There were celebrations when Pirelli-equipped cars finished first, second and third on the Malcolm Wilson Rally in Cumbria on Saturday (March 8).

Local driver Paul Bird, in a Ford Focus WRC, scored a record-equalling fourth victory on the event named after the county’s most famous rallying resident and M-Sport World Rally Team boss.

Bird won by 13 seconds from the similar cars of Euan Thorburn and Steve Petch to lead the BTRDA Rally Series by two points. He said: “This means so much to me – not only taking the lead in the UK’s toughest gravel series, but also winning my home event for the fourth time.” Pirelli also won the Historic H3 and 1400S classes with Matthew Robinson and Dave Bennett respectively.