CEO ' s MESSAGE
Jenny Birrell competing in the 1966 Scottish Rally in a Rootes Competition Department Hillman Imp
racing. The FIA Rally pathway is well established, but it has not translated especially well to the national structure, and as a result, the pathway for junior talent in the UK is not as clear as the Ginetta Junior, to Formula 4, to GB3 that has become the norm in circuit racing. Perhaps there are some affluent benefactors that would love to find a way to make a difference to some young people’ s prospects.
The WRC is at an interesting crossroads right now, with an opportunity to catapult into unchartered waters on the coat tails of F1’ s global success. For several years the global commercial promoter of the WRC has been the media arm of Red Bull, but that is all about to change, with a tender process being conducted by the FIA for a new promoter. That has garnered the sort of interest, and potential investment, that has been lacking in this branch of the sport. In addition, the technical regulations are about to be transformed for 2027, with a completely new concept that is based on a silhouette formula that will allow all vehicle manufacturers to build cars that reflect models in their range, but unconstrained by the dimensions or configurations of the road car. Costs are being addressed, as they have spiralled out of control, and with clever use of existing technology from the Rally 2 cars, they can be both spectacular and affordable.
From the UK’ s perspective, since 2019 we have all missed the halo effect of being hosts to the WRC, as we had been since its inception in 1973. I have kept members informed about the work we have been doing behind the scenes to secure its return, with an event starting in 2027, based out of Aberdeen. As you may already have seen in the motorsport press or online, we had the fantastic news last week that Aberdeen City Council had gained approval for funding a key portion of the rally budget. The team in Aberdeen City have been real visionaries and are ardent supporters of the bid.
They can see how this event will be a catalyst for inbound economic impact, and a fulcrum for communities to come together united by a world class event presented to a global audience. This is one key part of a complex jigsaw puzzle of stakeholders and bodes well for the intentions of the other stakeholders in Scotland, all of whom should be crystalising their plans in the coming weeks. Thereafter we need to secure a slot on the 2027 WRC calendar with the promoter, and finally seek approval to the calendar with the FIA. With Pernilla Solberg as FIA WRC President, and Malcolm Wilson as FIA Deputy President of Sport, we have tremendous support from them at that level. We are not there yet … but it is a great deal closer than it has been in the past five years.
In contrast to looking into the future, I had a very enjoyable evening with Ecurie Cod Fillet to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Ecurie Cod Fillet was created in 1955 by Roy Fidler and John Hopwood. They were stalwarts of the Stockport Motor Club and had both gained a reputation for winning rallies. By trade, Roy was a fish merchant and that quickly led to his earning the nickname“ King Cod”. He and John even won a Stockport daylight rally driving the company fish van – a VW Transporter – when his Triumph Herald rally car packed up just before an event.
I was kindly invited to the dinner by Jenny Nadine, formerly Jenny Birrell when married to Graham. I have known Jenny for more than 50 years when she was a front line rally driver contracted by Rootes Competition Department, of which my father was the Competition Director. As a teenager I distinctly remember this glamorous Jane Fonda lookalike breezing into our house in-between rallies. The next time I saw Jenny was when I joined Prodrive in 1995 and we were running the Alfa-Romeo British Touring Car Championship team, with Jenny as the operations director for Alan Gow( although she would shirk such a title) and running the whole paddock with an iron rod. Everyone was in awe of Jenny – who was not to be crossed, never short of a put down, or an expletive laden rant; so, an eyebrow or two were raised when she always greeted me with a warm smile and embrace! Now retired and living much of the year in New Zealand with her Kiwi husband Tony Ornstien, she is a legend of the sport. Media coverage of the
WRC bid for Aberdeen
>>>>>
Revolution- November 2025
3