Yates chases glory with two rallies inside a week

The 26-year-old Brettex-backed ace heads to Northern Ireland tomorrow (Friday) in his own Skoda Fabia R5, which he has used to great success during the 2018 season.

But Yates also has one eye on junior honours in the European Championship and has worked hard to ensure he can tackle the Czech Republic race, which takes place immediately after the Ulster Rally, by signing with the Kresta Racing outfit to drive one of their Skoda Fabia R5s.

Run by World Rally Championship legend Roman Kresta, the team will look after Yates for the three-day, all-asphalt event which offers more than 215km of special stage action in the unique and bumpy closed roads south of Prague.

Yates has enjoyed success in both championships so far this season and remains optimistic about his chances both at home and further afield. But with the British and European rounds running on successive weekends, he will need to find a solution to the logistic issues between the two rallies.

He said: “I have a mathematical chance in both championships, so I have to find a way of doing both events.”