Yates gunning for top three at Rally Isle Of Man

After a tough penultimate round in which he failed to finish, the Brettex-backed Ford Fiesta R5 driver will be aiming to leap into the final overall podium places at the gruelling three-day event. Yates will be joined by new co-driver Andrew Roughead and, for the first time, score team points for the CA1 Sport outfit.

Fresh from a career-best third overall at the Nicky Grist Stages in July, Yates went into the penultimate round in Ulster with high hopes, but was caught out by the treacherous conditions and came away with a zero score. However, he still sits only 20 points away from a podium spot.

With two opportunities to score points at the double header this weekend, Yates wants to finish among the best drivers in Europe and if he keeps out of trouble, he could become the first Englishman home in the series.

“I won’t lie, it’s been a tough year,” he said. “But I’m learning all the time and the experience I’m gaining is invaluable. Some of these guys have been doing this for years and years, so I need to remember this is just my second attempt at the British Championship.”