`Monte Carlo was an impressive start to the season`
Two members of the MSA British Rally Elite training initiative have had amazing starts to their competitive season on the first round of the World Rally Championship, the Monte Carlo Rally.
Daniel Barritt from Burnley was co-driving for Japanese star Fumio Nutahara on their first event together in the Production Car World Rally Championship.

The pair led from Leg 1 and took an excellent victory after the treacherous three day event. Meanwhile Cumbria`s Matt Wilson coped remarkably with his major transition to the world series. Using a Stobart Motorsport Ford Focus 04 WRC he finished a very creditable 15th overall in his first WRC round outside the UK. Another Elite member Scott Martin was also on hand, providing stage information for Matt in the Safety Car.

Robert Reid, former World Rally Champion Co-driver and current Performance Director for the MSA backed training scheme, commented, “Monte Carlo was an impressive start to the season for the scheme participants. Daniel`s result proves just why he has a place on the scheme."

"To win a Production Cup round with a new driver on a difficult event such as Monte Carlo is no mean feat. In the same way Matt`s result shows experience and maturity well above his age. Again he had to contend with a new car and co-driver and he tackled the event superbly, gaining valuable experience along the way. We are hoping to make some developments to the scheme in 2006 and this is certainly a wonderful start to the season, with Daniel on top and British co-drivers taking the top 3 places in the Production category.”

The MSA British Rally Elite training scheme was set up in 2005 to make the cream of young British talent more attractive to World Rally Teams and to give British competitors a greater chance of breaking into and competing in the top levels of the World Rally Championship. The scheme features elements such as Sports Psychology and Physiology, Fitness and Nutrition, Media and Marketing skills and specific driver and co-driver training as part of the curriculum.

Tags: rally,