From barbados tot heukandba ck, the bi mm a cu pu kiss et to impress. by Jack ben yon THE UK’ S NEXT SINGLE-MAKE SUCCESS?

The most common complaint in UK rallying is why aren’t there more successful single-make championships? In 2019 and beyond that could well change with the arrival of Bimmacup UK.

It has the most unlikely origins for a UK championship…in Barbados. Long-time competitor and organiser on the island, Greg Cozier, began the Bimmacup there with the intention of offering a low-cost rear-wheeldrive formula for the island, as its rally entries had struggled to recover after the 2008 financial crisis.

Launched in 2015, the formula has expanded to have an Antiguan variant and a Caribbean series, with numerous competitors from across the region travelling through the islands to compete.

Nearly 30 cars started the last round in Barbados in November. That is quite some number considering the population of the three hosting islands combined is under 500,000 people. As Cozier puts it: “It’s like having a rally championship in one of your [UK] small cities!”

For 2019, Bimmacup UK has been launched for the BMW 318ti, and the only major changes to the car are the rollcage, larger limited-slip differential, ECU reprogramme and new suspension. For under £10,000, you’ve got a fun rear-wheel-drive car and a season’s rallying with good reliability. What’s the catch?

The only real downside is that the series is based around singlevenues, but that is great for keeping it accessible, costs down and allowing new people into the sport at an acceptable price. For the target market, it is perfect and the organsiers will consider expansion as and when the series grows.

The right people are behind the series too. Long-time British competitors and organisers Martin Stockdale and Rob Brook, who have competed in Barbados since 2001, are organising Bimmacup UK with Cozier remaining involved.

And the best part is still to come. Not only have you got a brilliant season’s rallying for under £10,000; the winner gets an expenses-paid trip to compete in the final round of Bimmacup Caribbean in Barbados next November. In the rallying scene in Barbados, the fun and party-aspect of the pre and post event is taken just as seriously as the locals take the competition on the event itself. What other grassroots series can offer that?

‘Mr Single-make’ himself, Ryan Champion, is building a Bimmacup car for rental and the occasional outing, despite owning much more trick machinery like a 1996 Group A Subaru Impreza, driven by Didier Auriol, among others.

Having competed in the Peugeot Challenge, Puma Cup, British Junior championship when it was for 306s, and single-make series for Peugeot 106s and Mitsubishi Lancers, the reigning East African Safari winner knows a thing or two about single-make championships.

He believes Bimmacup UK can succeed where other single-make formulas have failed.

“A lot of one-make championships are costly to do, there’s no doubt about it,” says Champion. “Bimmacup UK is about as cost-effective as a rear-wheel drive single-make formula can get.

“You can convert an existing race car, or buy a car for £300-400 and build it from there. You can get engines for £250. They are so fun to drive as well. That’s two good foundations – cheap and fun – for a strong single-make formula.”

Cozier agrees: “A gearbox in my historic Escort is £7000. You can have a Bimmacup car for that!”

The series organisers are rally fans, competitors and organisers who are realistic. The first round takes place at Blyton next February 9, and the organisers expect things to start small and build quickly.

“We all agreed between us [the organisers], if we finish the year with five or six cars, that would be a success,” adds Cozier. “It’s not difficult to get the cars ready in time for the first round in February 2019 as there’s a pool of race cars available.”

Present at the first round will be Derek Edwards, the Caribbean champion, who has never competed abroad before. He definitely has the short straw, coming to Blyton in Lincolnshire in February, while the Bimmacup UK champion heads in the opposite direction… ■