A host of WRC stars and cars will gather at Castle Combe in England for Saturday’s Rallyday.

Hyundai Motorsport driver Craig Breen will arrive directly from his pre-Wales Rally GB test, swapping the cutting edge i20 to join a 35-year celebration of the MG Metro 6R4.

Breen will be in good company when he drives his own Metro on Saturday, with five-time British champion Jimmy McRae returning to the Rothmans Prodrive 6R4 he used in the 1986 British series. His son Alister (below) and grandson Max have made the trip from Perth in Australia to attend.

British preparation firm BGMsport will provide 23 vehicles for the show, including ex-McRae machinery for rallying’s most famous dynasty to drive.

Former world champion Didier Auriol makes his Rallyday debut, as does Alex Fiorio, son of former Lancia team principal and Ferrari F1 boss Cesare. The Frenchman will drive a selection of Lancia Delta HF Integrales, with a wide variety of Italian WRC machinery, including a Delta S4, on show.

Rallyday organiser Tom Davis said: “This is definitely right up there with the best line-ups we’ve ever had. The McRaes, Didier Auriol, Craig Breen, we’ve got it all covered.

“And the cars are definitely the best yet. Rally Replay are bringing some incredible Lancias and Fiats and Ian Gwynne from BGMsport has pulled out all the stops with cars from just about every era of rallying.”

It’s not just rally cars on show from BGMsport. An ex-Jimmy McRae Vauxhall Chevette HSR, an ex-Colin McRae Subaru Legacy RS and one of only five Ford RS1700Ts in the world will be towed into Rallyday by their period service barges.

Rallyday has also recreated the WRC’s last visit to Castle Combe in 1983, the first year of the Group B era. The Legends Stage will run to practically the same route, using parts of the paddock and pitlane.

VIDEO

More News