Double British champ Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh were debuting the MML Sports Mitsubishi Evo X in the Baltic country (gallery updated with photos).

Guy told guywilks.com: "The crowds were mega. I'd say there were as many spectators as on Rally GB.

"Talsi was packed for the town centre stage. It was a fantastic atmosphere. They clearly love their motorsport in Latvia and the hospitality was superb."

Guy thrilled the crowds by setting fastest Group N times on the repeated 3.9km Talsi city tarmac stage - and was a superb second overall on SS4.

GUY and co-driver Phil Pugh escaped unhurt when their car was destroyed by fire on today's Pirelli International Rally.

Double British champion Guy was managing a comfortable 26-second lead on his Super 2000 debut when things went horribly wrong on stage eight - Trinket 2.

Six other crews stopped to try and help put out the blaze but the Proton was burnt out.

Guy and Phil had led from the start in the stunning Proton Satria Neo, run by Mellors Elliott Motorsport.

They were fastest on Friday's two night stages to hold an 18.7-second lead over Mark Higgins going into today's final leg.

The pair were quickest again on stages three and four and had increased their lead to 25 seconds by the midday service.

Guy told guywilks.com: "We are absolutely distraught. The Proton is mega to drive and has so much potential. Everything was going to plan. We were managing things from the front, determined to reward Proton and MEM with victory . . . then disaster.

"I must thank everyone who tried to help put out the fire. That's the true spirit of rallying. Yes, we are rivals on the stages but we all share the same passion and no one likes to see a rally car destroyed."

Irishman Keith Cronin (Mitsubishi Evo 9) overhauled Higgins' Subaru on the final stage to win the Pirelli by just two seconds.

Guy is backed by The Sun newspaper, Varta Consumer Batteries, Remington, Mobil 1, Travelodge and Evolution Power Tools.
 

GUY was presented with the British Championship trophy in front of thousands of fans on the Wales Rally GB finish ramp in Cardiff this afternoon.

The darling of Darlington wrapped up back-to-back British titles and helped Mitsubishi Motors UK retain the teams title.

GUY is fired up for a winner-takes-all British title shootout on Wales Rally GB next week after Mitsubishi won a crucial hearing today.

GUY and Phil crashed out of the second leg of the Coffs Coast Rally in Australia today - but not before stunning their rivals with some more sensational stage times.

The British champions were a fabulous third overall in the two-wheel drive Honda Civic Type R R3 after three stages - just 9.2 seconds behind rally leader Eli Evans in a Subaru Impreza STi.

But disaster struck on the fourth stage when Guy ran wide over a high-speed crest, hit a tree stump buried in the grass with the right rear wheel and rolled into retirement.

 

British Rally Champion Guy Wilks in Honda Racing's Civic Type R R3 has raised the stakes in Australian rallying by taking out a first up stage win in today's first heat of the Allied Air Conditioning/Daikin Coffs Coast Rally.

Wilks, up against the best drivers that Australia has to offer, was fastest by .8 sec from Eli Evans, many commenting on his sensational road speed.

GUY flew out to Australia today to prepare for the Coffs Coast Rally - the final round of the Australian Rally Championship.

Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh - back in action after a lengthy injury lay-off - will showcase the Honda Civic Type R R3 rally car for Honda Australia.

It is the same JAS Motorsport-run Honda that Guy steered to an emphatic class win on WRC Rally Finland in August.

GUY romped to victory on Trackrod Rally Yorkshire today - round five of the Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship.

He was quickest on all ten stages to beat title rival Mark Higgins by 1min 30.2secs.

The textbook performance maintains Guy's 100 per cent record with Mitsubishi on gravel.

GUY is brimming with confidence ahead of Saturday's Trackrod Rally Yorkshire, round five of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship.

He believes he has found more speed from the works Mitsubishi after a 90-mile test in Hamsterley Forest yesterday.

GUY demonstrated the potential of the all-new Subaru Cup car on Rally Larvik on Saturday - round six of the Norwegian national championship.

The reigning British champion wowed the crowds with a series of top-eight stage times in the standard-transmission Impreza STi, including a superb second on the final 11km test.

Arne Berg, Managing Director of Subaru Norway, said: "Guy did a splendid job for us.

GUY has been invited to showcase the all-new Subaru Cup car for Subaru Norway this weekend.

The reigning British rally champion will contest Rally Larvik - round six of the Norwegian championship - in the new-shape Impreza STi.

Guy has launched the Wilks 500 Club in a bid to land a seat with the Subaru World Rally Team for 2009 - and he needs Britain to back him.

The reigning British rally champion is appealing for all British rally fans, motor clubs, businesses - everyone who shares our passion for the sport - to get involved in the investment/sponsorship scheme.

