Twenty drivers, including Richard Burns, Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, were caught speeding during last year's Network Q Rally in Wales, a court heard this week.
While it is not uncommon for WRC drivers
to get pinched for speeding on road sections to and from stages, it is
unusual to see such a large number get caught on camera.
The case was adjourned until the day after Wales Rally GB when the court
was given a list of remaining rallies the drivers were committed to. Any
immediate ban would have had implications on certain drivers being able
to take part in this year's Wales Rally GB, which begins on November 5,
due to disqualification based on the penalty points being totted up.
Armin Schwarz's lawyer told the court that disqualification for her client
"would lead to exceptional hardship for himself and the Hyundai team
he drives for." Hyundai told wrc.com that there would be "no
official comment until after the case".
Similarly Subaru, whose driver Tommi Makinen is another driver in the
dock, said: "We do not comment on active court cases."
The organisers of this year's rally have committed to get tough with competitors
who speed on public roads. One way of doing this is working with the local
police and imposing massive fines, far bigger than those available to
the police. Regardless, all will become clear post November 10.
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