Fast female Molly Taylor made it a second win in a row on the Carlisle-based Pirelli International Rally at the weekend.

Australian Molly and Cumbrian co-driver Jemma Bellingham battled stages in the notorious ‘Killer Kielder’ and Kershope Forests in their Monster Sport Europe and Motorsport Insurance Services backed Suzuki Swift Sport.

The girls left the start at Carlisle Racecourse on Friday evening, for two stages in Kershope Forest. Running later down the field, meant that they would be completing the stages just as it was getting dark.

They didn’t quite get off to the start they’d hoped for, the rough nature of the stages caused them to drop some time. They continued through SS2, determined to get through the tricky stages and back into service. At the end of Leg 1, the girls were lying third in the Swift Sport Cup, twenty seconds behind leader, Luke Pinder.

Leg 2 began early on Saturday morning with four stages in the Kielder Forest Complex. SS5, the girls managed to claw back some time from fellow Suzuki competitor, Richard Sykes, getting into second place. SS6 the girls took the lead of the Swift Sport Cup after Luke Pinder crashed out of the rally.

In service Molly commented “We were all pushing really hard and I was trying not to take too many risks as I knew we still had lots of stage miles still to go. It was a real shame to see Luke off the road, but I had to keep focused. With the fast tricky stages I had to keep concentrating on the notes and keeping the car neat to avoid the huge ditches!”

Their lead was short lived when Richard Sykes took 2.9 seconds back from them. The girls were then affected by the hold-up when Guy Wilks’ car caught fire. They assumed the rally was over and had settled for 2nd place in the Swift Sport Cup, when the organisers announced they would still run the two final stages of the day in Kershope, so the title was still to be fought.

Determined to have a good battle with Richard Sykes for the win, the girls set out on SS11 with the plan to push as hard as they could without taking any major risks, however they were given the lead by default as Sykes suffered mechanical problems mid-way through the stage.

“We were genuinely disappointed to see Richard stopped in stage as I was looking forward to comparing our times with him at the finish.” Said Molly
“The rally has been a real rollercoaster for us this weekend. We struggled with the rough stages on Friday night, and then we had the battle with Luke and Richard for the win. It’s a huge relief to have finished and to win again. We’ve taken maximum championship points for the first two rounds, which will help us massively for the rest of the season.”

Molly and Jemma won the Swift Sport Cup by 1m 16s from Manx-man David Harrison.

The girls will take to the forest again next weekend on the Betta Somerset Stages in a rallyschool.co.uk backed Nissan Micra. The drive was kindly offered to them by John Goff after they won the first round of the Swift Sport Cup in Wales.

Carlisle co-driver Jemma Bellingham, made an impressive debut on the Bulldog International Rally of Wales this weekend.

Co-driving from 20 year old Australian driver Molly Taylor, the pair piloted the Monster Sport Europe and MIS Motorsport-backed Suzuki Swift Sport to the finish, winning the first round of the 2009 Suzuki Swift Sport Cup.

The only all female crew in the British Rally Championship beat off stiff competition from five other Suzuki crews, to pick up maximum points.

The girls got the rally off to a good start on SS1 Dyfnant, where she was lying in 2nd place, just half a second off Richard Sykes. Not to be beaten, they continued to claw back time from the other crews, setting four fastest times out of only six stages.

‘Molly only arrived in the country three weeks ago and the shakedown stage on Thursday was the first time she’d actually driven the car, so we were in at the deep-end. We had no idea about how our pace would match that of the other crews so we were really pleased to be setting some quick times throughout the day.’  

The girls went into SS6 Big Ray with a 37s lead over their closest rival, Luke Pinder, focused on doing enough to keep the gap, but without taking any risks which would cost them the event.

Dropping 11s to Luke in the stage, meant that Molly and Jemma completed the rally with a 25s advantage.

