Welsh driver Yates to make competitive debut in Hyundai i20 R5 at Gymkhama event
British WRC 2 driver Rhys Yates will make his competitive debut in a Hyundai i20 R5 run by the same team preparing Sir Chris Hoy’s sister car at Saturday’s Gymkhana GRID in Poland.
Yates tested an i20 at Sweet Lamb earlier in the summer and, while the all-asphalt stadiumstyle event in Warsaw is radically different to the mid-wales gravel, he’s optimistic of his chances against an entry which includes the event’s originator Ken Block and Petter and Oliver Solberg.
Yates told MN: “Having a bit of a blast is the priority. I’ve watched the event and we’re all well aware of what Ken Block and Monster Energy are capable of when they get together and put an event on – it’s going to be fairly special.
“The Hyundai felt good in Sweet Lamb, but what to expect on soft rallycross tyres on Tarmac this week, I’m not so sure. I’m hoping I can get a bit of a test just before the start of practice [on Wednesday], that would at least give me the chance to remind myself where the handbrake is!”
Yates admitted he was ‘over the moon’ to work with Hoy.
“People talk a lot about legends these days, don’t they,” he said. “That guy’s a proper one. Just being around elite athletes like Sir Chris Hoy is a real privilege. I can’t wait.” The event runs on Saturday, with last year’s podium finishers in South Africa, Solberg fatherand-son (Petter in a VW Polo R Supercar and Oliver in the Citroen Xsara WRC) team among the favourites.
Johan Kristoffersson won the event last season.