Chesterfield rally driver Rhys Yates takes on his childhood hero Valentino Rossi

Driving an HK Racing Ford Fiesta WRC at the famous Monza race track near Milan in Italy, Yates competed against some of the best motorsports stars in the world.

The line-up for the invitation-only event even included seven times Moto GP world champion Valentino Rossi and world rally championship ace Teemu Suninen.

But the 25-year-old Yates, reunited with co-driver Denis Giraudet, finished an impressive ninth overall, eclipsing the 18th spot he managed in 2017, after setting a string of fine times during the various stages.

He said: “What a great way to return to this event. The crowds and atmosphere were sensational, but the real honour was being able to compete alongside my childhood heroes, such as Rossi.

“It was pretty surreal looking through my rear-view mirror and seeing Rossi and Antonio Cairoli chasing me down!

“The Fiesta WRC was a great car, and I loved driving it. I was pleased with my performance. Huge thanks to HK Racing for a weekend I won’t forget in a hurry.”