Osian keeps Wales on top of the world
03.07.16
News release
Osian keeps Wales on top of the world
Osian Pryce celebrates the biggest moment of his career tonight after he secured the most sought after prize in world rallying.
Second place in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy class of Rally Poland was enough for Osian and co-driver Dale Furniss to secure two prize drives in next year’s World Rally Championship.
Understandably, Osian was delighted with the result.
“This is what I’ve been working towards for so long,” he said. “It’s unbelievable, what an incredible feeling. Dale, myself, so many people, we have all worked so hard for this moment – honestly, it still hasn’t sunk in yet that we’ve done it.”
The Welshmen certainly have done it.
This year’s DMACK Trophy has been structured differently, to maintain pressure on the would-be champions of the future throughout the season. Every other rally, there’s the offer of two rallies in a Ford Fiesta R5 for the fastest crew out there. Victory on the season opening Rally Portugal set Osian and Dale up perfectly and today they finished the job in Poland.
But today’s third and final day of action on the roads around Mikolajki didn’t come without its moments. Yesterday’s scorching sunshine gave way to torrential rain and temperatures half of the 34 degrees, which took its toll on the soft, sandy stages.
“Today was undoubtedly one of the toughest days of my career,” said Osian. “The roads were absolutely horrendous. We were aquaplaning at 100mph and trying to get the car slowed down was almost impossible at times. To be honest, it was a bit of a lottery. We had a small problem on the first stage of the day and that cost us the lead and the chance to take a second win. After that, my focus was firmly on the finish. That was all Dale and I could think about.
“And now we’re here: what a fantastic week to be a Welshman – first the football and now my dreams come true! Like I said, it’s a fantastic feeling. But we can’t get too carried away, there’s another two drives on offer next time out in Finland!”
DMACK managing director Dick Cormack said: “Congratulations to Osian and Dale. They have driven a fantastic rally, backing up their win in Portugal with a solid, sensible and quick drive to win the first two prize drives for next season. We look forward to seeing the boys in an R5 car next season, but before then it’s back to the battle for another two drives in Finland.”
M-Sport World Rally Team principal Malcolm Wilson OBE added: “It’s been a fantastic battle in the DMACK Trophy on this event. Osian and Dale have won the two drives, but it’s been great to see the speed Jon [Armstrong] and Gus [Greensmith] have shown as well. It’s been a good one for the British crews, but congratulations to Osian for taking the first prize of the season.”
Today was…
Osian’s day in detail. His times against his DDFT rivals.
SS18: 5thfastest (2ndin DDFT) puncture drops Osian to second place
SS19: 5thfastest (2ndin DDFT) cautious run as weather worsens
SS20: stage cancelled
SS21: 4th fastest (1st in DDFT) WINNERS
Weather:
Today: Raining. Temperatures: 15-19 Celsius.
Next time…
Rally Finland
July 29-August 2
Based: Jyvaskyla
Surface: gravel
Osian outings: 0
Osian says: “For anybody in our sport Rally Finland is something very, very special; the spiritual home, if you like. I’ve been watching videos from this place for most of my life and the chance to go and compete on a rally I’ve dreamed about is so special for me.
“I can’t wait to get there, to have a look around the place, to take in the atmosphere and then, of course, to drive down those legendary roads.
“Finland is the second part of another pair of DDFT events and we go there on the back of this second place in Poland – so we go there in good shape to challenge for another two WRC 2 drives with the Drive DMACK team.”
Meet Osian…
Date of birth: 24.02.93
Lives: Machynlleth
Co-driver: Dale Furniss
First rally: Rally Kurzeme (Latvia) August 2009 – 37thoverall, eighth 2WD
Rally starts: 57
British Rally Championship event wins: 5*
British Rally Championship results: 2nd(2013/14), 3rd(2012)
World Rally Championship starts: 6
World Rally Championship class wins: 2
Website: osianpryce.com
* Including Osian’s dominant National Rally Cup victory on this year’s Mid Wales Stages
About Rally Poland
June 30-July 3
Based: Mikolajki
Surface: gravel
Stages: 21
Competitive distance: 190.21 miles (306.10km)
Total distance: 778.79 miles (1253.29km)
Website: www.rajdpolski.pl
Media contact:
Andrzej Borowczyk +48 721 527453
a.borowczyk@rallypoland.pl
Now say hello to the Ford Fiesta R2T
Engine: 999cc turbo, 12-valve, three cylinders
Max power: 180bhp @ 6,200rpm
Max torque: 250Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Sadev five-speed sequential gearbox, plated limited-slip differential and uprated driveshafts
Suspension: Adjustable Reiger dampers, Eibach springs
Brakes: 285mm discs four-piston calipers (front gravel); 310mm discs four-piston calipers (front asphalt); 280mm discs two-piston calipers (rear); hydraulic handbrake
Wheels: OZ Racing 6x15-inch (gravel); 6.5x15-inch (asphalt)
Dimensions: length 3982mm; width 1695mm; height 1481mm; wheelbase 2490mm
Weight: 1030kg
About the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy
The brainchild of M-Sport World Rally Team principal Malcolm Wilson and DMACK managing director Dick Cormack, the DDFT takes the best young drivers from around the world and pitches them into a five-round fight for the biggest prize south of the World Rally Championship itself.
There’s a season in a Ford Fiesta R5 car at rallying’s second tier – WRC2 – on offer to the winner after five rounds. The structure of DDFT has changed slightly this season, with rallies being paired (Portugal and Poland; Poland and Finland; Germany and Spain) and the crew gathering the most points from each of those two rallies will win two rallies in the R5 car next season.
Winning a full WRC2 season of 2017 competition in an M-Sport Fiesta R5 will require consistent speed from Osian and Dale this year.
Media contact:
Sandra Evans
+44 7887 693993
sandra@wordspr.com
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