MOLLY TAYLOR WINS PETER BROCK MEDAL
Young Sydney rally driver Molly Taylor has won one of the most prestigious awards in Australian motorsport, the Peter Brock Medal.
Named in honour of the late touring car legend and first presented by the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) in 2011, the Medal is awarded to the driver who has demonstrated similar characteristics to the late Peter Brock AM, including outstanding ability, a fair and sportsman-like attitude and a willingness and capacity to promote the sport in the wider community.
Taylor, 26, who competes locally in the Australian Rally Championship after several years as a competitor in the British, European and World rally series, joins an elite club as the 2015 recipient.
The inaugural winner was the late V8 Supercar driver, Jason Richards, followed by fellow V8 star Craig Lowndes (2012), Taylor’s mentor, four-time Australian rally champion, Neal Bates (2013) and Australian and New Zealand race and rally star, Jim Richards (2014).
Speaking after the presentation at the annual CAMS Motor Sport Awards 'Night of Champions' Gala Dinner in Melbourne, Taylor described herself as extremely humbled, surprised and grateful to receive such a meaningful award.
“Peter's ability to inspire and pass on his passion for the sport to so many was incredible,” Taylor said.
“I remember meeting him at Targa Tasmania many years ago when I was very young, and even then he was a hero figure, particularly in a motorsport house like ours. To win something associated with him is surreal; to be named in this group of hugely successful drivers is amazing. I have some very big shoes to fill.”
Taylor is the daughter of four-time Australian Rally Champion co-driver, Coral Taylor, and former regular state and national competitor, Mark Taylor. She had her first taste of rallying while her father was running a rally school and quickly caught the ‘bug’.
She left Australia in 2009 to chase her dream of a professional driving career in Britain and Europe. She competed in the British, European and World Rally Championships and during that time she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013).
Last year, her first year back in the Australian Rally Championship, Taylor and co-driver Bill Hayes finished runners-up in the national series points tally. Through the year, Taylor made history as the first woman to win a round of the series, and also finished on the podium at every other event.
Named in honour of the late touring car legend and first presented by the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) in 2011, the Medal is awarded to the driver who has demonstrated similar characteristics to the late Peter Brock AM, including outstanding ability, a fair and sportsman-like attitude and a willingness and capacity to promote the sport in the wider community.
Taylor, 26, who competes locally in the Australian Rally Championship after several years as a competitor in the British, European and World rally series, joins an elite club as the 2015 recipient.
The inaugural winner was the late V8 Supercar driver, Jason Richards, followed by fellow V8 star Craig Lowndes (2012), Taylor’s mentor, four-time Australian rally champion, Neal Bates (2013) and Australian and New Zealand race and rally star, Jim Richards (2014).
Speaking after the presentation at the annual CAMS Motor Sport Awards 'Night of Champions' Gala Dinner in Melbourne, Taylor described herself as extremely humbled, surprised and grateful to receive such a meaningful award.
“Peter's ability to inspire and pass on his passion for the sport to so many was incredible,” Taylor said.
“I remember meeting him at Targa Tasmania many years ago when I was very young, and even then he was a hero figure, particularly in a motorsport house like ours. To win something associated with him is surreal; to be named in this group of hugely successful drivers is amazing. I have some very big shoes to fill.”
Taylor is the daughter of four-time Australian Rally Champion co-driver, Coral Taylor, and former regular state and national competitor, Mark Taylor. She had her first taste of rallying while her father was running a rally school and quickly caught the ‘bug’.
She left Australia in 2009 to chase her dream of a professional driving career in Britain and Europe. She competed in the British, European and World Rally Championships and during that time she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013).
Last year, her first year back in the Australian Rally Championship, Taylor and co-driver Bill Hayes finished runners-up in the national series points tally. Through the year, Taylor made history as the first woman to win a round of the series, and also finished on the podium at every other event.
TAYLOR KEEPS ARC TITLE HUNT ALIVE
Molly Taylor has kept her goal of winning the 2015 ECB Australian Rally Championship alive with a podium finish in the fourth round of the series, run in conjunction with the FIA World Rally Championship on the Coffs Coast last weekend.
Taylor and co-driver Bill Hayes brought their Renault Clio R3 home in third place for the Australian round at Coates Hire Rally Australia. They also competed under WRC rules and finished 16th outright and second two-wheel-drive.
