Perez determined for strong finish at RAC Rally in Stratos
Chesterfield rally driver Seb Perez is preparing to take part in the distinguished Roger Albert Clark Rally, driving the famous Lancia Stratos HF GR4 rally car.
Spanning five days, this event will cover demanding routes through northern Great Britain, including regions in Wales and Scotland.
Seb, the 26-year-old rally and racing driver, from Chesterfield, and a Matlock Motor Club member is ready to wow fans in his father’s Amigos Tequila Beer Flavoured sponsored 1975 Lancia Stratos HF GR4 rally car.
The biennial event will span over around 313 grit gruelling special stage miles and a total event distance of approximately 1,282 total miles.
Perez is not only known for his driving skills but also for his impressive career. He recently won the FIA European Historic Rally in Finland this year and was crowned the British Historic Rally Champion of 2024.
The car has been successfully tested over the past few weeks and Perez said: “We tested the car successfully and it went really well, it sounds superb.”
The #5 Stratos has been a labour of love for the Perez family, it was ground-up re-built by rally experts Dansport of Chesterfield and Seb’s Father Steve Perez, after it had been destroyed in fire on Rally Ypres in Belgium in 2018.
The 2023 edition of the event and first time out after its re-build was a challenge. He moved up the leaderboard into second place after contesting 33 special stages that saw the Stratos stop on the last stage of the rally due to an engine problem.
The RAC will be no stranger to Perez; he finished the rally in second place in 2021 and hopes for success this year.
Competitors are limited to vehicles released prior to 1982, and traces a route through stages in Wales, Scotland and northern England which are no longer part of the modern itinerary in rallying but the past in previous RAC Rallies from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
The sight and the sound of the Stratos in the British forests will delight the thousands of spectators and will add even more popularity to this fantastic event.
The rally begins in Carmarthen, Wales, with a ceremonial start, followed by Welsh forest stages on November 20th and 21st. The rally then relocates to Carlisle, England, with stages in Kielder and southern Scotland on November 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, concluding with the finish at Carlisle Airport.