The Mull Rally will roar back into action this weekend after a two-year wait.
The rally – Britain’s biggest – is gearing up to be a classic, with 150 people signing up in a matter of minutes.
Hosted in various locations across the island, Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally will begin with a shakedown on Thursday and end in the early hours of Sunday.
A sell-out entry will tackle a revised route, which organisers are calling “the most demanding in a generation”.
The event takes place over a course of 145 miles of punishing, flat-out, closed-road competition which runs day and night, in all weathers.
Opening stage will take place through Tobermory
Clerk of the course Richard Crozier thanked Beatson’s Building Supplies for the ongoing support for the event, in “what we believe to be the best rally in the world”.
The rally was first held in 1968, but due to Covid and previous insurance issues, took a two-year break.
He said: “In celebration and commemoration of this being the 50th running of the event, we’ve made some changes to the route.
“Running the opening stage through the middle of Tobermory brings the action to the people in the most spectacular fashion.
“It hasn’t been done since 2014 and we can’t wait to see the cars being launched off the line outside the MacDonald Arms.”
He said: “The other change comes with the ultimate sting in the tail. We’ve turned the stage known as ‘The Long One’ into ‘The Very Long One.’
“At a time of 9.48pm when most households are still debating the Strictly Come Dancing performances, we’ll be out there running a 30-mile stage from Loch Tuath around Calgary Bay and down Glen Aros.
“We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else other than on Britain’s biggest, best and most challenging rally of the season.
He added: “I’m really proud of the route we’ve planned for what is a very special running of the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally.
“I’m also very proud of the team who have already worked tirelessly in planning the event together – next week we get out into the field and put those plans into action.
“The 50th running of the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally has all the makings of an absolute classic.”
Defending champion wears #1
Former winner and Mini driver Daniel Harper will lead the crews away.
The Lancastrian has proudly installed number ones on the doors of his car, marking him out as the defending champion of the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally.
With 19 years between his first and second Mull victories, nobody is more keenly aware of what a win means and how hard-fought it will be.
“It’s one of, if not, the toughest event in Britain,” said Mr Harper. “But that’s part of the appeal. I couldn’t imagine October without Mull. The chance to drive a car like this one down roads like those… It’s what makes it so special.
“The dark, the rain, the atmosphere, it’s amazing.”
As ever, the local challenge is huge. Paul MacKinnon leads the charge to restore island honour in a Hyundai i20 Rally2.
There’s more cutting-edge machinery for Andy Davies, Neil Roskell, David Wright and Jonathan Mounsey, all of whom bring their Ford Fiesta R5/Rally2s to Tobermory.
Multiple winners John MacCrone, Calum Duffy and James MacGillivray are running Ford Escort Mk2s this time around.
The Blue Oval’s globally recognised rally machine is a popular choice – with both the crews and the fans – up and down the field.
All eyes to the future
The sustainability aspect of the event is front and centre for Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally this year.
A partnership with Carbon Positive Motorsport means the event will set a new record in the UK for the highest level of voluntary carbon offsetting.
High-quality rewilding projects around Scotland will offset a minimum of 46,000 kilograms of CO2e.
Carbon Positive Motorsport’s Paul Glass said: “It’s fantastic that so many competitors have decided to support the event’s environmental ambitions by including carbon offsetting in their entry and helping the event to mitigate its environmental impact.
“Carbon offsetting is not the only solution that addresses the challenges of climate change, but achieving Net Zero by 2050 simply can’t be reached without carbon offsetting and the long-term benefits the high-quality projects we use will deliver.”
Rally programme
Thursday
The shakedown test at Duart Castle begins at 10am.
In the evening a Tunnock’s Teacake eating competition is due to take place in Macgochans bar at Ledaig, Tobermory.
Friday
The competitive element of the rally gets under way from Tobermory at 7.30pm.
The crews complete the first six-stage, 38.89-mile section, separated by service in Craignure at 9.53pm, and arrive into Salen at 11.56pm.
Saturday
The rally restarts from Salen at 11am.
Leg two includes six more stages and 51.56 miles, split by two services in Tobermory at 11.51am and 1.59pm and finishes in Craignure at 4.42pm.
The third and final leg – the one including The Very Long One – gets going from Salen at 9.30pm and comprises four stages and 55.12 miles.
There’s one final service in Craignure at 12.44am on Sunday before the last competitive action from Glen Aros back into Tobermory for a finish at 2.23am.
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