Mackinnon to make rallying return with rare Cheviot Stages entry in a Fiesta R5

Two-time Mull winner Paul Mackinnon will make his first rally appearance of the year this weekend on the Cheviot Stages.

The 2008 and ’11 Mull winner hasn’t competed since last November’s Pokerstars Rally – when he finished second – on the Isle of Man due to work.

The Tobermory driver will field a Ford Fiesta R5 from Dom Buckley RSC, which has been converted to right-hand-drive.

“We operate a ferry boat that runs through the summer, from April until around now,” explained Mackinnon.

“There’s no such thing as a day off, so we miss all these nice rallies and the good weather!

“We try to have a good season [with work] and then try and fit in a few rallies.”

Mackinnon has competed at the Otterburn Military Range once in the late 2000s, although the route and venue has changed significantly since then.

Mackinnon said the ability to drive a RHD car was key to choosing the RSC Fiesta.

“The biggest problem for me, not doing very much rallying, is a lot of the cars are left-handdrive,” he added. “Which only doing one or two a year is no use for me. Dom has these righthand-drive R5s and it suits me really well and they are great wee cars. They’re great fun and that’s what we’re trying to find these days.”

Mackinnon has also entered the Pokerstars Rally again.