British Rally Championship contender Garry Pearson will be aiming to get his BRC1 hopes back on track in Belgium, after a home rally to forget at the Jim Clark last month.
The Duns driver had hopes hopes for a top result on his home event, but would retire on the opening Friday night loop after damaging his Volkswagen Polo GTi. Pearson had finished on the podium in 2022, but behind the wheel of a Fiesta Rally2 and kick-started his 2023 BRC campaign with his trusty Skoda Fabia R5 at the Malcolm Wilson Rally. However, he would switch to the very car that took Osian Pryce to last years title for the closed road event, but would sadly record a zero score with his rally-ending off.
Now, the BRC season makes its first trip to Belgium since 2019 and the legendary Ardeca Ypres Rally provides two days of flat-out action across the super-fast asphalt near Ypres. And although Pearson has never contested the rally before, his experienced co-driver Daniel Barritt has and the Scot is feeling positive about his Ypres debut and return to the drivers seat.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t able to provide the result that we, the team and our partners were after [at the Jim Clark], but it was great to spend lots of time with our loyal supporters over the weekend” he says.
“From the sporting side, of course I am disappointed with what happened – particularly considering it was my home event. It’s not been the easiest of starts to our British championship campaign, but we got on really well with the car and the team, and it felt like Dan and I had been in the car together for years. Given that we set a really encouraging time on the opening stage, that is a real positive for the first stage in the Polo so I need to take that momentum to Belgium”.
“Ultimately, the other BRC crews there are very experienced on the roads in the region and we will have some fast learning to do. But it could see us pick up a decent haul of points and that will help get our season back on track. I`m looking forward to it”
