South coast rally driver Steve Hendy is set to compete in one of the classic European rallies this weekend when he tackles the Flanders Rally in the Hendy Group Ford Focus WRC.

The Hankook-supported driver heads to Roeslare for two action packed days of rallying, pitting his skills against the likes Patrick Snijers and Freddy Loix.

“More than 100 cars are set to take part in the event from legends such as Snijers and Loix through to a strong British contingent and plenty of local drivers,’’ said Steve.  “The tricky stages, the tough competition and the sheer length of the rally with 24 high speed tests are set to make for a challenging weekend.’’

Hendy and co-driver Aled Davies have the opportunity to recce the stages before action gets underway to fine tune the pacenotes they will use on the event – something which Steve said would be absolutely vital for the pair to succeed.

“The closed roads make for some very tricky driving and the recce is a hugely important part of the preparation work for the rally.’’

He said that while the technicians from Hendy Group will be working hard on the correct set up of the car for the asphalt stages it will be the recce which will determine the Hankook tyres needed for the surface and weather conditions and the best notes for Aled to call to ensure the fastest times possible on the stages.

Action gets underway at 8am on Saturday September 8 with the finish on Sunday afternoon.