CRONIN SPONSORS DON’ T SEE BRC VALUE–DONNELLY
The man who helped Keith Cronin to secure a Hyundai i20 R5 this year – multiple Irish Tarmac Rally champion Eugene Donnelly – believes the driver’s sponsors ‘didn’t see the value’ in attempting to score a record-equaling fifth British title.
Cronin, 32, withdrew his entry for the Ulster Rally last weekend when he was due to start as car number one on the event he won last year, citing budget issues.
He faces a tough fight to take the British Rally Championship this year after a puncture in Ypres gave him two third place results. Matt Edwards has now won the first three rounds and holds a comfortable lead.
“Keith and everyone associated with the team has put a huge amount of effort into this season, so for this to happen so late in the day is incredibly disappointing,” said Donnelly. “But that’s the world of motorsport for you. The puncture in Ypres left everyone dejected; that has had an effect.
“Perhaps his sponsors didn’t see the value in a fifth British title, especially as he would have to fight for it.
“They have been around the sport for long enough to know that the world stage is where you get support and recognition.”
Cronin confirmed he has made no plans for Rally Isle of Man, with entries closing on August 29.
“Winning this year is virtually impossible,” he said. “The only way we stand a chance is if some of the drivers around us have a bad weekend. Right now I’m just taking stock of everything.
“We couldn’t get the money together this time [for the Ulster] and that is obviously very disappointing as far as the championship goes.
“At the start of the season the aim was a fifth title, and it would have been good to have been at the Ulster Rally, but it just wasn’t meant to be on this occasion.
“Unfortunately, to go rallying you need to have the budget in place. What happened to us in Ypres didn’t help, that’s for sure. We had been working on bringing it all together right up to the day we made the announcement.”