GOULD ENDS YEAR ON A HIGH WITH A BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
28/09/2009
Bristol's Adam Gould finished the final round of the British Rally Championship, Saturday's International Rally Yorkshire, in fourth place, securing the MSA British Teams' Championship for Pirelli TEG Sport.
Despite this being the 22-year-old's first season at the highest level of British rallying, Gould finished in the top four on half of the rounds: the kind of performance Pirelli had been looking for from its 2009 Star Driver.
Adam and his co-driver Sebastian Marshall tailored their drive through the North Yorkshire forests to the requirements of the Teams' title chase. Having worked with TEG Sport through the season, Adam needed no reminding of just how much a maiden British title would mean to the Lancastrian outfit and to Pirelli. And he delivered the desired result.
Adam had swapped cars with his TEG team-mate Mark Higgins for the final round of the BRC, hoping this would offer Mark the best chance possible for him to collect a fourth British win. Unfortunately for the Manxman, it didn't all go to plan, but Mark's three wins through the year provided the invaluable foundation for TEG Sport's finest hour.
Adam's risk-free strategy on Saturday's Pickering-based event ensured a trouble-free event.
"We had no problems at all," said Adam. "We did the job we needed to do; I'm so pleased for the team and for everybody involved with this year. It's never easy to drive under these circumstances, looking for points, and stages like Dalby are never the easiest to drive in a new car. These roads require absolute commitment, if you're not there, then you are going to drop time. With those things in mind, I'm happy with what we achieved, but under different circumstances, I know we would have been pushing harder and closer to the guys at the front."
Pirelli's motorsport manager Martin Pallot was delighted with the result. He said: "Adam drove a fault-free rally, he did precisely the job we asked of him. I think we've all been really impressed with the way Adam had progressed this season. He's been a fine ambassador for Pirelli throughout 2009 and has left some big shoes for the in coming Pirelli Star Driver to fill. I'm sure Adam will go on and develop further as a driver from here."
Six rallies after it started, Gould's tenure of the Pirelli Star Driver is over. He says he has learned plenty and is now ready to face the future at the highest level.
"This year has taught me so much," said Adam. "We've got loads of experience of what's needed at this level and an insight into the kind of speed needed to win here. This has put me in a good position to hopefully come back next season and give the British Rally Championship a shot. I have to say a really big thank you to TEG Sport and to Pirelli and to Mark [Higgins]. They have all shown real faith in me through the season and none of what I have learned and achieved would have been possible without them."
