MB:
It is a round of the world championship and so we treat it as such - although there are two separate rallies within the BRC. But still it doesn’t matter if you have a big accident on the first stage and the car is written off then you are out of both rallies, not just one. It is going to be a little bit confusing going into Rally GB because there are double points available and dropped scores and who is winning on day 1, is not necessarily going to be who is going to win on day 2. It is going to be a little bit baffling, but like I say, we will treat it as one event and if you get to the end of the Rally GB you have completed a world championship rally. That is what we are aiming for.
Crash.net:
You have done Rally GB before haven’t you?
MB:
Yeah, I have been lucky enough to compete on Rally GB for the past two years. We won our class on the first attempt in 2005 and last year we had to SupeRally before the last stage, but technically we have finished both our Rally GB’s that we have started. We will be going for three out of three this year.
Crash.net:
Any idea what you will be doing in 2008?
MB:
I am waiting for that phone call from Malcolm Wilson to offer me a Focus next year - but I don’t know if [Citroen boss] Guy Frequelin phones me up and offers me a C4 I will take that!
[big cheeky grin again]
Crash.net:
Seriously though is the aim to continue in the BRC?
MB:
We want to carry on in the BRC because we have got a lot experience. We have been concentrating on learning over the past couple of years. We are just trying to get the results so we can get a bit of support and maybe a bit of sponsorship behind us so that we can have a really good push next year. We would like a newer car and maybe something slightly more competitive because the MG is a good old car but it has not had any development now for over 10 years. There are Fiestas and things out there in the same class that are a lot quicker. We have got to be looking for a new car for next year but it is all about finding the budget to go out there and buy one.
Crash.net:
At the start of the year you were in a Citroen C2. How does the C2 compare to the MG? Is there a big difference?
MB:
The C2 certainly feels a lot faster because there is a lot more noise, a lot more engine noise and it moves around a lot more over the bumps. But the stage times have shown that the MG can keep up with the C2s on events. This morning we have just been going around Castle Combe and we had one of the C2s behind us. Down the straights the Citroens were a lot quicker than us but we were able to pull away a bit on the corners. That gives me a good feeling on how the year has gone. If the Citroens are quite quick on the straights and we are still managing to beat them in terms of stage times it shows we are actually putting in some good performances. It is pleasing to know that.
Crash.net:
The calendar for the BRC was confirmed recently. Do you think there should have been an extra event in there?
MB:
I think there does need to be a few more events because for it to be the premier international British rally series for there only to be six rounds or seven rounds as it is with the double points on the Rally GB, isn’t great. There does need to be more rounds.