The pair will go into the final round of the ECB ARC in second place in the title chase, 31 points behind Eli Evans and Glen Weston (Citroën DS3 R3), with 120 points on offer at Scouts Rally SA, plus 33 bonus points.
“The championship is still within our reach and that’s what we are shooting for,” Taylor says.
“We’re certainly in a better position than we expected on Day One of Rally Australia, when we were coming down a hill in sixth gear with no brakes. We thought our rally would be a very short one!”
On the second stage, Taylor and Hayes discovered one of the caliper bolts had come loose, allowing the car to dump all its brake fluid. They managed to jerry-rig a repair and add some more brake fluid to continue.
Once a more solid repair was done in service, the pair pumped out some very quick times – including winning a stage – but never really clawed back enough time to challenge Evans and Weston for the lead.
“We’ve made things a little more difficult for ourselves going to South Australia after coming into Rally Australia just eight points shy of Eli, but it is what it is. We drove the best rally we could and it was good enough for third, and we’ll be going into the last round with all guns blazing.”
Between now and the South Australian round (October 23-25), Taylor is heading for Corsica to do some gravel notes for Hyundai. She’ll also be preparing for a unique cross-country rally training and assessment programme.
Taylor was notified this week that she is part of a short list of 18 female drivers and co-drivers who will be part of the programme in Qatar from November 2-7. One driver and one co-driver from the 18 will ultimately be chosen to team up and participate in the 2016 Sealine Cross Country Rally.
“It’s completely different to the type of rally I usually compete in, so it’s going to be like starting from scratch again. I don’t underestimate how difficult it will be but it is an awesome opportunity and I am thrilled to have made the short list. I’m really looking forward to it and grateful to the FIA Women in Motorsport, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Women of Australian Motorsport (WAMS) for giving me this chance.”
The joint FIA Women in Motorsport and QMMF cross country rally project received 85 applications from 39 countries before the selection committee chose its final 18.
The list of nine drivers includes entries from across Europe, the UK and Egypt, as well as Taylor’s Kiwi counterpart, Emma Gilmour. Co-drivers also come from across Europe as well as one from Jordan, and two from the African continent. Australia’s Rhianon Gelsomino, who now lives in the US, is also on the short list.
The training camp will be led by Jutta Kleinschmidt, the first and only woman to win the legendary Dakar Rally, and multiple rally and cross-country winning co-driver, Fabrizia Pons.
“The desert training will be tough, but it has to be because this is the nature of the sport,” added Kleinschmidt.
“For a lot of the time during an event the crew is on its own, and they need to be resourceful, determined and focused, often in extreme conditions and temperatures. We need to see these attributes, and more, because cross-country rallying is so much more than just driving.
“Naturally I really hope we can find a driver and co-driver with the potential, longer term, to really challenge the leading crews in the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.”
Just before Coates Hire Rally Australia, Taylor announced support from three new sponsors for the rest of the year. They are Brian Hilton Sydney City Renault, caravan and camper trailer specialists, Jayco, and SunX Window Tinting. She debuted a new livery at the event to reflect the new assistance.
Photo: Peter Whitten
Taylor and co-driver Bill Hayes brought their Renault Clio R3 home in third place for the Australian round at Coates Hire Rally Australia. They also competed under WRC rules and finished 16th outright and second two-wheel-drive.
The pair will go into the final round of the ECB ARC in second place in the title chase, 31 points behind Eli Evans and Glen Weston (Citroën DS3 R3), with 120 points on offer at Scouts Rally SA, plus 33 bonus points.
“The championship is still within our reach and that’s what we are shooting for,” Taylor says.
“We’re certainly in a better position than we expected on Day One of Rally Australia, when we were coming down a hill in sixth gear with no brakes. We thought our rally would be a very short one!”
On the second stage, Taylor and Hayes discovered one of the caliper bolts had come loose, allowing the car to dump all its brake fluid. They managed to jerry-rig a repair and add some more brake fluid to continue.
Once a more solid repair was done in service, the pair pumped out some very quick times – including winning a stage – but never really clawed back enough time to challenge Evans and Weston for the lead.
