This week’s penultimate round of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship will have a distinctly local feel as the home rally for both tyre manufacturer DMACK and its leading WRC crew.
Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt will tackle Dayinsure Wales Rally GB for the M-Sport World Rally Team using DMACK’s latest DMG+22 gravel tyres, as the M-Sport squad aims to seal the WRC manufacturer title.
With some of the 21 timed special stages taking place close to his home town of Dolgellau, Welshman Evans will take on the world’s best behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta WRC equipped with DMACK’s recently-introduced soft compound GS84 tyres.
DMACK’s soft compound is renowned for its performance on wet and slippery surfaces – last year Ott Tänak used it to finish second overall and set 12 fastest times at Rally GB.
This year Evans also has the benefit of a new, more open tread pattern called DMG+22, which should cope well with the changing surfaces and grip levels.
The mid and north Wales based event is always a big challenge. Stages have low grip and the weather can make it even harder with rain, wind and fog all pretty common. But competitors are also away from service for long periods. There is only one mid-leg service all weekend and crews face a 110km loop on Saturday – the longest of the season.
The slippery roads mean grip from the tyre tread compound is an important factor and the DMG+22 will be expected to perform across low temperatures, in the wet and on polished gravel roads on the second pass.
Alongside two WRC crews, DMACK has 13 customers driving R5 cars – the highest number of the season – including Scandinavians Max Vatanen, Eyvind Brynildsen and Marius Aasen and local stars David Bogie, Tom Cave, Matt Edwards and John MacCrone. Those cars will be equipped with soft compound GS62B and the hard option GH44.
Rally GB starts on Thursday evening with a short super-special blast before six stages on Friday with just a remote tyre change in Newtown. Saturday is a huge 17-hour day with the 110km loop of stages before five tests on Sunday bring the event to a close in Llandudno.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “Rally GB was a strong event for us last year with Ott and we’ve recently played our joker to give Elfyn and all our customers the best chance of a top result on our home event.
“It’s also great to see so many WRC 2 and private competitors using DMACK, recognising how well our products worked in BRC this season and proving DMACK as the tyre of choice for GB.”
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: “I’m really looking forward to my home rally, it’s always a special feeling to compete in Wales in front of the home fans and the atmosphere on the stages is fantastic.
“After missing the event last year, I’m really excited to be back – especially with the 2017 Fiesta which will be so much fun to drive in the Welsh forests.”
Tyre Information: List 1 for R5 and WRC 2
DMACK 205/65R15 DMG+22
First choice: GS62B soft compound (26)
Second choice: GS44 hard compound (16)
Maximum allowed: 26
Tyre Information: List 2 for WRC
DMACK 205/65R15 DMG+22
First choice: GS84 soft compound (28)
Second choice: GH34 hard compound (16)
Maximum allowed: 28
Event Information
Based: Deeside, Wales
Start: Conwy, 18.57 on Thursday 26 October
Finish: Llandudno, 13.35 on Sunday 29 October
Stages: 21 stages, 304.36km
Longest stage: SS4+7 Hafren 35.14km