Last month’s Rallye Sunseeker International drew a curtain over another competitive season of British rallying and the year ended on a high for Ireland’s Daniel McKenna who was crowned the new Pirelli Star Driver.
McKenna is the latest in a long line of drivers to receive a fully-paid drive in the Pirelli-supported British Rally Championship courtesy of the renowned Italian tyre firm. Piloting a Citroen DS3 R3T, 26-year-old McKenna will compete on all seven rounds of next year’s British Rally Championship.
We caught up with McKenna following the six-way shootout to quiz the new Pirelli Star Driver on the shootout, his rallying history and what he thinks of Pirelli tyres.
Hi Daniel, what does it mean to you to have won this year's Pirelli Star Driver shootout?DM: "It is the biggest moment of my rallying career to date. It means so much. I now have a chance to compete in the next level of the sport which is the perfect progression for me. To represent Pirelli is fantastic and I hope to be a great ambassador for the brand and do Pirelli proud. I would like to thank Pirelli and the judging panel at the shootout for giving me this incredible opportunity."
Can you tell us a bit about your rallying history?DM: "I became involved through my father and uncles as they competed at a clubman level for years. I began junior stock car racing at the age of 10 before starting to co-drive for my father in night navigations in Ireland. I then progressed to co-driving in stages rallies at 16. We then built our first rally car and I began driving in sprints and autocross events before starting to drive in stages rallies at a clubman level. I then progressed by moving up in the class of car I was using through regional and national championships before starting international events in 2010. I have stayed at this level for a few years now and I am ready to make an attempt on wining the BRC with Pirelli before moving on to ERC and WRC events."
What do you think you'd do if you weren't a rally driver?DM: "Well, I’m a qualified mechanical engineer and I also work for the family truck parts and truck rental business. I have always been mechanically minded and I cannot really imagine myself not being involved in some form of motorsport. You definitely wouldn’t have seen me playing for Manchester United or swinging a golf club, that’s for sure."
What is your favourite BRC event and why?DM: "The Ulster Rally because asphalt is my preferred surface and of course it is close to home. I’m looking forward to Rally Isle of Man coming back next year as it is a massive challenge and one I think I will relish. The Bulldog Rally of North Wales will also be epic and has some of the greatest gravel stages in the world."
What do you think of Pirelli’s range of rally tyres?DM: “I think Pirelli's range of tyres are fantastic, I have been using them for several years now and on a range of different cars. I have always found the level of grip I wanted. The K6 gravel tyre is an excellent tyre - it provides great grip in wet and muddy conditions and it is also quite durable when the gravel is drier and harder. It is a great all-rounder.”
And what do you think of Pirelli’s asphalt tyres?DM: "In my opinion the asphalt tyre that impresses me the most is the RE7 moulded intermediate tyre. I’ve used this tyre extensively, and in the wet and slippery conditions I always found great grip. When a stage would begin to dry up and a slick tyre is required, the durability of the RE7 means it still manages to work and remain durable for long periods even on a dry road. Not many tyres out there have those capabilities. This is why Pirelli tyres are excellent - they can offer one tyre that works in expected conditions but when something unexpected happens, like a downpour of rain, or a stage drying up quickly, that same tyre can still give you great performance.”
Where do you see yourself in three years’ time?DM: "I hope to be competing in the WRC 3 or have progressed to WRC 2 level by that time. I believe in my ability and if I can prove myself and get the opportunities, I can’t see any reason why I will not be there."
And finally, can we expect to see you winning rallies in 2014?DM: "Absolutely!"
