ORANGE Amps driver James Williams and co-driver Ross Whittock will enjoy a change in scenery this weekend as the Probite British Rally Championship heads to mid Wales for the second round of the series – with the team ready to tackle the first gravel rally of the season.
26-year-old Williams is very used to adapting to the change of road surfaces, having taken podiums on both the sealed surface and the loose in previous years. The Welshman hailing from Newcastle Emlyn will enter the 2024 Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages for the first time in a four-wheel-drive car – with the 50th running of the event using legendary rallying stages of yesterday, with Hafren Sweet Lamb and the iconic fast and flowing Myherin the gauntlet for the stellar entry list.
Williams and Whittock will face opposition from over 180 cars in the one-day sprint event in their four-wheel-drive turbo-charged Hyundai i20 Rally. Seeded at car eight in a bumper entry, the list reads like a who’s who in British and Irish rallying with former British, European and World Champions among the mix.
62-miles on the fast Welsh gravel wont provide a lot of time for the pair to feel their way into proceedings – however, they will aiming to go out on the attack – right from the off.
“Back on gravel… I genuinely can’t wait. Being a Welshman and getting the chance to drive a top level car like the Hyundai i20 Rally2 on some of the most famous stages in the world, in your own backyard is a real ‘pinch me’ moment!
“The entry is quality once again – so it’s going to be hard to predict the order, just like it was on the opening round of the championship. Our goal remains the same – get out the blocks as quick as I can. We got fourth on the opener so I would like to better that with a podium for this one. We are in it for the long haul and want to be at the finale fighting for the championship. A silly mistake, DNF or retirement will really cost you compared to previous years – there are too many top drivers ready to pounce on mistakes.
“This isn’t my home event, but it is my second closest, and home gravel rally so I want to put on a show for the fans and all the supporters. We did a short test last week which was good to get the mindset ready for the weekend ahead. We hope we can bring home a good result for all those have backed me over the years… bring it on!”
The Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages – round two of the Probite British Rally Championship kicks off on Friday evening (12th April) with an autograph session and Ceremonial Start under the shadow of the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells, before a full day of rallying action on Saturday 13th April.
James would like to thank his team of loyal partners: Orange Amps, Fast Forward Logistics, Hyundai Power Products, Rally Cover, Pirelli, Performance 1st Coaching, Composites Cymru, West Wales Lubricants, Palletline, Craftric Technology, Speedline Corse, Castle Designs, Charlies Stores, ND Civils, Progressive Safety Equipment, Hide Away Wales, West Coast Finance, Ceir Castle Motors and Vital Equipment. If you would like to become a partner, get in touch with the team today – [email protected].