“We’ve made things a little more difficult for ourselves going to South Australia after coming into Rally Australia just eight points shy of Eli, but it is what it is. We drove the best rally we could and it was good enough for third, and we’ll be going into the last round with all guns blazing.”
Between now and the South Australian round (October 23-25), Taylor is heading for Corsica to do some gravel notes for Hyundai. She’ll also be preparing for a unique cross-country rally training and assessment programme.
Taylor was notified this week that she is part of a short list of 18 female drivers and co-drivers who will be part of the programme in Qatar from November 2-7. One driver and one co-driver from the 18 will ultimately be chosen to team up and participate in the 2016 Sealine Cross Country Rally.
“It’s completely different to the type of rally I usually compete in, so it’s going to be like starting from scratch again. I don’t underestimate how difficult it will be but it is an awesome opportunity and I am thrilled to have made the short list. I’m really looking forward to it and grateful to the FIA Women in Motorsport, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Women of Australian Motorsport (WAMS) for giving me this chance.”
The joint FIA Women in Motorsport and QMMF cross country rally project received 85 applications from 39 countries before the selection committee chose its final 18.
The list of nine drivers includes entries from across Europe, the UK and Egypt, as well as Taylor’s Kiwi counterpart, Emma Gilmour. Co-drivers also come from across Europe as well as one from Jordan, and two from the African continent. Australia’s Rhianon Gelsomino, who now lives in the US, is also on the short list.
The training camp will be led by Jutta Kleinschmidt, the first and only woman to win the legendary Dakar Rally, and multiple rally and cross-country winning co-driver, Fabrizia Pons.
“The desert training will be tough, but it has to be because this is the nature of the sport,” added Kleinschmidt.
“For a lot of the time during an event the crew is on its own, and they need to be resourceful, determined and focused, often in extreme conditions and temperatures. We need to see these attributes, and more, because cross-country rallying is so much more than just driving.
“Naturally I really hope we can find a driver and co-driver with the potential, longer term, to really challenge the leading crews in the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.”
Just before Coates Hire Rally Australia, Taylor announced support from three new sponsors for the rest of the year. They are Brian Hilton Sydney City Renault, caravan and camper trailer specialists, Jayco, and SunX Window Tinting. She debuted a new livery at the event to reflect the new assistance.
Photo: Peter Whitten
TAYLOR SAVOURS PODIUM FINISH IN LITHUANIA ENDURO RACE
Australian rally ace Molly Taylor has returned home on a high after scoring a podium in her second-ever race – a 1000km pro-am enduro in Lithuania.
Taylor joined three amateur drivers in the Dynami:t Energy Team to contest the Baltic region’s biggest endurance race, the ENEOS 1000, after being contacted on Facebook by team owner, Aleksandras Dainys. The quartet drove a BMW E46 M3.
The event was part of a huge motorsport show last week (July 15-18) on a temporary 2.7km street circuit in the seaside resort town of Palanga, in western Lithuania. The ‘track’ included sections of a major highway with added chicanes, and also utilised the exit and entry ramps.
“I had such a fantastic time and actually enjoyed the circuit racing experience much more than I thought I would,” Taylor laughed.
“We finished third in class A3000+ (over three litre) and 18th outright. The team is ecstatic with the result and they have invited me back for next year. I’m already looking at the diary because I would really love to do it again with them.
“The atmosphere was awesome. It’s the biggest motorsport event in Lithuania and there were thousands of spectators for the ceremonial start – it was huge! They had a big stage and live music; it was a massive festival and so much fun.”
As the most experienced driver in the team, Taylor was asked to start the race. It was a rolling start which she says was nerve-wracking but also exciting – because she had no idea what to expect!
“I said to the team ‘As long as you know that I have never ever done this before and have zero experience and are okay with that, I’m happy to do it’. They said they were and despite a few nerves, it was a great experience. We had a pretty ordinary qualifying and started 37th – should have been much higher – but I think we’d made up 12 places by the first pit!”
Taylor says the M3 was pretty much ‘standard’, but she’s long been a fan of the model and was keen to drive it. She thoroughly enjoyed the car, but says the race definitely had its moments.
“The weather was quite mixed. We started in dry weather, then had some really heavy rain, and then it was dry again for the finish.
“The race itself was crazy, probably partly because of the weather. There were lots of incidents and lots of safety cars. Chicanes were destroyed and there were lots of track repairs needing to be done. It definitely was a crazy race!”
