Just three days after the biggest crash of his life at last week’s World Rally Championship-qualifying Rally Poland, Osian Pryce was back testing a rally car and preparing to defend his lead in the British Rally Championship on Monday. Here are his thoughts after he and co-driver Dale Furniss tesed their Alphera/Hills Ford Fiesta R5 at an asphalt venue ahead of the Nicky Grist Stages 100, Wales’ round of the British Rally Championship which runs out of Builth Wells on Saturday and Sunday.
How do you feel after the crash on Rally Poland?
OP: Fine. Dale and I were a bit bruised, but we’ve both spent some time with the physio and neither of us felt any issues with being back in the car at all.
Are you surprised, given the high-speed and violent nature of the accident?
OP: I am quite surprised. In all honesty, I don’t really remember much about the crash – and that’s nothing to do with concussion or anything like that and more to do with the fact that it happened so quickly. I’m not sure I even had time to shut my eyes! The back stepped out, the front went in, we hit a rock with a bang and over she went. Next thing, we were upside down in the middle of the road.
What I do want to say is a very big thank you to everybody from DMACK and M-Sport for looking after Dale and I so well. Never having driven in a professional team before, it was a real eye-opener to be part of what these teams do 13 times a year. I appreciated the difference from the moment we started on the recce, but when we went off we felt the full force of care and attention from the team and we’re both very, very grateful for that. We’re also very grateful to M-Sport for building such a strong Ford Fiesta R5.
We’ll be back in the DMACK World Rally Team for Rally Finland next month and I’m absolutely determined to put in a performance worthy of the commitment they have given Dale and I.
But now you turn your attention to this weekend…
OP: That’s right. Once we knew Poland was finished, I started looking into ways to get home earlier and get back into a rally car as soon as possible.
Why was that?
OP: Dale and I both wanted to know how we’d feel physically in the car. Fortunately, even before we got in the car, the bruising had started to subside and everything was looking good.
So there were no lingering concerns about driving a rally car again?
OP: None at all. Like I said, it was all over in a flash. Of course I think about it, but those thoughts are all directed at what happened and how do I avoid that happening next time we go through that stage or next time we’re in that position.
How did the test go?
OP: It was brilliant. We made a lot of progress with the car for the Tarmac stages coming up on Sunday. It’s hard to describe how things were at the last BRC round in Ypres, but the car felt almost numb. I was getting very little feedback from the car and to try to take it to the limit in those kind of conditions is really tricky.
So what did you find at the test?
OP: We found a great set-up. It took us a while, and we changed everything, like everything! We went in all sorts of directions on springs, roll-bars, dampers, the whole thing – we’ve been through the whole lot and now we’ve got a car which really works for us.
What does that mean?
OP: It means I feel comfortable in the car; I know how the car’s going to react in long corners, fast corners, under braking, I know I’ll have the sort of racecar-like precision needed on asphalt – all of these areas which are absolutely vital. In short, I’ve got a car under me that I really trust and a car which I feel I’ll be able to push hard in.
Will that translate to those stages on the Epynt military ranges?
OP: That’s the big question, isn’t it… Spencer Sport runs the Fiesta for us and they have good knowledge of the car and what’s needed on those roads. Between them and us, I think we’re pretty well sorted. Epynt’s a tricky place, but half the battle there is having confidence in the car. I genuinely believe we’ve got that.
What’s the target at the Nicky Grist Stages then?
OP: Coming to our home round of the British Rally Championship in the lead is a real honour for me and the aim is to leave Builth with an increased lead.
What about a win?
OP: A win would be the best way possible of increasing that lead!
This event is a little bit different though…
OP: It is. We do the gravel stages on Saturday then the teams spend Saturday night changing the car over to make it ready for the asphalt on Sunday.
Is that a big job? Sounds like a big job…
OP: Yes. If you asked your local garage to do it, it would take them all day – but Spencer Sport will have 90 minutes to change all the suspension, ride height, guards, all sorts. Basically we have a car capable of racing over rocky forest tracks one day and a low-slung racing car the next. It’s a brilliant format and an event I’m really looking forward to.