Hirst & Dear have won the 2023 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship title in style after winning the final round of the series, the Wyedean Stages Rally.
With Hirst and Dear set to become champions for a record equalling 3rd time as they take an unassailable lead into the final round, it was all about bragging rights and they sure delivered.
It’s the third time that Hirst and co-driver Declan Dear have been Welsh champions, having won the title in 2019 and last year. Driving his Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage Ford Fiesta R5+, Hirst scored maximum points on four rounds of the series.
And he did that in style in the Forest of Dean – leading the 40-stage mile Wyedean Stages from start to finish and winning by over 17 seconds.
It was far from easy, as heavy showers of rain and fallen leaves made the forest roads extremely slippery. Rob Wilson & Martin Haggett claimed second in their Evo while Nik Elsmore & Pauline Nash completed the podium in their Evo 9.
In the 2WD battle, Iwan Roberts & / Daniel Jones took the title in the Ford Escort G3. Achieving 1st in Class and 6th overall securing 1st in the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship two wheel drive class.