She says Team Dynami:t (the sponsor is a popular Lithuanian energy drink) did not have too many ‘moments’, although the BMW was aquaplaning on the straight during the heavy rain. The bad weather periods also made visibility difficult and she describes trying to judge entry to the chicanes, or where she should be braking as ‘interesting’.
“The best part was the finish. I was battling with an Evo and our radio had stopped working. We had just overtaken them for third but when we pitted for the driver change I wasn’t sure if we had lost a lap or not.
“Our pace was close but I could see him on the track and managed to catch him and then spent a long time trying to get past him. To do it, I had to out-brake him into a chicane off the racing line, which was still a bit damp. That was with about six laps to go so it was a little exciting!
“In the end, we did have a lap on him so I didn’t need to do the overtake but on the track I didn’t know and I just wanted to make sure we had that podium!”
In an ironic twist, when she made it to the podium, Taylor found the celebrations were being done with Australian sparkling wine.
This was only Taylor’s second race – having contested the Bathurst 12-Hour in a Subaru RS back in 2009 – but she is keen to do more.
“It was a fantastic experience and it’s definitely whetted my appetite. I love driving in general, so while rally is my first passion, to drive and race any car is always a pleasure. There is definitely a different type of skill in circuit racing and I learned a lot during this event that I’d like to have the chance to build on.”
Palanga is a picturesque and historic seaside resort town on the Baltic Sea. It’s known as the country’s ‘summer capital’ because of the massive influx of visitors during July and August – the race, now in its 16th year, is a big contributor to the numbers.
Team owner/manager Dainys wanted to create an international team to contest the 1000km race, hence the invitation to Taylor. She was first approached last year, but her rally commitments in Europe precluded the possibility. Negotiations began again in earnest as soon as the 2014 race had been run and won.
Dainys is a member of Lithuania’s Kauno Automobilininku Sport Klubas and the car club ran the BMW that Taylor drove in the event, as well as a turbo-charged Lada.
Forty-seven teams, from GT3 Porsches to Ladas, contested the race, with competitors and spectators coming from across Europe. The festival included a wide range of racing including historic races, super sprint and slalom – and even a running race for mechanics!
Taylor is currently running second in the 2015 Australian Rally Championship points tally after creating history as the first woman to win a round of the series, and taking podium finishes at the two other events run so far.
She left Australia in late 2009 to chase her dream of a professional driving career in Britain and Europe. She competed in the British, European and World Rally Championships and during that time she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013).
Her bid to win the 2015 Australian Rally Championship resumes in mid September when she contests round four of the five-round series, to be held in Coffs Harbour. The ARC event is being run in conjunction with Australia’s round of the World Rally Championship.
Taylor joined three amateur drivers in the Dynami:t Energy Team to contest the Baltic region’s biggest endurance race, the ENEOS 1000, after being contacted on Facebook by team owner, Aleksandras Dainys. The quartet drove a BMW E46 M3.
The event was part of a huge motorsport show last week (July 15-18) on a temporary 2.7km street circuit in the seaside resort town of Palanga, in western Lithuania. The ‘track’ included sections of a major highway with added chicanes, and also utilised the exit and entry ramps.
“I had such a fantastic time and actually enjoyed the circuit racing experience much more than I thought I would,” Taylor laughed.
“We finished third in class A3000+ (over three litre) and 18th outright. The team is ecstatic with the result and they have invited me back for next year. I’m already looking at the diary because I would really love to do it again with them.
“The atmosphere was awesome. It’s the biggest motorsport event in Lithuania and there were thousands of spectators for the ceremonial start – it was huge! They had a big stage and live music; it was a massive festival and so much fun.”
As the most experienced driver in the team, Taylor was asked to start the race. It was a rolling start which she says was nerve-wracking but also exciting – because she had no idea what to expect!
“I said to the team ‘As long as you know that I have never ever done this before and have zero experience and are okay with that, I’m happy to do it’. They said they were and despite a few nerves, it was a great experience. We had a pretty ordinary qualifying and started 37th – should have been much higher – but I think we’d made up 12 places by the first pit!”
Taylor says the M3 was pretty much ‘standard’, but she’s long been a fan of the model and was keen to drive it. She thoroughly enjoyed the car, but says the race definitely had its moments.
