Wales Rally GB, the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship for 2006, is encouraging children to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Andy Warhol, by designing the livery of one of the rally cars competing in Wales from 1-3 December. Backing comes from government ministers, the Royal College of Art (RCA) and the motorsport world.
Supported by, amongst others, Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Education and Sir Christopher Frayling, rector of the RCA, school children across Britain are being invited to take part in a competition to transform Kevin Davies’ Ford Fiesta that will be competing on the UK leg of the World Rally Championship. By creating a design for Davies’ livery that will be utilised on the event, the winning artist will also receive a VIP pass for their family to watch their car competing in one of the most exhilarating events on the UK sporting calendar.
In a statement, the Secretary of State commented: “I welcome initiatives such as the Wales Rally GB Art Car 2006 and the opportunities they provide for children to be creative. This competition supports the work young people are doing in Art and Design and will help them to develop and demonstrate their artistic skills.”
A precedent has already been set for these budding designers by artists such as Pop Art legend Andy Warhol, who designed the BMW M1 Art Car. Other famous art - motorsport partnerships include the Porsche 917/20 which raced at the Le Mans 24 hour race of 1971. Controversially painted in pink, it was designed like a butcher's carcass diagram, earning it the nickname ‘Pink Pig.’
The pupil with the winning design and the rest of their class will be invited to watch the livery being applied to the car and meet the rally team to discover what it takes to transform a car into a world-class racing machine.
Unlike other types of motor sport, rally cars compete across extremely challenging terrain, which will see the Art Car tackle Welsh forests and valleys, as well as Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
“This is a great initiative to get children involved on a more personal level with the rally,” Malcolm Wilson, managing director of M-Sport, enthused. “More and more of our fans are children who have been introduced to motorsport through their computer consoles. It is great to see the connection that the work they do in the classroom can be translated to the real world and will be seen by millions of people all over the world through all media forms. We are pleased that one of our 'Young Chargers' in Kevin Davies’ Ford Fiesta will be able to do justice to the design and we hope to see the winners in Swansea in December to cheer on their own car.”
Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks, Andrew Davies, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people from across Wales to get involved in one of the world’s most exciting and prestigious sporting events.”
Andrew Coe, chief executive of International Motor Sport (IMS), organisers of WRGB, stated: “Art Car is a fantastic opportunity for all children, bringing further pride and passion to Wales Rally GB, through the allegiance of education, art and motorsport.”
The competition starts today, with each school submitting their winning entry by 30 October for a chance for their student to take home the prize. To find out more about the Championship, visit www.walesrallygb.com and if you would like to enter your school, contact Wales Rally GB’s Carina Hill at artcar@provapr.co.uk to request your ‘Art Car Design Pack.’
Wales Rally GB is the British round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The event has been supported by the Welsh Assembly Government since 2003.
This annual event, now in its 62nd year, is organised and promoted by International Motor Sports Ltd. (IMS), the commercial arm of the Motor Sports Association (MSA), the governing body of motor sport in the United Kingdom.
