Craig Breen’s 2015 season comes to an end in the land of the Dragon.
It seems like only yesterday that Peugeot Rally Academy driver Craig Breen released his plans for a hectic 2015 season where as well as tackling the European Rally championship he would also make a bid for the WRC2 category title on the World Rally Championship. With the ERC events now done and dusted only one event remains for Craig and his co-driver Scott Martin this year using the SAINTéLOC Racing run Peugeot 208T16. Craig pops across the Irish Sea to Wales this week for the final round of the world Championship -Wales Rally GB! (Nov 12th – 15th) an event Craig has had huge success on in the past, success he will be very much hoping to replicate as the curtain drops on his 2015 season. So far deprived of a WRC2 win this year Craig has battled with unbelievably bad luck but is determined to end the year spraying champagne in a place he regards as his second home.
A final shakedown stage on Thursday gets the rally underway before the ceremonial start in Llandudno town centre that evening. Day one action on Friday is based in South Wales which includes the fan favourite Sweet Lamb and Hafren the longest stage of the event.
With no mid-leg service the crews have only a remote tyre-fitting in Newtown during the opening day so they will have to balance their speed against risk to be sure they survive the opening day and arrive at the overnight halt in Deeside.Saturday is the longest leg of the rally and the Peugeot Rally Academy driver will guide his Peugeot 208T16 through two passes over the near 26km Dyfi stage as part of the first loop before the challenge of two different tests in darkness. Just four stages on Sunday make up the final leg which is the most northerly and includes the spectacular asphalt test around the rocky Great Orme headland.
As Craig travelled to Wales this week he was relishing the opportunity to get back to the muddy Welsh forests where he created so many memories with his late co-driver Gareth Roberts, saying “It will never be the same doing the event without my little Welsh wizard, but I have wonderful memories from over the years, especially from our WRC Academy Championship victory in 2011.”
You can keep up to date with Craig’s Wales Rally GB during the weekend by visiting: www.craigbreen.com
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