“The weather was quite mixed. We started in dry weather, then had some really heavy rain, and then it was dry again for the finish.
“The race itself was crazy, probably partly because of the weather. There were lots of incidents and lots of safety cars. Chicanes were destroyed and there were lots of track repairs needing to be done. It definitely was a crazy race!”
She says Team Dynami:t (the sponsor is a popular Lithuanian energy drink) did not have too many ‘moments’, although the BMW was aquaplaning on the straight during the heavy rain. The bad weather periods also made visibility difficult and she describes trying to judge entry to the chicanes, or where she should be braking as ‘interesting’.
“The best part was the finish. I was battling with an Evo and our radio had stopped working. We had just overtaken them for third but when we pitted for the driver change I wasn’t sure if we had lost a lap or not.
“Our pace was close but I could see him on the track and managed to catch him and then spent a long time trying to get past him. To do it, I had to out-brake him into a chicane off the racing line, which was still a bit damp. That was with about six laps to go so it was a little exciting!
“In the end, we did have a lap on him so I didn’t need to do the overtake but on the track I didn’t know and I just wanted to make sure we had that podium!”
In an ironic twist, when she made it to the podium, Taylor found the celebrations were being done with Australian sparkling wine.
This was only Taylor’s second race – having contested the Bathurst 12-Hour in a Subaru RS back in 2009 – but she is keen to do more.
“It was a fantastic experience and it’s definitely whetted my appetite. I love driving in general, so while rally is my first passion, to drive and race any car is always a pleasure. There is definitely a different type of skill in circuit racing and I learned a lot during this event that I’d like to have the chance to build on.”
Palanga is a picturesque and historic seaside resort town on the Baltic Sea. It’s known as the country’s ‘summer capital’ because of the massive influx of visitors during July and August – the race, now in its 16th year, is a big contributor to the numbers.
Team owner/manager Dainys wanted to create an international team to contest the 1000km race, hence the invitation to Taylor. She was first approached last year, but her rally commitments in Europe precluded the possibility. Negotiations began again in earnest as soon as the 2014 race had been run and won.
Dainys is a member of Lithuania’s Kauno Automobilininku Sport Klubas and the car club ran the BMW that Taylor drove in the event, as well as a turbo-charged Lada.
Forty-seven teams, from GT3 Porsches to Ladas, contested the race, with competitors and spectators coming from across Europe. The festival included a wide range of racing including historic races, super sprint and slalom – and even a running race for mechanics!
Taylor is currently running second in the 2015 Australian Rally Championship points tally after creating history as the first woman to win a round of the series, and taking podium finishes at the two other events run so far.
She left Australia in late 2009 to chase her dream of a professional driving career in Britain and Europe. She competed in the British, European and World Rally Championships and during that time she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013).
Her bid to win the 2015 Australian Rally Championship resumes in mid September when she contests round four of the five-round series, to be held in Coffs Harbour. The ARC event is being run in conjunction with Australia’s round of the World Rally Championship.
MOLLY TAYLOR BECOMES FIRST FEMALE TO WIN ARC ROUND
Sydney’s Molly Taylor has made Australian motorsport history, taking her first outright win in the Australian Rally Championship, and becoming the first woman ever to win a round of the series.
Taylor, 27, and experienced Perth-based co-driver Bill Hayes did battle with time penalties and a fragile car (Renault Clio R3), as well as some serious competition, before taking the win in this weekend’s National Capital Rally in Canberra (May 15-17). The win puts the pair at the top of the championship points tally after the second round of the 2015 series.
“It’s not bad,” Taylor said, smiling broadly. “I have to admit my first outright win does feel pretty good! It’s always good to win, obviously, but I don’t think of myself as being the first woman to win a round. I’m out there to be the first driver home, irrespective of my gender.”
Veteran co-driver Bill Hayes was full of praise for Taylor, who was officially ranked as world rallying’s fastest female driver two years ago while competing in Europe.
“She did an awesome job. She’s incredibly hard on herself but she really does a great job. In fact, she could probably go really well if she gives it a bit more effort and gets a younger, lighter co-driver in the car with her!” he laughed.