Guy said: "Driving for Subaru would be the realisation of a dream for me and I think it would really give British rally fans something to cheer. It would be fantastic.

"We have spent a long time working on the Wilks 500 Club, making sure there is something for everyone and it offers real value for money.

The Mitsubishi Motors UK works rally team heads to this weekend’s Todds Lead Ulster International Rally, round four of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, with a two-car team comprising Guy Wilks/David Moynihan and Gwyndaf Evans/Paul Nagle.

With a first and a second place under his belt from the first three rounds, 2007 British Champion Wilks currently lies fourth in the driver’s standings and will be out to get the defence of his title back on track on the Ulster asphalt.

GUY WILKS' bid to join the factory Subaru team has been backed by Richard Burns' dad.

Wilks is determined to follow in the wheel tracks of his late friend Burnsie, the 2001 world champion and the last Brit to drive for Subaru.

Richard's dad Alex said: "Guy is obviously very committed to the sport and has achieved some tremendous results.

British driver Guy Wilks and JAS Motorsport team principal Alessandro Mariani have reflected on the giant-killing performance of the new Honda Civic Type R R3 on the Rally Finland last weekend.

The two-litre Group R Honda, designed to meet technical regulations that limit performance and budget, finished as the top two-wheel drive car in an amazing 18th overall, beating all the Junior World Rally Championship competitors and several four-wheel drive cars.

It also defeated its nearest equivalent R3 competitor by an astonishing 14 minutes.

GUY accepted a last-minute invitation to drive a Ford Focus RS WRC05 on today's Speyside Stages in Scotland.

He stepped in after No1 seed Dave Weston was forced to pull out with a neck injury.

GUY scored an emphatic class win on Rally Finland yesterday - underlining his plea for motorsport fans to 'Back the Brit'.

Guy and co-driver David Moynihan were quickest  two-wheel-drive car on the world's fastest and most spectacular rally famed for its rollercoaster jumps.

They blitzed Class A7 and finished an incredible 18th overall in the near-standard Honda Civic Type-R R3, run by Italy's JAS Motorsport.

GUY and co-driver David Moynihan have made a stunning start on Rally Finland.

They ended leg one as leading front-wheel-drive car in the JAS Motorsport-run Honda Civic Type-R R3 and a giant-killing 26th overall.

Guy starts day two 18.5sec ahead of JWRC leader Michal Kosciuszko (Suzuki Swift Super 1600) with Martin Prokop (Citroen C2) a further 4.9secs back and Patrik Sandell (Renault Clio S1600) 3.8secs behind Prokop.

Guy said: "It's really cheesing them off with us being in an R3 car! Yes, we've made a good start but we've still got work to do."

Guy was an incredible 23rd fastest on the penultimate stage, the 22km Jukokarvi stage. His time of 11mins 52sec was less than a minute off Dani Sordo who finished fifth in the Citroen C4 world rally car!

Click on blog above to read Guy's Finland diary in full.

Day two comprises of 10 speed tests totalling 165km on super-fast gravel roads littered with big, big jumps.

Good luck, Guy.


 

Rally Finland
World Rally Championship
Jyvaskyla

Guy Wilks and the Honda Civic Type R R3 will take on the fastest and most spectacular rally in the world this weekend - Rally Finland, formerly known as the 'Rally of the Thousand Lakes'.

PETTER SOLBERG and Mikko Hirvonen have backed British rally champion Guy Wilks' bid to land the third paid seat at Subaru in 2009.

Subaru team leader and 2003 world champ Solberg said he thought the Wilks 500 Club investment/sponsorship scheme was a "great idea".

He said: "I think it is a great idea and I will support him the best I can.

"Guy has shown some performance already with what he has done in Ireland and stuff. I think it would be very good for Britain to get the guy in and get more English people and more passion back again."

Ford ace Hirvonen, who leads the 2008 WRC standings going into this weekend's Rally Finland, described Wilks as a "spectacular driver".

Hirvonen said: "Britain has such a long history that it would be really nice to have a British driver over there (at Subaru).

"Guy is a really good man. He is a funny guy to talk to and quite a spectacular driver as well. He would definitely have a place in the world championship."

For more details on the Wilks 500 Club please click on the link above - and Back the Brit.

BUSINESSMAN and rally driver Steve Perez has made the first public contribution to the Wilks 500 Club.

Guy launched his WRC investment scheme in front of huge crowds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Sunday - on a live TV link.

And Vodka Kick boss Steve was delighted to back the British champion's bid to secure a seat with the Subaru World Rally Team in 2009.

After having to stop mid-stage and change a wheel during day two of the Rally Isle of Man, Guy Wilks and stand-in co-driver David Moynihan battled back to finish second in round three of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship.