‘We had an amazing weekend; to win the Suzuki’s has been a real confidence boost for us. The car was faultless all weekend, surviving the long and tricky stages. We’d like to thank MSE, the Australian Motorsport Foundation and MIS for all of their help and support in getting this season off the ground. We’re now looking forward to the Pirelli International Rally, where we’ll be pushing again for a win.’

Molly, who is backed by the Australian Motorsport Foundation, has recently won their International Rising Star Award for 2009 and is the first female driver to be given the title.

Molly and Jemma are currently seeking sponsorship to support the winning team, to ensure they can complete all six rounds of the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup, in their battle for the title.

‘With the current financial climate, it’s been quite difficult finding sponsors to help us, so we’d love to talk to anyone who’d like to get involved. We’re the only all-female crew in the British Rally Championship and we’ve proved what we can do this weekend’.

The girls will contest the 2nd round of the British Rally Championship, the Pirelli International Rally in Carlisle on the 17th/18th April. Jemma is no stranger to the Kielder Forest complex, with this being her 4th time of contesting the rally.

If you’d like more information on sponsoring Molly Taylor and Jemma Bellingham, email admin@jemmarally.co.uk

Tempest Rally Test

MotoGP rider Loris Capirossi and team boss Paul Denning spend a day testing ahead of the Tempest Rally.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP star Loris Capirossi and his team manager Paul Denning have completed a test session in the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup cars they will use on the Tempest Rally, in the UK, this weekend.

The pair completed around 100 laps between them on the bespoke gravel circuit at Turweston Aerodrome in both daylight and at dusk to get first hand experience of the conditions which they will encounter on the 80km course through the forests and military training grounds of Aldershot.

Although both bring previous knowledge of rallying, the session also provided the chance for Capirossi and Denning to once again become accustomed to driving with pace notes, which will be given by co-drivers Craig Thorley and Jemma Bellingham respectively.

“The car is great fun to drive, and I’m really looking forward to the race,” Capirossi said. “It’s completely different to what I’m used to, but the car is very well set up and easy to control.

“I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to compete in the Tempest Rally, and I appreciate the support that Suzuki has provided to ensure that I have the best possible car.”

Denning added that he too was looking forward to taking part in the event.

“The performance of the Swift Sport Cup car is very impressive, and after only a few laps, I was able to develop confidence and understand its limits,” he said. “During the session, there were fewer obstacles on the course than what would be in the race itself, which meant that I could be more aggressive, but when it comes to the rally, I will have to adapt my driving style and take it easier on the throttle.”

“It has been extremely valuable to have had time in the car, and to realise what a good package it is.”

Information on results, awards and class finishes.

2009

48th o/a 2nd in class, Cambrian Rally, Driver Molly Taylor, Peugeot 106

DNF Trackrod Rally Yorkshire, Driver Molly Taylor, Suzuki Swift

36th o/a 4th Suzuki, Ulster International Rally, Driver Molly Taylor, Suzuki Swift

DNF Isle of Man International Rally, Driver Molly Taylor, Suzuki Swift

28th o/a, 4th in class, Jim Clark International Rally, Driver Molly Taylor, Suzuki Swift

DNF Tour of Hamsterley, Driver Gary Tomlinson, Subaru Impreza

2nd o/a Junior F1000 Lee Holland Memorial Rally, Driver Ashley Slights, Toyota Yaris

1st Suzuki, Pirelli International Rally, Driver Molly Taylor, Suzuki Swift Sport

1st Suzuki, Bulldog Rally, Driver Molly Taylor, Suzuki Swift Sport

1st o/a Roskirk Stages Junior F1000, Driver Ashley Slights, Toyota Yaris

15th o/a 3rd in class, Malcolm Wilson Rally, Driver Gary Tomlinson, Subaru Impreza

2008

DNF Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally, Driver Ian Tippett, Mitsubishi Evo 6

12th o/a 2nd in class, Grizedale Stages Rally, Driver Gary Tomlinson, Subaru Impreza