While the pair was delighted to spray the champagne, the win did not come easily. On Saturday (Heat One), they were leading by 15 seconds as they came into the midday service, only to find a massive hole in the sump guard.
“The crew did an incredible job to fix it but we were seven minutes late out of service so we were hit with a 35-second time penalty,” Taylor said.
“That put us 20 seconds behind Tony Sullens (and Julia Barkley, Citroën DS3 R3T). We were able to make up 18 seconds of that time over the next three stages, so we finished the day two seconds behind him, which was a pretty good start for Heat Two.
“But I have to say I wasn’t so happy about Heat Two (Sunday). I felt we were struggling to find a rhythm and the sort of pace I knew we were capable of. Bill thinks I’m just a whinger!
“We did have some engine issues which the guys managed to fix up in terms of finishing the event, but the car was a bit fragile, and I made a few mistakes too, which cost us a bit of time.
“However I have to say hats off to my good mate, Harry Bates, and his phenomenal drive because he kept Tony and Julia at bay, so they ended up second. Harry and John (McCarthy, Toyota Corolla Sportivo) finished third, which was just fantastic on Harry’s first ARC event.”
With second place in Heat One, and a game of musical chairs for the top places in Heat Two, Taylor says she and Hayes knew there was a mathematical chance they could win the round during Sunday’s battle.
“So there was a point where we thought we could be first or we could be third, and then you start thinking ‘do we push for first and try to win the rally and risk everything’ or settle for third and take the points. In the end, we’re obviously happy with the way it played out.”
Despite winners being grinners, Taylor did not make the official presentation on Sunday night. She drove home to Sydney to prepare for a flight to Portugal today (May 18), to work with the radio commentary team (WRC Live) on the World Rally Championship round in Portugal next weekend (May 21-24).
The National Capital Rally covered a total of 518km of forest trails around Canberra, with 208km of competition across 12 closed-road special stages. The next round of the ARC will be the International Rally of Queensland, over the weekend of June 19-21.
Molly Taylor started rallying at 17 and won two class titles in Australia before moving to the UK in 2009 to chase her dream of a career in world rallying.
She competed in the British, European and World Rally Championships and during that time she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013). Taylor is planning to contest several WRC rounds in 2015, as well as the Australian championship.
Photos: Stuart Bowes Motorsport Photographer
Taylor, 27, and experienced Perth-based co-driver Bill Hayes did battle with time penalties and a fragile car (Renault Clio R3), as well as some serious competition, before taking the win in this weekend’s National Capital Rally in Canberra (May 15-17). The win puts the pair at the top of the championship points tally after the second round of the 2015 series.
“It’s not bad,” Taylor said, smiling broadly. “I have to admit my first outright win does feel pretty good! It’s always good to win, obviously, but I don’t think of myself as being the first woman to win a round. I’m out there to be the first driver home, irrespective of my gender.”
Veteran co-driver Bill Hayes was full of praise for Taylor, who was officially ranked as world rallying’s fastest female driver two years ago while competing in Europe.
“She did an awesome job. She’s incredibly hard on herself but she really does a great job. In fact, she could probably go really well if she gives it a bit more effort and gets a younger, lighter co-driver in the car with her!” he laughed.
While the pair was delighted to spray the champagne, the win did not come easily. On Saturday (Heat One), they were leading by 15 seconds as they came into the midday service, only to find a massive hole in the sump guard.
“The crew did an incredible job to fix it but we were seven minutes late out of service so we were hit with a 35-second time penalty,” Taylor said.
“That put us 20 seconds behind Tony Sullens (and Julia Barkley, Citroën DS3 R3T). We were able to make up 18 seconds of that time over the next three stages, so we finished the day two seconds behind him, which was a pretty good start for Heat Two.
“But I have to say I wasn’t so happy about Heat Two (Sunday). I felt we were struggling to find a rhythm and the sort of pace I knew we were capable of. Bill thinks I’m just a whinger!
“We did have some engine issues which the guys managed to fix up in terms of finishing the event, but the car was a bit fragile, and I made a few mistakes too, which cost us a bit of time.
“However I have to say hats off to my good mate, Harry Bates, and his phenomenal drive because he kept Tony and Julia at bay, so they ended up second. Harry and John (McCarthy, Toyota Corolla Sportivo) finished third, which was just fantastic on Harry’s first ARC event.”
