ON MANX INTERNATIONAL RALLY
Rally driver Andy Leece will be looking to use every ounce of his local knowledge on next weekend’s TOTAL Manx International Rally as he continues his British Rally Championship campaign. The 21-year old mechanic from Onchan has home advantage over his main title rivals and believes this could make the difference in the closely contested Formula 2000 category.
“Knowing the roads, even a little better than other drivers, really can make a difference on the Manx International,” said Leece. “The island roads are totally different to anything else in the British Rally Championship and if you don’t treat them with the respect they deserve, you’ll very quickly find out why they’ve got their reputation. Knowing when to push hard and when to ease off a little is massively important here.”
Andy will once again be joined by Oxfordshire-based co-driver, Simon Lassam, in their Autosport Technology prepared Renault Clio Ragnotti as they continue to chase their dream of becoming F2000 champions in their first ever season in the BRC.
The four rounds of the F2000 championship completed to date have brought Leece a mixture of luck. The highlights have been a win on the Scottish Rally and a third place on the opening round in Wales, but these have been countered by unfortunate retirements on the Pirelli Rally and the Jim Clark Memorial Rally earlier this month. Leece is currently lying third overall in the series and needs a good results on all four of the remaining events to claim the title.
“There’s no doubt about it, we need to go for a win on home soil,” said Leece. “I know I’m quick here and I know I can win if we have a trouble-free run, but this is the longest and toughest event of the championship so nothing will be certain at all until we reach the finish ramp on Saturday evening.”
The Manx International Rally starts from the TT Grandstand in Douglas on Thursday 28th of July with five stages on the same night including two runs around the famous Castletown harbour stage. Friday and Saturday bring the bulk of the action with a further 18 stages covering the length and breadth of the island including the final, longest stage - the ‘Classic’ - which brings cars down from high in the hills all the way to the TT-course finish line in Douglas itself.
“I’ve done this rally a few times now and I’ve both finished the event and retired from it – it really is a test for both driver and co-driver”, explains Lassam. “Crossing the finish line on Saturday afternoon is still one of the best feelings in rallying though and I can’t wait to get out on the stages. We need a good result, so there can be no quarter given right from the start.”
Andy and Simon are seeking sponsors to help them fund their British Rally Championship campaign, both on the Isle of Man and on the mainland. Any interested parties should visit the team web site for further details: andyleece.co.uk
