Guy Wilks is aiming to give Škoda three reasons to be very cheerful on this year’s RACMSA Rally of Scotland (15-17 October). Adding to Škoda already being crowned 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge Manufacturers’ Champion, the Škoda UK Motorsport driver hopes to defend his title by celebrating back-to-back Rally of Scotland wins, while Škoda Motorsport factory driver Juho Hänninen will become IRC Drivers’ Champion on his first rally in Scotland, as he arrives with an unassailable lead in the series.
Driving a Škoda Fabia S2000 for the first time, Guy, together with co-driver Phil Pugh, won Rally of Scotland last year in sensational style, and that victory led to the formation of the Škoda UK Motorsport team and a programme in this year’s IRC.
This year’s Rally of Scotland takes place a month earlier than last year’s event, so the event organisers hope that the weather will be better than the torrential rain that made conditions exceptionally wet and muddy 11 months ago. Come rain or shine, the undulating forest roads of Perthshire and Stirling are regarded as some of the best in international rallying, with fast and flowing high speed sections, blind crests and technical parts meandering through the stunning Scottish scenery.
Guy Wilks: “I’m really looking forward to this year’s Rally of Scotland, because it’s going to be another classic event. It was great to win there last year, especially after such a close and exciting battle with Kris Meeke. This year Juho Hänninen will be there too, which will really make things interesting. Juho did the recce last year, so he knows the stages, and he arrives in Scotland full of confidence as IRC Drivers’ champion. I think it will be a very close battle for victory between the three of us, Juho, Kris and myself, and it will be flat-out from the word go.
“I’ve not done a gravel rally for over five months, and this will be my first since my accident in Sardinia, but that doesn’t worry me at all. Getting back to the form we showed on gravel before the accident is what’s important, and I’d like to think we’ll be able to achieve that on the opening stage.
“Škoda UK is bringing a lot of guests to Scotland to celebrate what has been a fantastic season, so I’ll be going all-out for victory again and aiming for the top step of the podium.”
The Rally of Scotland begins with a Ceremonial Start at 19.50 on Friday 15 October, from where competitors go straight into the opening 2.09 mile Scone Palace stage, which is done twice.
The rally resumes the following morning, with three challenging stages – Craigvinean (10.77 miles), Drummond Hill (9.37 miles) and Errochty (10.98 miles) – in Perthshire. After mid-day service at Perth Airport, these three stages are repeated in the afternoon, giving a Day 1 total stage distance of 66.45 miles.
The final day’s action takes place on Sunday 17 October, with two demanding stages in the Trossachs. The new 9.91 mile Clashmore stage will be attempted first, before the mighty Loch Ard test which, at 18.04 miles, is the longest of the event. After service at Aberfoyle in Stirlingshire, a repeat run of Clashmore and Loch Ard will provide a sting in the tail and bring Day 2’s competitive distance to 55.91 miles.
In total, this year’s Rally of Scotland will contain 12 special stages, totalling 122.36 miles – all of which will be timed to the nearest tenth of a second.
The Rally of Scotland will enjoy unprecedented live global television coverage, with Eurosport devoting 15 hours of air time to the event. Four stages – Errochty 1 and 2 (SS5 and 8) and Loch Ard 1 and 2 (SS10 and 12) – will be broadcast live at peak weekend viewing times (Saturday, 10.00-11.00 and 16.30-17.30; Sunday, 10.00-11.00 and 12.45-14:00). In addition, Eurosport will also show its Rally Magazine review programme at 22.00 on Tuesday 19 October.
