Military rally drivers jumpstart season strongly at Bovington Stages Rally

The Armed Forces Rally Team have jump-started their season with a strong showing at the Bovington Stages Rally in Dorset.

Taking to their distinctive Land Rovers on the smooth surfaces of the MOD test track in Bovington, this two-day test is popular among amateur rally drivers as the all-Tarmac terrain allows for quick times.

The fastest from the outset of the military team was driver Callum Tyrell and Tyler Colderley.

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Trailing behind was the only female member of the team Josie Harris.

A soldier from the 165 Port and Martime Regiment RLC, Harris was finally getting her chance to show what she could do behind the wheel after three years of sitting in the co-driving seat.

Speaking to BFBS Sport, she said: "I've been waiting for this opportunity for over three years now as a co-driver, which I've enjoyed.

"But I've been waiting to get into the driver's seat, so today was my first time giving it a go driving and all I can say is yes, it's surpassed all of my expectations and the thrill and the adrenaline rush from it has been so good.

"There's been a couple of sketchy points, but I think that's good because to learn your limits you've got to find them, learn how the Land Rovers handle with the weight transfer and what time you start breaking into a corner and how aggressively you want to go around it to avoid hitting anything.

"Bovington is a really good circuit to learn on if you want to rally drive for sure."

One crew unchanged from last year were lance corporal pair Jack Bean and Patrick Amney, but the pair struggled to emulate their success from twelve months ago.

On day two, Josie Harris and co-driver Stanley Richardson gave it everything on the Bovington circuit, but couldn’t match the pace setters from the front.

Another Armed Forces pair, Ashley Wilcock and George Benson, were in their first year as a driver and co-driver pairing, but they finished one place behind in third.

And although they had a good showing on day two, Bean and Amney came home last from the Armed Forces Rally Team.

Civilian driver Tomm Todd took the overall win in his Darrian T90 GTR.

But Callum Tyrell and Tyler Colderley emerged as the top pairing from the Armed Forces Rally Team, as they take home maximum points before the Forces Land Rovers head to the Jim Clark Rally, which is set to take place in May.