Chesterfield's Rhys Yates seals win on return to rallying

Rhys Yates was in great form on his return to racing

It was like the last half a year had never happened; like the Chesterfield star had been competing just last week.

The six-stage event run in Greystoke forest marked British rallying’s return to business after six months of coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

It also marked one of Rhys’ finest performances. Second after the first stage, he remained in that runners-up spot until the finish.

“I’m well happy with this result,” he said. “Before the start I talked a lot about coming here and having some fun and that was exactly what I was after.

"But when you come here, to M-Sport’s rally in an M-Sport car with M-Sport stickers on, there’s definitely some expectation.

"I know the team wanted a one-two-three and I also knew nobody was realistically going to get close to Matthew [Wilson, in the Rally1].

“The plan for me was to just drive, just relax and drive. I didn’t have to think about the set-up once and the team hasn’t needed to touch the car all day – it’s been sound.

“On the first couple of stages this morning, I didn’t know where I would be or what I should expect, not having been in the car for six months – so I just gave it a go.

"I’m not saying I took my brain out and went mad, but I did push quite hard to see what we could do. Second behind Matthew was good and to stay there was even better.

“I’d like to say I controlled things a little bit, but that’s probably stretching it a bit. Adrien [Fourmaux, M-Sport team-mate] is quick – he doesn’t hang about. But I was bang on.

"We made the time in the first couple [of stages] and then I managed it, I didn’t take quite as much risk when everything was a bit more marginal in the really tricky bits.

“One of the aspects of going to a World Rally Championship round is that I do find myself thinking quite deeply about the set-up, how’s the car working and how I’m driving and that kind of thing.

"Here I put that out of my mind and just cracked on with it. It was really refreshing, kind of liberating a little bit to be honest. But the best thing is that I really showed the speed.”