PRYCE SECURES A WRC2 SEAT FOR WALES RALLY GB Young Welshman bags an R5 deal for home event
Osian Pryce will look to carry his Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy success forward into a last-minute Ford Fiesta R5 drive at next week’s Wales Rally GB.
The Welshman has secured funding to return to his home round of the World Rally Championship in a frontrunning Ford Fiesta R5 for the second time in three years.
Pryce starred on the opening day of the 2014 Rally GB, running as high as second in class and setting a fastest time on his maiden appearance in a four-wheel-drive car.
“I think I’ve lost count of how many times Wales was on then off for us,” said the 23-year-old. “But, finally, we’re definitely going and to be going on the back of winning DDFT is just fantastic news. We’re really going on a high, but at the same time there’s no pressure for us. Dale [Furniss, co-driver] and I are just looking forward to being out on our home round of the world championship and having the chance to say thank you and pay back some of the many people who have helped us this season.”
Pryce will drive a Ford Fiesta R5 hired from the Ostberg family’s Adapta Motorsport team and run by Middlesex specialist Mick Harris.
The international entry list for Wales Rally GB features 66 cars. As well as 17 World Rally Cars, the Deeside-based event will boast a 21-strong WRC2 entry and nine WRC3 cars.
Pryce is joined by fellow rising British stars Gus Greensmith (Ford Fiesta R5), David Bogie (Skoda Fabia R5) and Rhys Yates (Fiesta R5) for a one-off appearance at the final European WRC2 round of 2016.
One of the highlights of the event will be the battle between Junior ERC runner-up Chris Ingram and British Junior champion Rob Duggan, both of whom will be driving Vauxhall Adam R2s.
Kevin Abbring and British co-driver Seb Marshall have been confirmed in their second Hyundai i20 R5 outing of the season, while last year’s Junior WRC champion Quentin Gilbert steps up from a DS 3 R5 to a DS 3 WRC. Gilbert’s car is entered by Abu Dhabi Total Racing, alongside Kris Meeke, Craig Breen and Stephane Lefebvre. Lefebvre’s stand-in co-driver for Gabin Moreau (who was injured earlier this year on Rally Germany) will be Gilles De Turckheim.