Taylor: New cash prize empowers drivers to choose their next career step
The new Junior British Rally Championship’s £30,000 cash prize will offer young drivers more flexibility in their chosen career path, according to BRC organisers.
IMS chief Ben Taylor told MN that it’s always been the plan for the BRC to have an open tyre format, and to not control drivers’ next step of the ladder.
“We’ve always said we wanted to have a championship with an open tyre format,” said Taylor. “That was our plan until 15 months ago. We also said we wanted to give them a prize that they could take with them into their career and not control where they go with their direction of travel after the juniors. We wanted to give them the choice.
“We changed our mind at the last minute last year as DMACK stepped up with a huge prize and really endorsed the championship, it was a big shot in the arm for us and I’ll always be grateful to DMACK for that support.”
Taylor doesn’t believe the change will make the championship any less attractive to international competitors looking for a step up into the World Rally Championship.
“A lot of the international element rests on the value of the pound,” he said. “But I think £30,000 cash to take where you want is massively valuable. I think it will be more attractive because you can take that money and use it to negotiate your own deal.”