Mitsubishi Motors UK Rally Team is set to get its season back on track when Guy Wilks and Phillip Morrow return to action for round three of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, the Rally Isle of Man, 17-19 July.

Englishman Guy Wilks enjoyed an excellent Intercontinental Rally Challenge debut on the all-gravel Rally Russia, holding a comfortable top-10 position in the two-wheel-drive Honda before retiring with just two stages to go as a result of a transmission-related failure.

Intercontinental Rally Challenge
Vyborg, Russia
08 July 2008

Englishman Guy Wilks is all set to take the start of this weekend's Rally Russia at the wheel of the Honda Civic Type R R3 developed and run by JAS Motorsport in Italy: Honda's long-time motorsport partner.

Although Wilks has driven the Honda once before in competition, at the Canberra Rally in Australia earlier this year, the Rally Russia is a step into the unknown for him.

GUY is delighted to confirm he will be driving at the world-famous Goodwood Festival of Speed on Sunday 13 July.
 
He will demonstrate The Sun Mobil 1 Mitsubishi Evo 9, run by SG Petch Ltd, in front of a sell-out 50,000 crowd.

GUY will be at The Rally Show at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, on Saturday as part of the British Rally Championship's 50th anniversary celebrations.

The reigning British champion will join an impressive line-up of 30 former BRC champions including Ari Vatanen (1976, 1980), Stig Blomqvist (1983), Jimmy McRae (1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988) and David Llewellin (1989, 1990).

Round two of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship, the Jim Clark Rally, did not go according to plan for the Mitsubishi Motors UK Rally Team.

Following a successful pre-event test, the team were upbeat about their chances of extending their lead in the teams and drivers championships, with both Guy Wilks and Phillip Morrow happy with their car set-ups for the first of the season’s three asphalt rallies.

GUY and co-driver Phil Pugh escaped unhurt after their Mitsubishi Evo IX was destroyed by fire on the fourth stage of today's Jim Clark International Rally.

Guy had made the perfect start and was looking to extend his early lead when the rear transmission failed on the 6.3-mile Eyemouth stage.  That eventually led to propshaft failure and the flailing metal cut through the fuel tank and the car went up in flames.

Round two of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship takes place this weekend, when the Jim Clark Rally sees the Mitsubishi Motors UK Rally Team back in action for the first asphalt event of the season.

GUY and co-driver Phil Pugh were forced to retire from today's final leg of Rally of Canberra with mechanical failure.

Guy held a superb fifth overall overnight in the front-wheel-drive Honda Civic Type R R3. But driveshaft failure halted their charge around 20km into Sunday's 28km opening stage.

Guy said: "It's a real shame. Everything was going well and we had just passed a car in the stage to move up to fourth place."

GUY and Phil have made a solid start to the Rally of Canberra, ending day one in a superb fifth place overall.

The reigning British champions are making their debut Down Under, driving a Honda Civic Type R R3 for Honda Australia.

Guy has set some formidable times in the front-wheel-drive Civic, built by Italian team JAS Motorsport, against 4WD machinery.

Guy said: "The car hasn't missed a beat."  

GUY and co-driver Phil Pugh have completed final preparations for their debut drive Down Under.

The reigning British champions are contesting this weekend's Rally of Canberra (10/11 May) - round two of the Australian Rally Championship - in a Honda Civic Type R R3 for Honda Australia.

Guy tested the front-wheel-drive Civic, built by Italian team J.A.S Motorsport, on forest roads at Murrays Corner on Tuesday. He shared the session with Toyota Corolla S2000 drivers Neal Bates and Simon Evans - both Aussie champions.

GUY and co-driver Phil Pugh flew to Italy on Monday to test the Honda Civic Type R R3 rally car for the first time.

Less than 48 hours after their victory on the Pirelli International Rally - the opening round of the British Rally Championship - the reigning British champions met up with their new team J.A.S. Motorsport in Arluno, near Milan.

Guy and Phil were also unveiled to Italian and French journalists before completing almost 100km of testing on closed tarmac roads, around 80km east of San Remo, in the front-wheel drive Civic.

GUY and co-driver Phil Pugh scored a dominant victory on today's Pirelli International Rally, the opening round of the 2008 British Rally Championship.

The reigning British champions led from start to finish in their Mitsubishi Evo IX - winning 12 out of 13 stages in the super-fast Kielder Forest complex.

Finn Juho Hanninen (Mitsubishi) was second, 1min 5.5secs adrift, with David Higgins third, 2mins 40.8secs slower in a Subaru N14.

The Mitsubishi Motors UK Rally Team commences the defence of its British Rally Championship drivers and teams titles this weekend, when its two works drivers Guy Wilks and Phillip Morrow contest the opening round, the Carlisle-based Pirelli Rally.

