By Paul Evans

Two Welsh drivers are the first to have been selected for the recently formed Rally Team UK – which is a project dedicated to the development of up-and-coming young British rally talent.

Meirion Evans, 23 from Lampeter, and James Williams, 20 and from Newcastle Emlyn, will compete with the help of the new team when they contest tomorrow’s opening round of the British Rally Championship, the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally.

Co-driven by Jonathan Jackson, Evans will drive a Melvyn Evans Motorsport-prepared Hyundai i20 R5 – on what will be his first ever gravel rally in a four-wheel drive car, and his first UK gravel event in any car since the 2017 Nicky Grist Stages.

The event come less than a week since Evans narrowly missed out on a top 10 result on the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Championship, the Galway International Rally, in the same car.

Williams will be one of the favourites for Junior British Rally Championship glory, having finished runner up in the series last year.

Co-driven by Tom Woodburn, he’ll drive a Ford Fiesta R2 prepared by EDSL Sport.