Back to the top of the Chinese podium!

David Higgins and Ieuan Thomas have overcome mechanical gremlins at the start and finish of the Xuecheng Rally to take yet another outright victory on a round of the Chinese Rally Championship.

The event got off to a bad start when their WY Team Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX suffered a broken gearbox and rear diff in the first stage, leaving them with first, third and fourth gear.

"We couldn't change the box until the end of the day," says David. "And the team did a great job, it was changed in 27 minutes and the car was back to full health for day two. By that point we were lying third behind my brother Mark."

It was then announced that Mark had been given a 29 minute penalty for missing a control, which moved the boys up to second overnight.

"From there we knew we had a good chance as we were 29 seconds up on Patrik Flodin in third and 22 seconds behind the leader, so we pushed and had a trouble free day to pace ourselves to the end.

"Then the drama started! Instead of being able to celebrate with the team, the oil return pipe from the turbo broke on the way back to service after the final stage so we lost all the engine oil. It was then a mad rush to fix the car to get over the finish ramp and secure our place.

"Luck was definitely on our side because we made it. If I could have bought a lottery ticket at the same time I would have, such a lucky day!"

David wins in China again!

Early reports from the team confirm that David and Ieuan have won the rally!

More news about how it happened later.

Xuecheng Rally update: After day one

It was a trying start to the day for David and Ieuan when the gearbox and rear diff of their WY Rally team Mitsubishi broke one mile into the opening stage.

The duo spent the day with only first, third and fourth gear, and made it back to the end of day service where the team changed the gearbox in 27 minutes.

David ended the day lying third, and closing in on second.

More news tomorrow.

Xuecheng Rally update: After super special

After the opening super special stage of the Xuecheng Rally, David and Ieuan are lying joint first with Jussi Valimaki.

Patrik Sandell is third, with Patrik Flodin fourth and Mark Higgins fifth.

David says it was over 34 degrees at the rally today and more hot temperatures are due tomorrow, so it could be a hard day ahead.

More news tomorrow.

Health scare for Higgins en route to China

Leading Chinese Rally Championship competitor David Higgins suffered a health scare on his way to the Xuecheng Rally this weekend.

After being repeatedly ill on the plane after leaving the UK, David was met by an ambulance and taken to hospital for treatment before being allowed to continue his journey to the event.

David has now completed his journey and is feeling back to full strength and preparing for the rally this coming weekend, four months since their last event in the country.

Based in the Shandong region of China, the Xuecheng Rally is a new event for the Chinese Rally Championship calendar.

"It's always good going to a brand new event nobody has experience of," says David. "It puts us all on a level playing field and is a really good test for everyone's pacenotes and team work.

"It's been a long time since my last rally in China, back in May, and I've not rallied since so I'm hoping it doesn't take too long to get back into the swing of it all. It does not help that Patrik Sandell and Patrik Flodin have both had good results on the German round of the World Rally Championship, they will be match fit after that."

Despite not being behind the wheel of a rally car competitively in four months, David has continued his work teaching others rally skills at the Forest Experience Rally School and been participating in a karting championship.

"I have always said that I believe karting helps hone your skills for rallying," says David. "Throughout my time rallying I have always kept karting to stay sharp. I have built up a good lead in the Glan-Y-Gors Formula Blue championship with quite a few wins, and have been karting during the holidays."

David, Ieuan and the WY Rally Team will all be glad to get back to business this weekend on the Xuecheng Rally, and keen to take another podium finish to follow up the one they took last time out on the Jiangning Rally, despite a terrible build up to their event where they were forced to miss testing due to the Icelandic ash cloud delaying their flights.

"I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of the Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX in anger again," says David. "Hopefully this time we will manage a really good test beforehand as well. This is going to be our first time on asphalt in the EvoX and the team has got a new suspension deal with Exe-Tc, so testing will be crucial."

The Xuecheng Rally takes place on from September 17th to 19th. As usual, we'll keep you up-to-date with all the latest news from David and Ieuan here.