by Rob Wilkins


MSA British Rally Academy star, Simon Hughes competed in the Fiesta Sporting Trophy UK series in 2006. Although he didn't win it he had a strong season and finished the year third overall having taken two victories, thanks to two top drives on the Jim Clark and the Bulldog. Crash.net Radio caught up with Brit at the Wales Rally GB and here he reviews his season and tells us about his hopes for 2007...


Q:
Simon, give us the low-down on what you have been doing this year in the FSTUK series and how it has gone?

Simon Hughes:
Well we have a fairly good year in the Fiesta. It was good because we managed to win two of the rallies and that put us third in the championship by the end of the year. We had one of those years that you always seem to have in rallying - we had some good bits and some not so good bits. But it worked well for use.

We were happy to be involved with the championship from the start, obviously with it being a new championship this year, it was quite a risk to get involved. But the guys at M-Sport, with their success in rallying, they know exactly what they are doing and what it takes to be successful. So, we were fairly confident they would put together a good series - and they have done. Overall, I think we have had a lot of success - and a lot of enjoyment this year.

Q:
In its first year the FSTUK series seems to have gotten the thumbs up doesn't it?

SH:
Yeah definitely, it has been the most popular and the most successful one make series in the UK and especially this year, if not for a few years, to have nearly 30 competitors out on events, in its first year, has just been phenomenal. The level of competition has been good too and on the last rally for example, the top five cars, were separated by less than 15 seconds. So, that sort of competition will attract, not just a number of drivers', but the top drivers' that are available.

Q:
You must have been quite happy to take bronze in the standings too? It wasn't bad was it?

SH:
Not at all, as I say, we had a few problems as the year went on. But we won two rallies, which was as many as anyone else did and we also won more stages than anyone else did throughout the year, but unfortunately that doesn't always mean championship wins. But we have been happy with our progress and results as the year has gone on.

Q:
You did a couple of WRC events as well, how did that go?

SH:
We took part in the first two rounds of the international championship [the FSTi], which was in Catalunya and Corsica. Really it was a good opportunity for me to gain as much WRC experience as possible at a fairly low financial price. So, we made the best of that and it fitted in well with our UK commitments - and the experience of competing at that level, and the experience of those events, and the competition of a WRC event, was invaluable.

Q:
Is that one of the beauties of the Fiesta series, the fact it is so cost effective?

SH:
Definitely, there is no other way you would get into the World Rally Championship and get anywhere close to the budget you need for the Fiesta. To a certain extent the rallies are harder for the smaller Group N cars and you do have to bear that in mind when you are driving the car. But no rally car is indestructible and it is not a bad trait to have to be able to get a car through a rally. For me the most important thing isn't driving as fast as I can on the stages, obviously competition does come into it, but what I am trying to do is gain experience of the stages, the events and the Fiestas have definitely made that possible for us this year.

Q:
You are here at the Rally GB doing some PR work, what is it like to be on the other side of the fence?

SH:
It is frustrating at times. I did the recce for the event with the MSA Rally Academy - the guys there, managed to arrange for all the guys that weren't competing on the event to be involved with the recce and do some work with the WRC teams over the course of the weekend. So it has been good, but equally it has been frustrating when you see the cars coming in and out of service and you just wish you were in one of them. But we weren't able to compete on this rally, so we have been trying to make the most of the opportunity of having the WRC in my home country.

Q:
How useful was it just doing the recce? I suppose that could pay dividends in the years to come for you…

SH:
Yeah definitely – second to actually competing on the event, getting over the stages is one of the most important things. A couple of the Rally Elite members did the recce last year and have done the recce this year and they are saying what they learnt last year has been invaluable. It has put them almost a year ahead with regard to learning the rally.

Q:
Can you tell us anything about your plans for 2007? Is anything confirmed as yet?

SH: