lineup of English, Irish and Welsh competitors continued to rage on in Wales at the Nicky Grist Stages.
The next stop on the FIA European Rally Championship calendar was Latvia for Rally Liepāja, Round 2 of the 2021 season. For an event that started out as a Winter rally back in 2013 but then made the switch to the autumn for a gravel rally in 2016; this year it received its largest entry to date, with some 89 crews entered.
12 stages were originally planned to cover 183km but this was reduced to just 10. Poland’s Mikołaj Marczyk set the benchmark time in his Skoda Fabia Rally 2 EVO on the short 4.6km Shakedown test on Friday evening ahead of the two times (2016 & 2017) Liepāja winner Nikolay Gryazin in his VW Polo GTi R5.
The BTCC descended upon the indy circuit at Brands Hatch for the third meeting of the season and rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the championship.
The weather on race day was in stark contrast to the heatwave the drivers experienced at Snetterton, and were met with changeable conditions and a mostly overcast day.
The qualifying session saw a front row lockout for the Halfords Racing with Cataclean Honda Civics, Daniel Rowbottom securing his first pole position with his teammate and three-time title winner Gordon Shedden alongside him.
The final day of the Safari Rally Kenya began with further drama in the form of heartbreak for the overnight rally leader, Thierry Neuville. Having shown to be the pacesetter for much of the rally; on the opening test of the final day, once again it was game over for a rally leading Hyundai car.
Entering the final day with a significant 57 second lead over Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta; all the Belgian had to do was survive the remaining 5 stages which covered just 48km. Sadly for Neuville, it wasn’t to be as suspension failure robbed him of the victory, just like it had of his teammate Ott Tänak on the previous two events in Portugal and Sardinia.
The second full day of the Safari Rally Kenya, for the majority of, produced far less drama compared to that of the previous action-packed day. With 132km spread over a further 6 stages on the tracks further north around Lake Elmenteita; what promised to be a much tougher day, was instead far more conservative.
Whilst the world on social media was banging on about Zebra Crossings, overnight rally leader Thierry Neuville set about extending his lead by 10 seconds over Takamoto Katsuta on the morning’s loop of stages.
Finally one of the greatest and most challenging rallies on earth has returned to the FIA World Rally Championships. After 19 years of absence, the iconic Safari Rally Kenya plays host to Round 6 of the 2021 Championship.
Last run back in in 2002, none of today’s current crop of drivers have ever experienced such an event. It is not the marathon event of the past, there are no bull bars or snorkels fitted to the current generation of World Rally Cars either but the challenge absolutely remains.
After 19 years, the long-awaited legendary Safari Rally in Kenya returns to the FIA World Rally Championships for round 6 of the 2021 Championships. This iconic rally has been absent since 2002 and although it was hoped to return last year, the global pandemic prevented it; but this weekend the Safari Adventure IS happening and the entire World of rallying is incredibly excited. First, run way back in 1953 as the East African Safari Rally of Kenya, the Safari Rally of past times is no more, but the modern-day version will most definitely offer up one heck of a challenge for the Worlds best drivers. With stunning landscapes and challenging roads, wildlife is not the only hazard to be aware of.
After a delayed start to its season, the 2021 FIA European Rally Championship finally got underway with the 77th Rally Poland. This rally last ran as part of the ERC in 2019, where Russian Alexey Lukyanuk won the event; this year the rally featured 202km over 14 stages of fast and flowing gravel tests.
Last years champion Alexey Lukyanuk returned to defend his title but would be up against some stiff competition on this opening round, with the likes of Andreas Mikkelsen (Skoda Fabia – TOK Sport WRT), Craig Breen (Hyundai i20 R5 – Team MRF) and Nikolay Gryazin (VW Polo GTI R5) all taking part.
The second meeting of the Kwik Fit BTCC Touring Car Championship headed to Norfolk at the weekend for rounds four, five and six at Snetterton, and for the first time in front of fans since 2019.
Jake Hill came into the meeting sitting top of the drivers’ standings after a consistent first event at Thruxton, sitting just one point behind him is Josh Cook in the BTC Racing Honda. Qualifying for the event took the format of a top ten shoot out, a shortened initial first qualifying session, followed by a shootout between the quickest ten drivers from the first session.
