British Rally champion hoping to combine BRC defence with WRC outings.
by Rob Wilkins
Britain's Guy Wilks has confirmed that he hopes to have a programme in the FIA World Rally Championship sorted by the summer.
Wilks, who will again compete in the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship this year with the 'works' Mitsubishi UK team, where he will be out to defend his BRC crown, told Crash.net Radio recently that he has by no means given up on competing in the WRC, even if nothing is on the horizon at the moment.
"I always hope to do some events in the WRC. It is just whether that becomes a reality. It is so difficult at the moment. Some people seem to be lucky enough to get the opportunities and some people don't. It is as simple as that. That is the same in every walk of life. But it is not something we are giving up on," he confirmed. "We are definitely working hard.
"There is nothing coming on the horizon that I can really talk about as such [at the moment]. But I would like to think by the middle of the year - or just before really - that we will have something in the pipeline.
"We would love the opportunity, Phil [Pugh - my co-driver] and I, to get in a competitive car and really give it a good crack. I think that is the only opportunity we would like to take. We need to get into a really up-to-date car and see what we can do. We need a few events on the trot to really prove ourselves."
Asked what car he would like to use, he added that 'every option is open': "You have to look at the most competitive cars really though and the most competitive cars at the moment seem to be the Citroen and the Ford," he continued.
"The Subaru definitely seems to be OK and they have done work on it over the off-season, but they have not made a great change. David Richards [Subaru boss] has been quoted as saying they need to stop work on that car and concentrate on making the new car better now, which I think is definitely a wise move. But they have started the year reasonably well in Monte Carlo with the old car.
"It would have to be then an S12 or 06 Focus or a C4 really. The Xsara is a good car but you have got to be in or have something similar to what the top guys are using in order to know exactly where you stand against them."
As for if he is still chasing the £1 million he needs to realise his dream, as reported recently in the British media, he added that was only a rough ball-park figure.
"I was asked how much it would cost to do ten events and that is pretty much what you are looking at and what would give you a good programme. That is the approximate figure. That would be like the lottery coming up. But it is not to say we are close to gaining that figure at all," he clarified.
"We are only just starting. You just finish one year and you are straight into the next year. You have just got one lot of budget and then you are looking for the next lot. We will see happens."
But are any other things an option?
"There nothing else in consideration - the WRC is where I want to be. People have said about the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and it is not that I discount IRC. It is just a case of I want to try and get in the WRC. Why look at anything else if that is what you are forging your way towards? I believe we are good enough to be there. It is as simple as that and we will continue to work towards it," he vowed.
