Rising rally start Stuart Jones reinforced his speed and skill this weekend with a storming performance on the world stage as he and co-driver Craig Parry posted a string of fastest stage times in class on Rallye Catalunya.
The Welsh pair were contesting their first overseas World Rally Championship event in the SJR Hankook Mitsubishi Evo IX and were delighted to have set such impressive times against more experienced competition.
At the end of three gruelling days of asphalt rallying the pair finished an impressive fourth in class and 29th overall but said the highlight was setting the fastest times in class on five separate high speed tests.
''To be setting fastest times is tremendous and really bodes well for our preparations for this year's British Rally Championship,'' said the 21 year old.
"The rally was amazing and it is awesome competing in Spain with such terrific support from the thousands of spectators.''
"We had a few brake problems on day one but once we had new pads fitted the car was great and the Hankook tyres were fantastic, losing none of their grip even on the longest loops of the rally.
The pair competed on more than 340km of asphalt during the three day event made up of 16 high speed tests on some of the most flowing but abrasive roads in the Tarragona region of Spain.
"The whole event has been a real experience for the SJR Hankook team and for the car to perform so well on its first rally and for Craig and myself to have recorded such a great result is brilliant,'' said Stuart.
Hankook Motorsport manager Mike Patterson said he was delighted with the success of the team in Spain and the way in which the Hankook tyres performed so well.
"Stuart and Craig have produced an exceptional result and we are delighted that the Hankook tyres were perfect for the conditions which ranged from clean asphalt sections to corners strewn with gravel and rocks,'' said Mike.
The team now heads back to the UK for further Hankook tyre testing ahead of the first round of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship which gets underway in May in Carlisle.
