Rally of Great Britain : Arai Crowned Champion on Wales Rally GB

Arai Crowned Champion on Wales Rally GB

1 December 2007, 10:04 am

Arai Crowned Champion on Wales Rally GB

Japan’s Toshi Arai has been crowned winner of the Production Car World Rally Championship, after chief title rival Gabriel Pozzo was forced to pull-out of Wales Rally GB.

Arai, who drives a Subaru Impreza WRX, is not entered on Wales Rally GB as he has already contested his allocation of points-scoring events.

Instead, he has been watching the action from the sidelines to see if Argentine Pozzo, his only remaining title rival, would overhaul his points total.

But with Mitsubishi driver Pozzo now out of the event, Arai’s points total of 39 is unassailable.

The 41-year-old Japanese driver was also PWRC champion in 2005.

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.