Date:  3rd December 2007 
For Immediate Release

“Double Top” for Mitsubishi’s British Rally Champions Announces Renewed Motor Sports Emphasis for Mitsubishi UK!

• Mitsubishi Motors UK wins British Rally Championship Teams and Drivers titles
• Guy Wilks crowned British Rally Champion after winning rounds six and seven
• Gwyndaf Evans finishes third to secure the Team Title for Mitsubishi
• Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB, 30th November – 2nd December 2007

It was a weekend to remember for the Mitsubishi Motors UK Rally Team, with Guy Wilks winning rounds six and seven to take victory in both the British Team’s and Driver’s titles at the 2007 Wales Rally of Great Britain.  Driving their Group N* Lancer Evolution IX, they also dominated the Production World Rally Championship category ahead of some of the best Group N teams in the world.

Team-mate Gwyndaf Evans finished second in round six, securing the Team’s title and claiming third place in the BRC standings.   BRC Crews faced their biggest challenge this year with the Rally GB hosting both the final rounds of the UK series and the World Rally Championship.

Such was the pace of the two Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, Wilks and Evans started the second day an impressive first and second in the PWRC class, ahead of all the regular Production World Rally Championship runners!  With the fog lifting, but the wind and rain increasing, conditions were little better for Saturday’s six stages in the forests on the Brecon Beacons.  Wilks made it unscathed to the final test of the day, the spectacular indoor stage in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, with a near perfect display of car control watched by thousands of spectators.

After passing post-event checks and the car’s conformity to technical regulations, Mitsubishi were confirmed the 2007 British Teams Champions and Guy Wilks was crowned British Rally Champion. After the event, Guy said ‘”What a result! It really means a lot to me to become British Champion….I joined the Mitsubishi team this year knowing that their commitment and attitude to winning the British title was second to none.”  Gwyndaf Evans added “I really must thank Mitsubishi for a great year and there is no doubting the commitment of everyone involved.”

Lance Bradley, Mitsubishi’s Sales and Marketing Director stated, “This double victory confirms our commitment to British Motor Sports and Mitsubishi’s place as a leader in performance driving. We’re looking forward to further promoting our legendary motor sports reputation in 2008, especially with the forthcoming Dakar Rally in January and launch of the New Lancer and Lancer Evolution X in February.”

Wales Rally GB

Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship - Round Six Results
1              Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 1:27:18.8
2              Gwyndaf Evans/Huw Lewis (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 1:27:22.0
3              Mark Higgins/Scott Martin (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 1:28:17.9

Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship - Round Seven Results
1              Guy Wilks/Phil Pugh (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 2:17:04.9
2              Mark Higgins/Scott Martin (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 2:17:52.3
3              David Higgins/Ieuan Thomas (Subaru Impreza) 2:21:56.7

Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship - Final Positions

Notes for Editors:
* Introduced by the FIA in 1982 to replace the outgoing Group 1 as ‘standard touring cars’,
Group N refers to the set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition.  Group N cars are limited in terms of modifications manufactured from standard specification.

• Guy Wilks is 26 and lives in Darlington, Co. Durham.
• Phil Pugh 36 is and lives in Tywyn, Gwynedd.
• Gwyndaf Evans is 48 and lives in Dinas Mawddwy, Gwynedd.
• Huw Lewis is 50 and lives in Machynlleth, Gwynedd.

ENDS

For further information please contact the Mitsubishi Press Office on 01285 647200

View / Open Download / Add to cart

View / Open Download / Add to cart

View / Open Download / Add to cart