Phil, from Newtown, mid-Wales, has won WRGB four times – each time navigating for Petter Solberg in a works Subaru Impreza. His first victory in 2002 was also his first World Rally win, and victory in 2003 gave the pair their first World title – so Phil’s home rally has always held a special place in his heart; not least because of the tremendous support he annually receives from the fans.

“Rheola is probably our favourite stage of Wales Rally GB,” says Phil. “We have been fastest in this stage for the previous three years and it is a pure commitment stage – mainly downhill and it is all about braking in exactly the correct place to get a good time. Rheola is another long and challenging test and there are plenty of places to catch you out. Rheola contains Walters Arena – one of, if not the, best places to watch anywhere on Wales Rally GB. 

“The start is very fast uphill with some very narrow places between earth banks, then fast downhill with very tricky junctions especially Marcus Gronholm’s junction where he slipped off in his Peugeot 206 in 2001. Then uphill and to the highest part of the stage where if there is any fog around, this is where it will be! The downhill section is on black pit waste and very slippy into Walters Arena.  There is a very fast downhill approach, over a small jump and down to a 90 degree left hand bend with the lake straight in front of you. We always treat that left hander very carefully because we don’t want to get on first name terms with the rescue divers who are in the lake.

“After you’ve gone around that left hander you can really enjoy the rest of the arena, as there are some really nice flowing bends where the car gets sideways and a couple of good jumps where all four wheels are well off the ground. The atmosphere in Walters Arena is fantastic because there is always a massive crowd of spectators and you can hear the air horns from inside the car and see all the Welsh flags flying.

“After Walters Arena, there is a tricky downhill section, with some old broken tarmac sections through some muddy hairpins, to the finish on a slippy left hand bend on tarmac! It’s quite a special place.”