David's Subaru breaks cover

These are the first pictures of TQ.com driver David Higgins testing the team’s new Subaru Impreza N14 ahead of this year’s British Rally Championship.

The BRC kicks off with the Pirelli International Rally this weekend. Ahead of the fight, David has completed 70 miles of testing at the Higgins Forest Experience Rally School in Carno, Wales.

“Although the conditions weren’t ideal because of snow, we had a good run and learned a lot about the car,” said David. “It’s a lot different to the previous Subaru. It feels a bit more like a Mitsubishi in terms of set up, but that is a benefit to us because we compete in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 in the Chinese Rally Championship, and we won every round of it last year.”

The TQ.com team’s cars are being run by the newly formed FX Motor Sports this year. The impressive new company is run from new workshops at the rally school. David is FX’s Sporting Director, while his BRC team mate and sponsor Hugh Evans is FX Team Principal. The team will field two cars in the main BRC line-up again, as TQ boss Hugh continues to compete alongside David.

“We have the ability to do everything here,” said David from the workshop. “And it’s all done under our control, with a team of people we have put together ourselves who we really trust - that makes a big difference.

“My car’s now been wrapped with the livery we’ll use this year, and Hugh’s will be wrapped this week. Then ahead of the rally we’ve got a day’s testing for Hugh, and a day practicing changing parts for the FX team.”

David will continue to be co-driven by Ieuan Thomas again this year, while Hugh continues to be navigated by Iestyn Williams as they embark on their second year in the championship.

This year the BRC is hosting shakedown sessions ahead of each round. David will take part in that ahead of the rally start in the centre of Carlisle on Friday night.

Photos: Jon Mills