Brynildsen takes maiden Production class win

brynildsen Brynildsen takes maiden Production class win

After 16 stages, 348 km of driving, and some typically wild Welsh weather, Skoda Fabia 2000 driver Eyvind Brynildsen stormed to his first ever Production class victory at the final event of the 2009 P-WRC season, Rally GB.

The 20 year old Norwegian dominated the event, driving with pace and consistency in some of the trickiest conditions of the season, eventually finishing over two minutes ahead of Mitsubishi driver Martin Prokop, who was second.

“This is the best weekend of my life!” exclaimed an ecstatic Brynildsen, “We led from the very first stage and I’m so happy to score my first P-WRC victory. The Fabia S2000 is the best rally car I have ever driven. It really suits my driving style - quite smooth, not so sideways, on the throttle early in corners and using high revs. The car was perfect, the pace notes were perfect - everything was perfect”

After a difficult start to the season, Brynildsen and co-driver Denis Giraudet ended it in the best possible way, following up their Group N win in Spain with a victory on their first WRC outing on gravel in the Skoda.

After day one alone, the duo had built a 57 second lead over nearest rival Patrik Sandell, a lead that was furthered on the flat-out stages of Rhonnda and Halfway on the rally's penultimate day. By Sunday the pair had pushed out of reach of Czech-born Prokop, and were able to ease off the accelerator for the final four stages in south Wales.

Second placed Prokop was delighted to wrap up his Junior championship winning season with a strong end to his four-wheel drive class too. “I’m very happy to finish second on Rally GB and runner-up in the Production Car World Rally Championship” explained Prokop, “I lost my motivation a little during after Rally Argentina, but everything has come good at the end of the year. It’s really nice to add vice P-WRC champion to our J-WRC title. It’s been a great season”

Portugal's Armindo Araujo, who wrapped up the P-WRC championship title earlier this year, finished the event 10th overall in his Mitsubishi Lancer.

- Full results, videos and more on www.wrc.com