|
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
Exclusive Interview
with Top British Co-driver
Neil Bye
 Neil
will be co-driving for Ian Winstanley in the 205 Challenge in
2005 |
| Personal | |
| Name: | Neil Bye |
| Age: | 35 |
| Marital status: | Married to Abigail |
| Children: | Liam born Dec 03 |
| Occupation: | Optician |
| Place of birth: | Morecambe |
| Country or county where you live: | People's Republic of Lancashire |
| Does your spouse / partner like rallying? | Yes, within reason. She competes herself and won the Fellsman Historic Tour, just as long as she doesn't lose a night's sleep and doesn't have to be driven too fast! |
| Any other hobbies? | Sleeping, Smoking, t'internet, Playstation, Slobbing about in general (wasting time really) |
| Your opinions | |
| Favourite food: | Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimps - T Bone Steak - Profiteroles |
| Favourite drink: | Cider or Chablis or Tea depending on mood |
| Favourite motor sport paper / magazine: | Motoring News & Autocourse F1 annual |
| Favourite sports person (other than rallying): | Gilles Villeneuve because 'give up' just wasn't in his vocabulary & Liam Brady (greatest midfielder the world has ever known). |
| Favourite film star: | Clint Eastwood |
| Favourite holiday destination: | Italy |
| Which TV sports programmes do you watch? | Grand Prix, WRC, Football and They Think It's All Over |
| Starting out | |
| How did you start out? | My dad was a successful event organiser, road and stage co-driver so have been around rallies all my life and I'd always been speed mad. Started as a road rally driver and managed to persuade my then-girlfriend Abigail to navigate. Enjoyed 11 successful years as a driver before jumping in to the silly seat. |
| First driver you sat with: | Bill Chadwick, Astra 16v |
| First event: | Flookburgh (ERO Femme Fatale Stage Rally - run wholly by female organising crew). |
| Rallying background | |
| Type of licence held: | Nat A Co-driver & Nat B driver |
| Which motor club do you belong to? | Bolton
Le Moors Car Club
www.bolton-le-moorscarclub.co.uk |
| Do you contribute towards your rallying? | Yes and No, contribute when doing a full championship, but try and avoid it for one-offs. |
| Have you ever driven on a rally? | Yes, successfully on road rallies, intending to get back out in 2005. |
| Did you ever marshal on events? When and where? | Yes, last time was in Gisburne Forest on the inaugural Roger Albert Clark Rally. |
| How many events do you get to watch? (e.g. per year) | None really. If I'm not doing the event or marshalling then I'll be at work; can't afford to take time off just to spectate |
| How many rallies do you take part in? (e.g. per year) | Due to home and work commitments would struggle to get in more than 12 a year. I also organize a road rally every year. |
| Have you competed abroad? Where and when? | Is Scotland abroad? Scottish and Mull |
| Your opinions (rallying) | |
| Favourite rally car: | Old
- Opel Kadette New - 306 Maxi |
| Favourite rally driver: | Dave Metcalfe - gone but will never be forgotten |
| Favourite rally co-driver: | My dad, Stephen Bye |
| Favourite bit of road or forest: | Forest -
Dalby Tarmac - Calgary Bay |
| Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events? | Maps, probably, as I feel that is more my own work, rather than reading somebody else's notes. |
| Things you dislike about rallying? | That so many events are on a Saturday when I'm expected to be at work. |
| Who do you think will win the World Rally Championship in 2005? | Seb Loeb, I think he's going to re-write the record books |
| Rallying history | |
| Drivers you have sat with: | Bill Chadwick, Ian Winstanley, Glen Farley, Alistair Willis, Jim MacDiarmid, Roger Binyon, Graham Middleton (test day) |
| Best driver you have ever sat with? | Ian Winstanley |
| Best result: | The one I'm probably proudest of was as a driver - finished 2nd on a Mini Miglia road rally with a quality entry, and felt more chuffed than subsequent wins. As a co-driver - winning the first two round of the 205 Challenge. |
| Worst result: | Puncture on 2003 Swansea Bay - effectively cost us the championship |
| Championships contested: | 205 Challenge & ANWCC |
| Best Championship result: | Winning 205 Challenge in 2002 (but the big prize was for fastest stage times which we didn't win) |
| Best rally memory: | Running as car 1 at Dalby 2003 |
| Strangest incident on a rally: | Final stage at Binbrook, the heavens opened, many crews dashed back to change tyres and settings. We remained on the start line and set the 3rd fastest time overall - beating many a Scooby, 6R4, Cossie in a Grp N 205 1.6 !! |
| Biggest accident: | 2002 Premier (Clipstone), triple roll at 110mph. Ouch!! Not at all enjoyable. |
| Achievements gained from rallying: | Lots and lots of shiny trophies that Abigail hates with a passion. |
| Your current performance | |
| Your current driver(s) and events or Championships contested in 2004 | Had a bit of a year off in 2004 to get wed and spend time with baby Liam, but still managed to take in some 205, Scottish, ANCC and ANWCC rounds. |
| And plans for 2005? | 205 Challenge with Ian Winstanley |
| How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance? | Not get as wound up prior to the first stage and generally lighten up a bit. |
| How could you improve your current driver’s performance? | By being as on the ball as I can be so if the driver asks a question I have an instant and correct answer, rather than having to find the answer on event paperwork. |
| If you had £50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do? | Hire a whizz-bang motor and go and do a few big tarmac event like the Jim Clark or Ulster. If I could add too perhaps go and do one of the higher profile single-make championships. |
| Your future in rallying | |
| Where would you most like to compete (in the world): | Finland |
| Which rally would you most like to compete in? | 1000 Lakes |
| Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for? | Dave Metcalfe |
| Ambition in rallying for the future: | To do as well as I can and most of all enjoy myself |
| What would you like to put back into rallying? | I try and help less experienced rally folk where I can, as experienced people have done with me in the past |
| The future of rallying | |
| Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend? | Chris Davies, Paul Todd and Tom Curtis |
| Which up-and-coming rally co-driver can you recommend? | Iestyn Ap Dafydd |
| What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers? | If in doubt ask; there are no such things as daft questions. |
| Any other comments? | Feel honoured to have been nominated to appear alongside such illustrious names. |
| Published 25/2/05 | |
| Return to Top Co-drivers for even more exclusive interviews |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
A
rally / rallye sport / rally racing motorsport website - international
rally information, rally co-driver interviews, rally car
sales & rally
car rentals |
|||||||
Kielder Computers Ltd. 25 High Street, New Whittington, Chesterfield,
Derbyshire S43 2DX, UK. Copyright © 2007 Kielder Computers Ltd. All rights reserved. Contact Kielder Computers Ltd with your enquiries. terms of use | terms of trade | card security | privacy policy |
|||||||
