The winner of the inaugural RallyScotland, Darlington’s Guy Wilks, has confirmed he will contest this year’s Intercontinental Rally Championship in his Skoda. The championship gets underway in Monte Carlo next week.
“I am very excited about the season ahead and driving for Skoda in the IRC,” admitted the 28-year-old Englishman, whose win in Scotland last November came after the disqualification of IRC champ Kris Meeke’s Peugeot.
“Our victory in Scotland last year showed what potential the Fabia S2000 has. It’s a fantastic car to drive and it suits my driving style.
“This year’s programme has come together incredibly quickly and everyone at Skoda UK Motorsport is highly motivated to succeed. You can guarantee I will start every rally with one thing on my mind – and it will involve driving as fast as I possibly can.”
Wilks will contest at least seven IRC rounds which will mean he can battle for the championship. While the precise details of his programme are yet to be confirmed, he will definitely defend his RallyScotland title in the penultimate round of the IRC in October.
“There’s no way I wouldn’t defend my RallyScotland title,” continued Wilks, who will also face stiff competition from Meeke and the Proton of Lanark’s Alister McRae in the battle for this year’s IRC title. “I can’t wait to get back to Scotland.”
Irishman Meeke has been seeded first for the opening IRC round in Monte Carlo, ahead of the Ford Fiesta S2000 of Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen. The Ford made its debut in RallyScotland.
With McRae sitting out the season’s opener — he will make his first appearance in RallyItaly in Sardinia in June — Wilks is seeded 10th. Renault Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica has been seeded 37th for his entry in a Renault Clio R3.
JM