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Ex-F1 driver Jos Verstappen plans British rallying debut
Jos Verstappen, the father of three-time F1 champion Max Verstappen, transitioned from his own F1 career to rallying in 2022. With over 100 grand prix appearances in his career, Verstappen Sr. has had reasonable success in rallying, winning three out of his past five events, primarily on Belgian stages. The upcoming Rallynuts event on 13 April will mark Verstappen Sr.’s first rally outside mainland Europe and his first time on gravel. He will compete in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 with co-driver Renaud Jamoul, debuting Skoda’s newest Rally2 machine on British stages. The Rallynuts event, celebrating its 50th anniversary, will offer competitors 60 miles of stages for the same price as the usual 45, featuring iconic rally stages in mid-Wales such as Myherin, Hafren, and Sweet Lamb. The inclusion of notable names like Jos Verstappen in the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages is expected to boost the event’s profile and bring attention to gravel rallying. The British Rally Championship (BRC) has undergone transformations, including a new TV deal with ITV4 and ITVX, reduced entry fees, and revised event schedules to enhance its appeal. Top drivers like Chris Ingram, Keith Cronin, Osian Pryce, William Creighton, Garry Pearson, and Max McRae are set to compete in Rally2 cars at the North West Stages for the revitalized BRC. With an impressive lineup of competitors and a shift towards a more competitive format, the BRC aims to revitalize national rallying and attract a wider audience.
