DMack has confirmed that they will not enter Max Vatanen (25 year old son of former world champion Ari) in the fourth round of the seven event British Rally Championship, stating that they “will enter one car for the Scottish and then decide after that” whether to resume running a second car for the rest of the series.
DMack have not stated any reason for their change of plans, but Vatanen’s season has not been happy in Britain. After three seasons of rallying R2 cars, this was Vatanen’s chance to compete in R5 cars, but he has only scored one point in the BRC all season.
Max will concentrate on the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy now, rather than the BRC.
The team continues: “He had a good start in Portugal and there's a clash (of dates) later in the season. (In the third week in August, the Deutschland WRC event coincides with the BRC Ulster Rally).
“Max will concentrate on the (WRC based R2 formula) Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy now rather than the BRC.”
The decision is an embarrassment for the promoters of the newly revived BRC, as Max was one of two prominent foreign competitors in the series. The other is the Swede, Fredrik Ahlin, who currently leads the series.
The prime DMack entry in BRC is for Elfyn Evans who currently lies second, five points behind Ahlin. Vatanen finished fourth and then third in the last two years of the DDFT, and after the opening round this year is lying second.
- Martin Holmes
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