Dayinsure Wales Rally GB, Britain’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship, is delighted to announce an extensive new partnership that will see Toyota not only become the event’s Official Car Partner but also take title sponsorship of the family-focused Toyota RallyFest at Cholmondeley Castle.
Toyota returned to the WRC with a factory-backed team at the start of this season, but has played a pivotal role in staging the UK’s WRC event since 2013, when Toyota Manufacturing UK first hosted the Deeside Service Park on-site at its engine manufacturing centre.
Toyota is also supporting a schools’ design competition, organised by the Welsh Government and Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. The winning livery will be applied to a Toyota GT86 coupe and displayed in the Rally Village.
In its role as Official Car Partner, Toyota will supply a fleet of liveried vehicles for use on the event by key members of the organisation team, safety crews and international dignitaries.
The versatility of the company’s range will be fully demonstrated with Land Cruisers employed as safety cars running on the rally route ahead of the competition cars; Toyota Hilux pick-ups used by crews setting up the competitive stages; and Proace Verso MPVs ferrying rally personnel between venues.
Toyota Auris Touring Sports and Toyota C-HR Hybrids will also be supplied, equipped with engines manufactured at the Deeside facility. The use of these state-of-the-art petrol-electric hybrids will further contribute to the rally’s already pace-setting sustainability credentials.
Many of these vehicles will be out in force at RallyFest at Cholmondeley Castle on 28 October – a family-friendly speed test in the grounds of the famous stately home in Cheshire. A selection of Toyota’s classic rally cars will also be on display, offering the many thousands of visitors a wonderful showcase of the company’s rallying heritage.
“We have built up a great relationship with Toyota at Deeside during the past four years,” said Ben Taylor, Managing Director of Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. “The company has been a fantastic supporter of the rally, not just as our landlord, but also in giving its backing for various initiatives with young people, such as the Big Bang exhibition and Dare to be Different. With Toyota’s return to the WRC this year, the Official Car Partnership was a natural progression and we look forward to working closely together on the 2017 event.”
Andrew Cullis, Toyota (GB) Marketing Director, said: “Our partnership with Dayinsure Wales Rally GB and support for RallyFest gives us a great opportunity not only to celebrate our return to the pinnacle of world rally competition, but also to demonstrate our leadership in advanced technologies for road cars. It’s fitting that our new petrol-electric hybrid models will be helping with the smooth running of the rally, right on the doorstep of where their engines are manufactured in Wales.”
The newly formed Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team, run by four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen, has taken outright WRC wins in both Sweden and Finland this year. Those two successes in Scandinavia will give the team strong confidence heading into the Welsh forests – more so, as its line-up of Yaris WRC drivers includes Jari-Matti Latvala, one of only two past winners taking part in the event.
Tickets for the Toyota RallyFest at Cholmondeley Castle are on sale with significant savings for those buying in advance. What’s more, accompanied children aged under 16 are offered free admission.
Priced at just £23 (£30 on the day), advance tickets include free car parking, a copy of the official programme (value £9) plus a full day of entertainment. This will include historic rally car displays, supercars, stunt bikes, fairground rides, climbing wall, inflatable obstacle course, Segway rides, an autograph session with the world’s top drivers and, of course, the chance to see the sensational new-era World Rally Championship cars in action.
There’s also the option of the Rally Xtra @ Cholmondeley Castle package which includes a morning bacon roll, hearty hot lunch, dedicated VIP parking, premium toilet facilities, free tea and coffee, pay bar and a private viewing area adjacent to the dramatic Dayinsure Donut.
Full details of 2017 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB including route, timetable and ticket information can be found on the official www.walesrallygb.com website.
