Motorsport: Matt Edwards clinches third British Rally Championship title
With a display of total self-belief Welsh driver Matt Edwards (VW Polo GTi R5), co-driven by Darren Garrod, clinched his third consecutive British Rally Championship title with outright victory in the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally in Newry.
They were involved in a title battle with their Melvyn Evans Motorsport team-mates, Welshman Osian Pryce and Killarney’s Noel O’Sullivan, who crashed on the penultimate stage.
Edwards coasted to victory - finishing two minutes and 31.8 seconds ahead of the Citroen C3 of Belfast’s Jonny Greer with Derry’s Callum Devine (Ford Fiesta Rally 2) some 15.2 seconds further behind in third.
The championship duo were in sensational form and by the end of the opening loop were well clear of the rest with Edwards 7.4 seconds ahead. Callum Devine’s bid faltered when he overshot into a field. Trailing Edwards by 9.1 seconds, Pryce’s bid for glory ended when he crashed, the car ending up on its roof.
Greer took second in the event as Devine overcame set-up issues to finish third ahead of Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 R5). Former four-time British champion Keith Cronin (Ford Fiesta), who was fifth, had another difficult rally - a puncture on S.S. 2 and a 40-second penalty out of service after S.S. 3 put him on the back foot. He responded with third fastest stage time on five of the remaining stages. Down’s William Creighton (Ford Fiesta Rally4) won the BRC Junior title from Donegal’s Eamonn Kelly.
Meanwhile, Sebastien Ogier (Toyota Yaris WRC) wrapped up his eighth World Championship title with victory in the series ending Rally Monza where he finished 7.3 seconds in front of team mate Elfyn Evans. Their Toyota Gazoo Racing team won the manufacturer’s title. The Irish crew of Josh McErlean/James Fulton (Hyundai i20) were seventh in the WRC3 category.