Shanghai success

TQ driver David Higgins and his co-driver Ieuan Thomas got their 2007 season off to the best possible start by winning the Shanghai Rally in China last weekend.

The event is part of the Chinese Rally Championship which the duo will contest in a Mitsubishi Lancer E9 this year, alongside an assault on the British Rally Championship in their TQ RED Toyota.

After the first leg of the event Higgins and Thomas were second overall, just one second behind fellow Brit Martin Rowe, but on the second leg they took the lead and Martin fell down the order to finish fourth.

"Leg one went really well," said David. "We only dropped to second behind Martin on the last loop of stages because we took the wrong tyre. But it was only one second so we didn't worry."

"Leg two went like a dream. We had a plan, we stuck to it, and it was the perfect day with no problems. We backed off a bit on the last two stages, and won by 18 seconds. The Hankook tyres performed well under difficult conditions."

Local Chinese driver Xu Lang finished the event in second place.

Because David is British he cannot score drivers points in the championship, but does take top points for the WY Rally Team in their battle for the teams title.

Shanghai starters

TQ driver David Higgins and co-driver Ieuan Thomas will contest the opening round of the Chinese Rally Championship, the Shanghai Rally, on March 24/25.

It's been two weeks since David and Ieuan went out to China to test the Mitsubishi Lancer E9 they will drive for the WY Rally Team.

"The test went really well," says David. "The car is new, lighter than last year, and we've got a great tyre from Hankook for the mixed surface. It's also an advantage to be returning to a team we've spent a year with and going to an event I know. Last year we had a propshaft break on the first stage, but we got going again so we have done all the stages - and we won the second leg."

The Shanghai Rally is known for including some big jumps, so David called upon his friend Ken Block for advice. Ken holds the record for the longest jump in a rally car.

"His advice was not to crash!" laughs David. "We talked before Rally Mexico. I gave him some driving tips before he competed there, so he gave me some advice on how to handle the jumps in China in return."

David and Ieuan's last rally was Wales Rally GB three months ago, so they are keen to get their 2007 season started.

David says, "Doing the rally in China will be a big help towards our British Rally Championship campaign. It will give us some match practice before we get our hands on the TQ RED Toyota ahead of the Pirelli International Rally next month."