After a stunning year with the Mitsubishi team in 2007, recording five wins out of seven rounds, reigning British Champion Guy Wilks is back for a second season and has just one thing on his mind - to retain his and Mitsubishi’s crowns.

GUY realised a boyhood dream when he tested the awesome Audi Quattro for Autosport magazine.

The British champion was asked to compare the legendary five-cylinder, 500bhp Group B Quattro - rallying's first supercar - with his title-winning Group N Mitsubishi Evo IX at Blyton, Lincolnshire.

Guy said: "What a day! The Quattro is iconic . . . just listen to it! It's the one rally car I had on my bedroom wall growing up."

GUY is delighted to announce he has signed a five-rally deal with Italy's JAS Motorsport.

Guy and co-driver Phil Pugh will showcase the new Honda Civic Type R R3 rally car on two rounds of the Australian Rally Championship, Rally Finland (WRC), Rally Russia (IRC) and a fifth international rally yet to be confirmed.

GUY and co-driver Phil Pugh were officially crowned 2007 British Rally Champions at the BRC annual presentation night in Birmingham on Friday.

The pair received their prestigious awards from Rob Jones, general secretary
of the Motor Sports Association, in front of more than 300 drivers, teams,
sponsors and guests.

Guy told the audience how he had enjoyed "every second" of his championship tussle with Mark Higgins and Gwyndaf Evans.

This year’s Autosport International sees Mitsubishi Motors UK announce its 2008 Works Rally Team line-up, with reigning British Champion Guy Wilks retained for a second season and joining the 2007 Evolution Challenge Champion Phillip Morrow for an assault on the British Rally Championship.

Following a stunning season with the Mitsubishi team last year, when he recorded five victories out of seven rounds, Wilks put himself well and truly in the frame for re-selection by the Cirencester-based Mitsubishi importers. Throughout the season, he was often comfortably the quickest driver in the field, having recorded more fastest-stage times than all of the other BRC drivers put together!

Guy Wilks has withdrawn from the Pirelli Star Driver competition. The newly-crowned British Rally Champion was the first of six finalists to be selected for the shootout to win a fully-funded drive in the 2008 British Rally Championship.

But Guy has pulled out to ensure one of the five remaining finalists - George Thomas, Darren Gass, Philip Morrow, James Wozencroft and Matt Beebe - get the same chance that he has enjoyed this year.

Guy Wilks and Phil Pugh are the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Champions after scoring a dominant victory on double points-scoring Wales Rally GB.

They took the win on the first day of the three-day event, which counted as round six of the Championship, with team-mate Gwyndaf Evans second and title rival Mark Higgins third.

GUY got fit for his British title shootout on Wales Rally GB - by training with Newcastle United!
Well, he is quick with his feet - and superb at taking corners!

The Mitsubishi Motors UK Works Rally Team's drivers Guy Wilks and Gwyndaf Evans are poised for the final push in the chase for the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship driver's and team's titles, in the season's grand finale – the Wales Rally GB, which takes place between 30th November and 2nd December.

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Derek McGarrity has tipped Guy Wilks to cause a big upset on Rally Ireland. McGarrity's DMG team is running the British young gun in a Subaru Impreza S11 - alongside Wilks' former JWRC rival Kris Meeke in an S12B.

Guy will celebrate the launch of SEGA Rally at the Chatsworth Rally Show on 29/30 Sept by giving passenger rides in his works BRC Mitsubishi.

The Wilks family would like to extend their heart felt condolences to the McRae family.

GUY WILKS has boosted his British and FIA World Rally Championship campaigns by teaming up with SEGA Rally.

Starting with this week's Rallye Deutschland (17-19 Aug), Guy will promote the eagerly-awaited SEGA Rally computer game on his Mobil 1-backed Ford Focus RS WRC05.

THIS is the monster jump that stunned Guy Wilks' WRC rivals on Rally Finland.

The young Brit hit the crest on the tree-lined Leustu stage flat in sixth gear at 171kph!

Wilks' incredible speed and bravery underlines just why he is tipped as a future world champion.

GUY WILKS led Mitsubishi to their first-ever one, two finish in the British Rally Championship with a commanding victory on the Rally Isle of Man.

Wilks was fastest on 17 of the 21 competitive stages to beat team-mate Gwyndaf Evans by 46.6 seconds.

Title rival Mark Higgins slid into a ditch on stage 10 (Little London 2) and eventually finished 18th.

Guy Wilks made a glorious debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Britain's front-running WRC star entertained 150,000 fans with some spectacular sideways driving in The Sun Mobil 1 Ford Focus RS WRC04.

Guy Wilks underlined his position as Britain’s front-running WRC star with a polished performance on the Acropolis Rally Greece.