Switch of car for Duns rally driver Garry Pearson

The 31-year-old is switching from a Skoda Fabia R5 to a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 for the rest of this campaign, having previously driven a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Pearson, a four-time national rally champion, has driven both a Ford Fiesta Rally2 and more recently a Skoda Fabia R5 since stepping up to the BRC last year.

That switch to a Polo overseen by Carmarthenshire’s Melvyn Evans Motorsport sees the four-time Scottish rally champion joining forces with the vehicle and team that won the 2021 and 2022 British titles and also 11 of the championship’s last 15 rounds.

The Borderer will see action in his new car for the first time at the Duns-based Jim Clark Rally on Friday and Saturday, May 26 and 27.

“I’m incredibly excited to announce that we will be using a Polo from Melvyn Evans Motorsport for the rest of the season,” he said.

“We know that the Polo is proven on the events that we’re going to and Melvyn Evans Motorsport are going to be able to provide us with good help and feedback on the events and give us a good starting point in terms of set-up.

“The car and team have won the previous two British championships so it’s a good step for us to drive this car and learn from these guys.

“We are sure we have the right package to unlock our full potential.”

Pearson says he’s moving on from fellow Welsh operation Dylan Davies Rallying on good terms.

“The Skoda was a one-event deal to start us off this season,” he said.

“Dylan Davies was great. He helped us out last season and at the start of this season, but, through no fault of Dylan’s, we’ve decided to try the Polo for the rest of the year, given its proven winning capability in the British Rally Championship.

“I cannot wait to get my first try in the car and see what we can do for the rest of the year.”

Pearson’s last ride at the wheel of his previous Skoda saw him finish sixth in this season’s opener, Cumbria’s Malcolm Wilson Rally, in March after being hit by a clutch problem.