Alex Burns wins Beaujolais Run for RBF.

Alex Burns, father of the late World Rally champion Richard Burns, stormed to victory in the maps-only GT1 class of the Hackett Beaujolais Run recently, beating a field of 45 teams.

Alex piloted a Subaru Impreza RB320 - number one of 320 built to commemorate his son. Amongst the pack taking part in the navigational shoot-out at the heart of the event, Burns and co-driver Peter Martin were seen taking up to half an hour plotting routes to their next checkpoint. However, this meticulous planning paid off as they finished with the shortest total mileage in their class and took the coveted title.

"I was driving a commemorative car that was built to celebrate Richard, so it was doubly special to me," said Alex.

The Hackett Beaujolais Run is a trademarked, not for profit event and this year the 'Run started in Kensington, London before heading to Paris and Macon and then back again.

All proceeds from the event went to the Richard Burns Foundation, Winston's Wish and CLIC Sargent.

"To be passed en-route by a vehicle bearing the Burns name was very emotional for all competitors. They certainly held their own against the pack and when their victory was announced it resulted in a spontaneous standing ovation," summed-up Hackett Beaujolais Run organisers Rob Bellinger and Elaine Hart.

A number of famous faces and eminent motoring journalists meanwhile were involved in this year's Hackett Beaujolais Run including Des Lynam, Neil and Christine Hamilton, Mike Brewer, Anthony Reid, Steve Berry, Sir Stirling Moss, Henri Leconte and Eddie Jordan.