HYUNDAI SWITCH WON’T ALTER MACKINNON’S MULL RALLY AMBITION
Three-time winner will sample new machine on classic island challenge
Paul MacKinnon will drive a Hyundai i20 R5 for the first time on this weekend’s 50th edition of the Mull Rally but is confident that won’t blunt his challenge for victory.
MacKinnon usually hires a Ford Fiesta Rally2 but the car wasn’t available, so instead through a chance conversation he’ll use the same Albatec Racing Hyundai that Hayden Paddon took to Rali Ceredigion victory last month.
He told MN: “Definitely for a point there [it looked like I couldn’t do it], you see each year ‘ach I don’t think we’ll manage’ but this year we were really drawing blanks, and it was a bit of luck there, a chance conversation at the right time, which got us here. It’s such a long rally now, 150 miles and the types of roads is sore on the car, sore on the driver, it’s about being clean and tidy. The person who has the least amount of issues is usually the person who comes out on top
“We don’t really go in many cars recently so even if the Fiesta came this year, I wouldn’t have much muscle memory I suppose. I know there’ll be differences with the Hyundai but I’m hoping they’re subtle ones.”
Daniel Harper heads the entry ahead of MacKinnon, with fellow local aces John MacCrone and Calum
Duffy leading the Escort charge.
As ever, the event will be a huge challenge with three legs, two at night, and one stage as long as 31 miles. Resurfacing and longer bracken could also alter the profile of the roads on the island.