BLACK GETS FORD FIESTA R5+
Callum Black will undertake select events in the BTRDA and British Rally Championship over the next two years after taking delivery of a Ford Fiesta R5.
Black, 24, who narrowly missed out on the Silver Star title in the BTRDA last year, has been attempting to put the funds together to buy an R5 since the BRC chose to switch to the formula in late 2014.
The 2010 British Rally Challenge champion is looking to compete on BTRDA events in the car – which is currently in R5+ spec, before upgrading to M-sport’s new Evo package. He’ll then look at attempting BRC events.
“We’ve gone out on a limb and just thought we’d go for it,” explained Black about switching from his Citroen DS 3 R3T which he used to finish sixth in the BRC in 2014.
“It’s the R5+ so for the BTRDA it’s got a bit more go about it. We’ve got the R5 kit too so we can change everything over so it’s not a big issue.”
Only homologated R5 cars are allowed in the BRC 1 category for frontrunning cars, and the R5+ with its bigger restrictor isn’t currently allowed. However, with the kit, the car can be returned back to standard R5-spec and into eligible Brc-spec.
Black says the next year is about learning the car. He recently drove Craig Breen’s Circuit of Ireland-winning Citroen DS 3 R5 at the Coventry Motofest event, but has limited experience in four-wheel-drive cars.
“We’ll do a few rallies this year, the Woodpecker and the Trackrod, and a test or two. We’ll use these events to get up to speed and learn the cars. It’s going to be awesome having four-wheel drive being twowheel drive my whole rallying career. I’ve never competed in a four-wheel-drive car. I’ve only done odds and sods testing cars and stuff.”
Black will look to test the car at Walters Arena in August before the Woodpecker.
Callum’s father Steve is also aiming to compete in events in the car in 2017. Black has a long history in rallying, running cars for the likes of Alister Mcrae, Tapio Laukkanen and Gwyndaf Evans under the Steve Black Garages banner.