COFFEY BACK ON GRAVEL

Photos: mcklein-imagedatabase.com, Jucy Rally Photography, Writtle Photographic Asphalt ace plans return to gravel and a possible Rally Finland entry

Graham Coffey will compete on selected World, British, French and BTRDA championship rounds this year, with an entry into WRC Rally Finland on the agenda.

Coffey is aiming to familiarise himself on gravel again by competeing in the BTRDA, before he wheels out his Ford Fiesta WRC onto Ouninpohja.

“Our plans start with putting the Fiesta in gravel trim,” explained Coffey. “We’ll do the Malcolm Wilson [next BTRDA roun] to see how we go there. If that goes well I’ll do quite a few BTRDA rounds and probably the Nicky Grist on the BRC.

“Ideally I want to do Finland in July, if I can get up to speed on gravel. If I don’t do Finland I’ll do Rally GB in October.

“There’s a chance I could do both but it depends how quick I can get confident on gravel, I haven’t been on the loose for 11 years. GB in 2005 was the last time.”

Coffey – whose company sponsors multiple events in the UK including the Neil Howard Stages – has competed on myriad WRC events, including Rally Germany in his Fiesta last year.

He’ll be joined by BRC co-driver Elliott Edmondson for the Malcolm Wilson Rally on March 13, and will complete select events from there on with a new co-driver.

Edmondson is partnering Neil Simpson in the British Rally Championship this year.

“The programme is just something a bit different for us,” added Coffey. “When I got the Fiesta I got the gravel kit with it as well, all the other world cars I’ve had have been in Tarmac spec, there’s been no real option to do forests unless I bought all the kit. I’ve always wanted to do Finland WRC and that’s the last world event to tick off my list before I retire so I really need to do it.”