Australian driver Molly Taylor was forced to stand on the sidelines as friends and rivals competed in last weekend’s round of the World Rally Championship in Germany.
The 26-year-old Sydneysider was due to compete in the junior category of ADAC Rallye Deutschland (August 22-24), as part of a six-event rally program this year, but has run out of funding.
The situation was made even more disappointing because of the third place she took in the JWRC during the last round (Neste Oil Rally Finland) three weeks ago, her best-ever result in the world championship series.
“We’ve worked so hard this year and overcome so many problems, even during the event in Finland, that to be right on the pace and grabbing a podium finish was just the most amazing feeling,” Taylor says.
“I was so looking forward to going to Germany with the extra burst of confidence that you get from a strong result, but there just wasn’t enough funding there to do the job.
“Naturally I’m incredibly disappointed that I couldn’t be there battling for another podium, but I’m determined that this is not where it ends. We’ve accomplished so much this year and I honestly believe there is a lot more in me. I just have to find the money to make it happen.”
The event in Finland was round eight of the 13-round WRC series for 2014, but the third event this year for the world’s number one female rally driver. She is contesting the junior WRC category in a Citroën DS3 R3T run by D-Max Racing, an Italian company which manages motorsport programs across Europe for customers driving Citroën rally cars.
Aside from Rallye Deutschland, Taylor was due to contest Rallye de France-Alsace (October 3-5) and Wales Rally GB (November 14-16), and she is now heading home to Australia in a bid to raise enough money to do the two events.
“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped me make it to this point – the CAMS Foundation, Speedie Contractors, MIS Motorsport, D-MAX Racing, and Adidas Eyewear – and all the supporters who have given me a boost to make it this far. They have believed in me every step of the way over the last five years overseas and helped me chase my dreams.
“Now I must work as hard as I can to build on our result in Finland and take the next step forward. This is how I repay them for their faith in me. If that means I have to come back to Australia and knock on doors and work a couple of different jobs to make that happen, then that’s what I will do. For the moment, I’m continuing to work and talk with the team to see what we can get happening. I’m definitely not a quitter.”
Taylor will be back in her home country for the Australian round of the WRC – Coates Hire Rally Australia (September 11-14) – but never planned to be a competitor in the event. Rather, she will be working with another Australian driver, Adrian Coppin, and managing his team, as well as handling some commentary and media commitments.
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