DNF, Suzuki Tempest Rally, Driver Paul Denning, Suzuki Swift

21st o/a, Malton Forest Stages, Driver Ian Tippett. Mitsubishi Evo 6

28th o/a, Trackrod Rally Yorkshire, Driver Molly Taylor, Suzuki Swift

4th o/a 1st in class, Greystoke Stages, Driver Gary Tomlinson, Subaru Impreza

24th o/a 2nd in class, Sol Rally Barbados, Driver Nick Cook, Ford Escort MkI

3rd o/a, North Humberside Forest Rally, Driver Ryan Champion, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7

9th o/a, Robin Hood Forest Stages, Driver Charlie Payne, Mitsubishi Lancer WRC

8th Fiesta, Pirelli National Rally. Driver Max Utting, Ford Fiesta

38th o/a, 5th Fiesta. Malcolm Wilson Rally. Driver Max Utting, Ford Fiesta

2007

19th o/a, 2nd in class, Malton Forest Stages, Driver Max Utting, Ford Fiesta

Jim Clark Rally

DNF Trackrod Rally, Driver David Meredith, Mitsubishi Evo 9 – Lost Wheel

DNF Ulster Rally, Driver David Meredith, Mitsubishi Evo 9 – Drive Shaft

36th o/a Rally Isle of Man, Driver David Meredith, Mitsubishi Evo 9

36th o/a Jim Clark Rally, Driver David Meredith, Mitsubishi Evo 9

7th o/a 3rd in class, Pirelli International Rally, Driver David Meredith, Mitsubishi Evo 9

19th o/a 1st Cumbrian Crew, Malcolm Wilson Rally, Driver Gary Tomlinson, Subaru Impreza

2006

29th o/a 2nd in class, Christmas Stages, Driver Geoffrey Harkness, Vauxhall Corsa

DNF Plains Rally, Driver Martin Auskerin, Peugeot 205 – Rolled

Pirelli Rally 2006

77th o/a 1st in class, Lindisfarne Rally, Driver Martin Auskerin, Peugeot 205

DNF – Woodpecker Stages, Driver Pip Simpson, Subaru Impreza – Retired ss1 broken diff

DNF – Pendragon Stages, Driver Tim Finch, Escort Cosworth – Retired ss8 broken diff

5th o/a, 1st Mixed Crew, Coracle Stages, Driver Pip Simpson, Subaru Impreza

7th o/a 1st in class, Swansea Bay 205 Rally, Driver Martin Auskerin, Peugeot 205

66th o/a Quinton Stages, Driver Amanda Macczak, Escort Cosworth

93rd o/a Mid-Wales Stages, Driver Paul Dark, MKII Escort

DNF – Clwydian Cars Rally, Driver Matt Davies, Nissan Micra – Retired ss1 driveshaft

DNF – Pirelli National Rally, Driver Amanda Macczak, Escort Cosworth – Retired ss2 broken strut

DNF – Somerset Stages, Driver Amanda Macczak, Escort Cosworth – Rolled and set on fire

36th o/a Rali Cwm Gwendraeth, Driver Amanda Macczak, Escort Cosworth

Trackrod Rally

 The day’s first stage was downgraded after an accident, and after a cautionary start on SS2, Molly was sixth in her class. On SS3, a puncture one mile into the 13 mile stage meant that Molly, and co-driver Jemma Bellingham, had to stop and change the tyre. They then got stuck behind another car, losing seven minutes.

 From there on, though, it all went from strength to strength. Molly was third fastest on the next few stages, with the gap to second closing all the time. Incredibly, she was only 1.6 seconds behind second place after one 15 mile stage!

On the final three stages, Molly recorded second fastest times, finishing the event on a high note.

Obviously Molly’s overall result was affected by the puncture but she is very happy with her stage times.

Molly reported that she had a great time and the team were fantastic. “It was an incredible experience driving a new car, and a left hand drive one at that, with a new co-driver and on new roads. It’s unfortunate we had a puncture, but I think our stage times after that really showed what we are capable of,” she added