WRC Academy star
Fisher steps up
in Wales

Fisher, currently third in the WRC Academy table with one win and one second place to his credit, will pilot a Ford Fiesta S2000 on Wales Rally GB this week with co-driver Daniel Barritt.

If the Northern Irishman can overhaul WRC Academy pacesetter Elfyn Evans and second-placed Brendan Reeves during the remaining two rounds of the young driver-training series in France and Spain respectively and take the coveted title, then he will be able to select from two exciting prize drives for 2013.

WRC Academy promoter M-Sport is giving the eventual champion the choice of a full programme of rallies in an R2-specification Fiesta or a five-event campaign in a Super 2000 version of the car.

“It’s great to be doing the British round of the WRC and also great to be driving a Fiesta S2000 against strong opposition,” said Fisher, 24. “It’s almost a year since I was last in an S2000 car on gravel and we won’t get much time to bed ourselves in against guys with more experience. But we’re looking to gain more S2000 knowledge and secure a good finish.”

Evans, meanwhile, won’t be competing in Wales but insists he won’t be thinking about the prize drive possibilities when he returns to WRC Academy action on Rallye de France Alsace next month, focusing instead on maintaining his title advantage.

“To be honest I’m concentrating rally by rally at the minute,” he said. “Both are fantastic prizes and we’ll have to weigh up what the best option is. I’ve been driving Ford Fiesta R2s now for a long time and it would be nice to prove myself in [the Ford Fiesta S2000] but at the same time doing a full world championship campaign is a fantastic prize. But it’s far too early to think about that at the minute.”

Competitors can still gain first-hand experience of WRC Academy competition on the season finale in Spain. Entries close on 8 October and more information is available from the WRC Academy’s Kate Rhodes by clicking here.