Journalist Franca Davenport scored an impressive second in class podium finish co-driving for Sky Sports' Tony Jardine in the 'crash course' Bulldog Rally that was so tough it even caused the retirement of 2007 MSA National Gravel Rally champion Marcus Dodd.

Davenport, in only her second ever rally, expertly navigated driver Jardine in the Castrol / Daily Telegraph-backed Ford Fiesta through the tough RAC rally stages of mid-Wales, with their intimidating drops and hazards, whilst other top rally crews either crashed out or broke down.

Davenport is on her own 'crash course' to complete five rallies in just six weeks, to attain her international co-drivers licence, in order to make her FIA World Rally Championship debut on Rally Ireland next month.

With nearly 70 stage miles in the daunting mid-Wales forests the Castrol team were expecting to have to fettle the Fiesta far more than just checking her over and changing onto a new set of Kumho tyres.

The car though was more than a match for the punishing stages, as were the crew, as Jardine reported.

“The stages of Dyfi, Pantperthog and Gartheiniog with a lethal section in it known as the 'ski jump', have formed the backbone of the testing RAC rally stages for years. The Dyfi stage was littered with crashed cars including one fully upside down in a ditch which was the Hyundai of the new MSA British Rally champion Marcus Dodd – and he's an accomplished star,” said Jardine.

“On Franca's pace notes there were many double and triple cautions with notes saying 'fresh air' warning of the big drops. We fully realised just how perilous they could be as a crowd of spectators waved us down frantically to slow pace as we caught a glimpse of two rally cars wrecked in the valley floor about 50 feet below on the Dyfi stage.

“The team did a brilliant job to keep the Castrol Fiesta in top condition with McLaren development engineer, Andy Beale, leading the emergency service crew.

“But the big award has to go to Franca Davenport for her amazingly accurate pace note delivery on the second half of the event which allowed us to go quicker and quicker, challenging the class winner and beating him on the last stages. Going down hill flat out in fifth over the infamous 'ski jump' the engine cut out as it had been on the rev limiter for so long, but Franca never flinched or missed a note. She was brilliant on only her second event. I hope she can keep this up as it will ease her path to international status as the pressure builds.”

The next event for the Castrol / Daily Telegraph rally team meanwhile is the finale of the BTRDA Rally Championship, the Cambrian Rally, on 3 November in Llandudno.