With second place in Heat One, and a game of musical chairs for the top places in Heat Two, Taylor says she and Hayes knew there was a mathematical chance they could win the round during Sunday’s battle.
“So there was a point where we thought we could be first or we could be third, and then you start thinking ‘do we push for first and try to win the rally and risk everything’ or settle for third and take the points. In the end, we’re obviously happy with the way it played out.”
Despite winners being grinners, Taylor did not make the official presentation on Sunday night. She drove home to Sydney to prepare for a flight to Portugal today (May 18), to work with the radio commentary team (WRC Live) on the World Rally Championship round in Portugal next weekend (May 21-24).
The National Capital Rally covered a total of 518km of forest trails around Canberra, with 208km of competition across 12 closed-road special stages. The next round of the ARC will be the International Rally of Queensland, over the weekend of June 19-21.
Molly Taylor started rallying at 17 and won two class titles in Australia before moving to the UK in 2009 to chase her dream of a career in world rallying.
She competed in the British, European and World Rally Championships and during that time she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013). Taylor is planning to contest several WRC rounds in 2015, as well as the Australian championship.
Photos: Stuart Bowes Motorsport Photographer
MOLLY TAYLOR MAKES HISTORY – AND TAKES A PODIUM
Molly Taylor has made history in the Australian Rally Championship, becoming the first female driver ever to win a heat in a round of the country’s premier rally series.
In their first event together – the Quit Forest Rally, run in WA over the weekend – Taylor and experienced co-driver Bill Hayes (Renault Clio R3) kept their heads while their rivals fell victim to the treacherous WA gravel or mechanical problems.
They won Saturday’s first heat of the opening round of the 2015 ARC and came third on Sunday (March 28-29), giving them second place outright for the weekend, behind Eli Evans and Glen Weston (Citroën DS3 R3T). Eli’s older brother Simon Evans and co-driver Ben Searcy (Honda Civic Type R) completed the podium.
“To be honest, making history was the last thing on my mind but it is pretty cool!” Taylor said.
“And as far as being the only female driver competing against the guys, I don’t think about that either. I’d feel the same way if Eli and Simon were women!” she chuckled.
“We’re all competitors and when you’re out there, you just want to be the best competitor, to make the best of whatever happens on the day and – hopefully – that’s good enough to get a really good result.
“Obviously it’s been a really fantastic weekend for us and we’re pretty excited. I didn’t know what to expect being away from competing in Australia for so long, and here we have Bill and I being in the car for the first time, and the first time working together, and we’ve achieved a podium, which is a great result for everyone involved,” Taylor said.
“I was putting a lot of pressure on myself but the car felt really good and we were happy with our pace from the start, so we just decided to concentrate on getting our jobs right – and then everything came together and here we are!”
Despite the result, Taylor and Hayes were not without their own dramas. Coming into the final two stages of Heat One, and leading the field, the steering went on the Renault.
“The suspension arm just snapped just as we came into control and we had about five minutes to fix it before the two super special stages around Nannup Oval,” Taylor said.
“We managed to jerry-rig the steering and the wheel with a couple of ratchet straps and then we drove, rather than rallied, the last stages. We were trying not to brake or turn too sharply and just nursed the car around, hoping we had enough leeway to keep the result. Thankfully we had built up enough of a buffer through the day that we could sacrifice the time, but it was so nearly all over.”
Taylor and Hayes also had some dramas on Day Two, with a puncture two kilometres from the end of the first stage. They drove out of the stage – uphill all the way – before changing the tyre, but it cost them valuable time.
“I don’t think it really would have made much difference, so there is no point pondering the ‘what ifs’. We spent the rest of the day trading times with Eli and Simon which was a lot of fun. We’ve learned a lot this weekend. We know we have the pace and we know what we need to do from here and we are really excited for the rest of the year. Bring it on!”
The 26-year-old, who is back home in Sydney after six years competing in the British, European and World Rally Championships, has paid tribute to Scott Pedder and the Pedders team, who own the car. Pedder and co-driver Dale Moscatt won the Australian title in the Renault last year.
“I knew the car was good – Scott proved that last year – it was up to me to live up to how good it is. I want to thank him and all the guys in the team who have helped get me here this weekend.
