Wales Rally GB : Harry Potter star and top British pilots to descend upon Cardiff this weekend

Harry Potter star and top British pilots to descend upon Cardiff this weekend

Rally of Great Britain

www.worldrallypics.com

20 October 2009, 3:56 pm

This weekend's Rally of Great Britain has attracted some of the top names in entertainment to the brand new, free-to-enter Service Park in Cardiff Bay. Harry Potter fans will be delighted to hear that Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley in the films, will make an appearance and the spectacular Red Bull Matadors - the world famous flying display team - will be there to wow fans. Rally GB starts on Thursday 22 and runs until Sunday 25 October.

Rupert Grint will be dropping into the Rally GB Service Park this Sunday (25 October). Rupert, 21, is a huge fan of rallying and will no doubt be hoping to catch the crowning of the World Rally Champion at the ceremonial finish in the afternoon. Fans and media who want to catch a glimpse of the star should make sure they are in the manufacturer's area of the Service Park, in Cardiff Bay at 2.15pm.

Also zooming into view will be the award-winning Red Bull Matadors - the world famous flying display team who will be filling the skies above the Service Park on Saturday at 2:30pm. The dynamic team features two of Britain's best pilots - Paul Bonhomme and Steve Jones - and the duo have scooped numerous awards for their highly-skilled, yet daring routines.

"This year's Rally GB Service Park is set to provide incredible access to all the action of the rally, as well as one of the best line-ups of entertainment we've ever been able to offer, all for no cost to fans," explained Andrew Coe, chief executive of event organiser, International Motor Sports Ltd.

The Service Park is free to enter for all visitors and has a full programme of entertainment, food and up to the minute rally action, as well as autograph signings and much more. The Supporter's Village, where fans can gather for full-on entertainment and attractions, is located in Roald Dahl Plass, directly in front of Wales Millennium Centre - this year's Rally Headquarters, and is easily accessible from Cardiff city centre by train, bus or on foot. For more information on the Service Park and the other stages go to: www.rallygb.org. A full timetable of entertainment taking place in the Roald Dahl Plass is listed below.

ENDS

For more information please contact Felicity Hodges or Zoe Liberty on 01926 776900 or email felicityh@provapr.co.uk.

Throughout the duration of the event any media looking for information on local crews or a regular flow of information on any of the teams taking part in the Rally of Great Britain should call National Press Officer, John Horton on 02920 636424

Notes to editors:

Service Park timetable:

Thursday
11:00 Trade area opens to public
16:50-17:10 Samba Galez
17:15-17:45 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
17:45-18:45 Autograph Signing Session
18:00-18:20 Samba Galez
18:45-19:00 Samba Galez
19:00 Ceremonial Start
21:00 Trade area closes to public

Friday
11:00 Trade area opens to public
13:00-13:30 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
17:30-18:00 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
18:10 Rally cars arrive for service
End of day press conference on WRC stage
19:30-20:00 WRC Crash DVD
20:00 Firework display
21:00 Trade area closes to public

Saturday
11:00 Trade area opens to public
12:30:13:00 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
13:18 Rally cars arrive for service
14:30 Red Bull Matadors air display (subject to weather)
15:00-15:30 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
16:00 Film - The Italian Job
18:30-19:00 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
19:27 Rally cars arrive for service
End of day press conference on WRC stage
21:00 Trade area closes to public

Sunday
11:00 Trade area opens to public
11:00-11:30 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
12:00-12:30 Paul Swift Precision Driving Courtesy of Ford
13:53 Rally cars arrive for service
14:35 Ceremonial Finish
15:00 Trade area closes to public

Rally of Great Britain:

Copyright-free images from last year's event can be downloaded from www.worldrallypics.com/walesrallygb
Since its inception in 1932 the rally has been run 64 times; this year's event will be the 65th edition. Enforced stoppages have included World War 2, Suez Crisis (1957) and Foot and Mouth (1967).
Rally of Great Britain is the British and final round of this year's 12-round FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). To date, it is one of only two events (along with Finland) to have retained its status as both a qualifying and scoring round of the WRC since the championship was established in 1973.
October's Rally of Great Britain is the eighth and final round of the FIA Production World Rally Championship and the sixth and final round of the Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy International.
Rally of Great Britain is held annually and is organised and promoted by International Motor Sports Ltd (IMS), the commercial arm of the Berkshire-based Motor Sports Association, the governing body of motor sport in the UK.

Sebastien Loeb has won Rallye Monte-Carlo for a sixth time following a dominant performance behind the wheel of the Citroen DS3 WRC he shares with Monegasque co-driver Daniel Elena.

Of the 74 starters who began Wales Rally GB in Llandudno on Thursday 10th November, 40 were classified at the end of the four-day,1860 kms rally which featured 23 timed special stages as it wound its way from the North coast to the ceremonial finish in Cardiff.

As this year's Wales Rally GB - the final and deciding round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship - draws to a close, Business Minister, Edwina Hart has announced a funding package of £1.4 million for the 2012 event.

Useful Contacts

Welsh Government

World Rally Championship

Information on Cardiff

Conwy and Llandudno

Further Information

Audience Statistics