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PRESS
INFORMATION
Guy Wilks confirmed for second season
Phillip Morrow gets set for the ultimate prize drive
Team confirms British Rally Championship entry with two new Lancer Evolution IXs
This year’s Autosport International sees Mitsubishi Motors UK announce its 2008 Works Rally Team line-up, with reigning British Champion Guy Wilks retained for a second season and joining the 2007 Evolution Challenge Champion Phillip Morrow for an assault on the British Rally Championship.
Following a stunning season with the Mitsubishi team last year, when he recorded five victories out of seven rounds, Wilks put himself well and truly in the frame for re-selection by the Cirencester-based Mitsubishi importers. Throughout the season, he was often comfortably the quickest driver in the field, having recorded more fastest-stage times than all of the other BRC drivers put together!
“I am delighted to be re-joining the Mitsubishi team”, said Wilks. “We had such a good season last year I could hardly say no! To be honest, 2007 was a bit of a learning curve for me in four-wheel-drive machinery, so now I know what to expect I am really looking forward to getting back into a Mitsubishi and carrying on from where I left off.”
Having also enjoyed a successful season in 2007, Phillip Morrow joins the team by virtue of him winning the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge – the highly competitive, one-make series for Group N Lancer Evolutions. After posting six victories in the first seven rounds, the young Ulsterman did not need to contest the final round, such was his command of the championship last year.
“After four years of competing in the Evo Challenge I am so pleased to have finally won it”, said Morrow. “And now, to take up what is the best prize in British motorsport and drive for a works team is just fantastic. In fact I still can’t believe it and it is only now being at the Autosport Show with the team that it is starting to sink in. I can’t wait to get the season underway!”
2008 sees the MMUK team’s fourth season in the British Championship and, having claimed the team’s title and finished first and third in the driver’s standings, Team Principal and General Manager for Ralliart Paul Brigden, says that the plan is to go one better this year.
“Of course it’s difficult to top last season, but we had our fair share of misfortune and, although there was no doubt that we had the quickest cars out there, we missed-out on a one-two result at the end of the year. Therefore, our goal for 2008 has to be to finish as many events as we can in first and second places and to end the year retaining the team’s title and occupying the top two places in the driver’s championship.”
For the 2008 season Wilks will continue to be partnered by his regular co-driver Phil Pugh, with Morrow accompanied by the experienced Daniel Barritt.
ADR Motorsport will continue to prepare and run the two works Lancers, one of which is on display on the Mitsubishi stand at the Autosport Show, the other currently being built in the company’s Chesterfield workshops.
The team welcomes Lovell Group and Virgin Money as new sponsors for 2008. They join the team’s technical supporters: Sparco, Speedline Corse, PIAA, Ricardo, and Performance Friction Brakes.
2008 British Rally Championship Calendar
18/19 April - Pirelli Rally - Carlisle
24/25 May - Jim Clark Rally - Kelso
17/18/19 July - Rally Isle of Man - Douglas
22/23 August - Ulster Rally - Armagh
27 September - Rally Yorkshire - Pickering
28/29/30 November - Wales Rally GB - Cardiff
ENDS
Notes for Editors
Guy Wilks is 26 and lives in Darlington, Co. Durham.
Phil Pugh 36 is and lives in Tywyn, Gwynedd.
Phillip Morrow is 24 and lives in Lisburn.
Daniel Barritt is 27 and lives in Burnley.
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