“I’d also like to thank Bill [Hayes] for doing an awesome job in the car as well as my sponsors including Rexona and Hi Tec Oils – and everyone who has supported me. This result is truly the best way I can repay them,” she said.
Taylor has been instrumental in helping Scott Pedder put together a programme to contest the WRC2 category of the World Rally Championship this year. Pedder has returned the favour by arranging for Taylor to drive his car in the top level of local competition.
Taylor and Hayes’ next outing with the Renault will be the National Capital Rally in Canberra in May.
During the young Sydneysider’s time overseas, she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013). Taylor is working on plans to contest several WRC rounds in 2015, as well as the Australian championship.
Photos: Stuart Bowes
In their first event together – the Quit Forest Rally, run in WA over the weekend – Taylor and experienced co-driver Bill Hayes (Renault Clio R3) kept their heads while their rivals fell victim to the treacherous WA gravel or mechanical problems.
They won Saturday’s first heat of the opening round of the 2015 ARC and came third on Sunday (March 28-29), giving them second place outright for the weekend, behind Eli Evans and Glen Weston (Citroën DS3 R3T). Eli’s older brother Simon Evans and co-driver Ben Searcy (Honda Civic Type R) completed the podium.
“To be honest, making history was the last thing on my mind but it is pretty cool!” Taylor said.
“And as far as being the only female driver competing against the guys, I don’t think about that either. I’d feel the same way if Eli and Simon were women!” she chuckled.
“We’re all competitors and when you’re out there, you just want to be the best competitor, to make the best of whatever happens on the day and – hopefully – that’s good enough to get a really good result.
“Obviously it’s been a really fantastic weekend for us and we’re pretty excited. I didn’t know what to expect being away from competing in Australia for so long, and here we have Bill and I being in the car for the first time, and the first time working together, and we’ve achieved a podium, which is a great result for everyone involved,” Taylor said.
“I was putting a lot of pressure on myself but the car felt really good and we were happy with our pace from the start, so we just decided to concentrate on getting our jobs right – and then everything came together and here we are!”
Despite the result, Taylor and Hayes were not without their own dramas. Coming into the final two stages of Heat One, and leading the field, the steering went on the Renault.
“The suspension arm just snapped just as we came into control and we had about five minutes to fix it before the two super special stages around Nannup Oval,” Taylor said.
“We managed to jerry-rig the steering and the wheel with a couple of ratchet straps and then we drove, rather than rallied, the last stages. We were trying not to brake or turn too sharply and just nursed the car around, hoping we had enough leeway to keep the result. Thankfully we had built up enough of a buffer through the day that we could sacrifice the time, but it was so nearly all over.”
Taylor and Hayes also had some dramas on Day Two, with a puncture two kilometres from the end of the first stage. They drove out of the stage – uphill all the way – before changing the tyre, but it cost them valuable time.
“I don’t think it really would have made much difference, so there is no point pondering the ‘what ifs’. We spent the rest of the day trading times with Eli and Simon which was a lot of fun. We’ve learned a lot this weekend. We know we have the pace and we know what we need to do from here and we are really excited for the rest of the year. Bring it on!”
The 26-year-old, who is back home in Sydney after six years competing in the British, European and World Rally Championships, has paid tribute to Scott Pedder and the Pedders team, who own the car. Pedder and co-driver Dale Moscatt won the Australian title in the Renault last year.
“I knew the car was good – Scott proved that last year – it was up to me to live up to how good it is. I want to thank him and all the guys in the team who have helped get me here this weekend.
“I’d also like to thank Bill [Hayes] for doing an awesome job in the car as well as my sponsors including Rexona and Hi Tec Oils – and everyone who has supported me. This result is truly the best way I can repay them,” she said.
Taylor has been instrumental in helping Scott Pedder put together a programme to contest the WRC2 category of the World Rally Championship this year. Pedder has returned the favour by arranging for Taylor to drive his car in the top level of local competition.
Taylor and Hayes’ next outing with the Renault will be the National Capital Rally in Canberra in May.
During the young Sydneysider’s time overseas, she was named British Ladies Champion two years in a row, won the inaugural European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and was officially recognised as the fastest female rally driver in the world (2013). Taylor is working on plans to contest several WRC rounds in 2015, as well as the Australian championship.
Photos: Stuart Bowes