Chesterfield's Rhys Yates leads British Rally Championship after podium in Scotland

A strong podium finish on the Grampian Stages saw Chesterfield’s Rhys Yates and co-driver James Morgan seize control of the 2021 British Rally Championship (BRC).
Rhys Yates in action in Scotland.Rhys Yates in action in Scotland.
Rhys Yates in action in Scotland.

Yates delivered third amongst fierce competition in Scotland following an intense day of rallying, where he battled pop-off value issues in the morning.

The result on the Grampian Stages is Yates’s second podium of 2021 after he also scored a fourth position on the second round of the BRC.

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A new rally, and with its new stages, presented a big challenge for the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 driver but Yates battled on throughout the day while his rivals faulted in the difficult conditions.

Following the opening five stages in the Scottish forests Yates battled his way to fourth position with the nearest crew just one second behind going into the last stage of the rally.

In a nail-biting display of flare and talent, Yates and Morgan held their nerve through the final gravel test while crews ahead got into trouble promoting Yates to third overall, securing him a place on the podium.

Yates said: “I was happy with a podium after a difficult start.

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"It was good, good fun all the way in the battle up front, we need to find some more pace just to move forward a little bit.

"We would like to get a win and we did the best we could yesterday so I’m happy with third, especially grabbing it by one second on the last stage, that was good fun.

"It also means we are leading the championship which is cool. Also I want to say the team were excellent this weekend and did a top job, we’re all happy so it’s time we move on to the next one and try to get a win while working on getting a bit of pace in the meantime.

Next up for Yates and Morgan is the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire from 24th to 25th September, featuring epic night stages through the iconic Dalby forest.

The rally will be the closest to home for Yates this season, making it all the more important to push for a good result.