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Exclusive Interview with
Top British International Co-driver
Fred Gallagher
FRED
GALLAGHER
a most TOP British co-driver.
This man needs no introduction -
Fred has sat alongside some of the greatest names
in rallying and is one of the most respected names in the sport.
LATEST NEWS
Fred sent us this email 20/12/00
The site is as interesting as ever.
I'm off next Wednesday to Paris for the start of the Dakar at 07.45 on
the
first of January - not a good time to start a rally.
Look out for us on
Eurosport - car 203.
Regards,
Fred
20/12/00
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PREVIOUS
NEWS
Fred sent us this email 1/11/00 |
Site
great as ever -
update for me - off to Dubai tomorrow for UAE Desert Challenge last round
of FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies. Won last one in Argentina -
final prep for Dakar.
Sorry to miss Oz but hope all equal for Net Q where I'll be Clerk of the
Course and have to listen to all their moans!
Regards,
Fred
1/11/00
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PREVIOUS
NEWS
We spoke with Fred at lunchtime 26th July
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| Fred
and Kenjiro Shinozuka finished 4th
overall last weekend on a Rally Raid based in Portugal. They suffered
two punctures - our poor Fred had to get out and get his hands mucky changing
the wheels!
Fred has been brushing up on his Japanese and Kenjiro
has been brushing up on his English!
Their next event is in Argentina in September and they
will be competing on the most famous Rally Raid of them all, the Paris-Dakar
rally in January 2001.
Meanwhile, Fred is off to Finland to work for Ford as
part of their Media team for the World Championship round.
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Personal
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Name:
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FRED GALLAGHER
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Age:
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48 |
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Marital status:
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Married |
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Children:
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None |
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Occupation:
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Co-driver / Event organiser / Press and
PR |
| Place of birth: |
Belfast |
| Country or county where you live: |
Ross-shire, Scotland |
| Does your spouse/partner like rallying? |
No |
| Any other hobbies? |
Collecting books, boating |
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Your opinions
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Favourite food:
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Nearly anything prepared and cooked well |
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Favourite drink:
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Red wine |
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Favourite motorsport paper / magazine:
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Motor Sport |
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Favourite sports
person (other than rallying):
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I'm not really into watching other sports
but Colin Montgomerie always has my support in a major Golf tournament |
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Favourite holiday destination:
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Kenya |
| Which TV sports programmes do you watch? |
None |
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Starting out
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How did you start out?
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At 17, with a guy from Belfast in a Cortina
GT - we were passed by an exiting spectator on one stage! |
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First driver you sat with:
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Raymond McKnight |
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First event:
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Something in the Mourne Mountains - don't
remember the name |
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Rallying background
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Type of licence held:
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International
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Which motor club do you belong to?
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HRCR, HERO |
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Do you contribute towards your rallying?
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No |
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Have you ever driven on a rally?
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No |
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Did you ever marshal on events? When and where?
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yes - Le Jog |
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How many events do you get to watch? (eg. per year)
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None, although go to 12 WRCs working |
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How many rallies do you take part in? (eg. per year)
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Last year 13 - this year 3?? |
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Have you competed abroad? Where and when?
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Yes, since 1977. Here goes:
Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Belarus, Cameroon,
Canada, Central Africa Republic, Chad, China, Congo, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece,
Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Namibia, New Zealand, Niger, Oman, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Russia, San Marino, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia,
Turkmenistan, UAE, UK, USA, Uzbekistan
- you get around with rally raids! |
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Your opinions on rallying
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Favourite rally car:
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Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo |
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Favourite rally driver:
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Bjorn Waldegaard |
| Favourite rally co-driver: |
Me! - although I have
to admit Robert Reid seems exceptionally good |
| Favourite bit of road or
forest: |
The last straight in any
600km stage on Paris Dakar |
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Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?
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Both |
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Who do you think will win this year's World Rally Championship?
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Richard Burns and Robert
Reid |
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Rallying history
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Drivers you have sat with:
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John Haugland, Tony Pond,
Simo Lampinen, Henri Toivonen, Juha Kankkunen, Bjorn Waldegaard, Mats
Jonsson, Timo Salonen, Ari Vatanen, Phillippe Wambergue, Thomas Radstrom,
Petter Solberg, Simon Jean Joseph and, after July 21st, Kenjiro Shinozuka |
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Best driver you have ever sat with?
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I daren't say! |
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Best result:
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3 Safari wins 1985, 1986,
1990 |
| Worst result: |
Lots of early road rallies
when I got lost - Irish maps were not too good in those days. |
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Championships contested:
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WRC 1981 - 1991
FIA Rally Raid 1991 - 1997
WRC 1999 |
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Best Championship result:
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1st FIA 1997 Rally Raid |
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Best rally memory:
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The first Safari win |
| Strangest incident on a
rally: |
Clocking out at a TC in
N'djamena Airport as the local staff were fleeing. Rebel guerrillas
were advancing on the city! They cancelled the stage but we still
drove it as a liaison! |
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Biggest accident:
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Galway 1979 with Derek Boyd
- 6 weeks in hospital |
| Achievements gained from
rallying: |
Life-long friendships.
Travelling and experiencing different cultures, and immense personal
satisfaction |
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Your current performance
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How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?
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Learn Japanese |
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How could you improve your current driver’s performance?
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Help him improve his English!
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| If you had £50,000 to spend
on rallying, what would you do? |
Go to the bookies and put
a bet on Petter Solberg to win the WRC within the next ten years.
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Your future in rallying
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Where would you most like to compete (in the world):
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South America |
| Which rally would you most
like to compete in? |
I've been lucky enough to
do them all |
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Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for?
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I wouldn't mind a go with
Richard Burns |
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Ambition in rallying for the future:
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Win the Dakar |
| What would you like to put
back into rallying? |
As much as possible |
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The future of rallying
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Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend?
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Solberg, Laukkanen |
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Which up-and-coming rally
co-driver can you recommend?
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Difficult to say |
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What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers?
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Compete as often as you
can and learn from your mistakes |
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