Personal

Name:

Rob Fagg

Age:

* 25

Marital status:

Single

Children:

None

Occupation:

I.T. Support

Place of birth:

Leicester

Country or county where you live:

* Port Erin, Isle of Man

Any other hobbies?

Football, Fitness training

Your opinions

Favourite food:

* Steak pie and chips

Favourite drink:

Carling, Lucozade and Water

Favourite motor sport paper / magazine:

Motorsport News, * Autosport

Favourite sports person (other than rallying):

Juan Pablo Montoya and Eddie Irvine (but for his lifestyle and playboy image more than driving!)

Favourite film star:

Jim Carrey / Cameron Diaz

Favourite holiday destination:

What’s a holiday? * Would like to visit Spain and Australia.

Which TV sports programmes do you watch?

All forms of motorsport, football

Starting out

How did you start out?

Watched the Manx for many years then grabbed the chance with both hands when offered the passenger seat

First driver you sat with: 

Paul Dedman (ex-motorcycle racer)

First event:

2000 Jurby Stages, IOM

Rallying background

Type of licence held:

National A

Which motor club do you belong to?

Druidale Motor Club and Manx Auto Sport

Do you contribute towards your rallying?

Yes, financially and time before and after events. Hoping to reduce financial commitment *(yeah right!).

Have you ever driven on a rally?

* Hoping someone will give me the chance to switch seats soon, just for a one-off.

Did you ever marshal on events? When and where?

Manx International Rally couple of times before I started competing.

How many events do you get to watch? (e.g. per year)

* Not had much time to watch over the last 2 years with competing so much.

How many rallies do you take part in? (e.g. per year)

2002 :- 8
2003 :- 19
* 2004: 20

Have you competed abroad? Where and when?

No, but have crossed a lot of water this year to compete in the UK, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Your opinions (rallying)

Favourite rally car:

Escort Mk II, Subaru Impreza * and Suzuki Ignis

Favourite rally driver:

Petter Solberg, Martin Rowe

Favourite rally co-driver:

Phil Mills

Favourite bit of road or forest:

All the Manx stages

Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?

Pace notes, definitely

Things you dislike about rallying?

* The expense

Who do you think will win the World Rally Championship in 2003?

Hoped Petter would win and he did…. shame Carlos went out so early and Burnsie unable to compete

.. and in 2005?

* Hoping Petter to reclaim the title and for Kris Meeke to win the JWRC. Hope to see Guy Wilks up there challenging again also.

Rallying history

Drivers you have sat with:

Paul Dedman, Matty Carter, George Collister, Colin Shimell, Matthew Bettridge, J.T. Warnock, Tom Metcalfe, Eliot Retallick, Andrew Leece, Jonny Brown, Richard Curphey and Callum Bendall * Tony Simpson, David Craine, Barry Clark and Dougi Hall.

Best driver you have ever sat with? 

* Barry Clark, Dougi Hall and Andrew Leece. All very quick talented drivers at different stages of their careers.

Best result:

1^st Overall – Manx Trophy 2002
* 7th Overall Grizedale Stages 2004 with Dougi Hall

Worst result:

* Retiring from the Manx Trophy this year when competing alongside Andrew Leece. We were so confident of kick-starting our championship challenge and were setting a great pace straight from the off, but towards the end of the second stage while 14 seconds up on our closest rival the clutch gave up.

Championships contested:

Manx Stage Rally Championship 2000 – 2003
Ford Rallye Sport Ka Championship 2003 - 2004
* Kumho Tyres Clubman Championship 2004

Best Championship result:

* Overall Manx Stage Rally Champion Co-driver 2003
Overall Kumho Clubman Champion Co-driver 2004

Best rally memory:

* There have been a few that will stick with me.

1. Standing on the bonnet of the Mk II Escort after winning the 2002 Manx Trophy with George Collister. My first and only rally win.

2. More recent (2004) was the two Kumho Championship victories on the Park Systems and Bulldog Rallies.

3. The first stage of the ROUSH Manx National alongside Barry Clark, one quick lad. Whole event was an enjoyable experience.

4. Grizedale Stages 2004 - my first real experience in a 4WD turbo car (Evo 6) sitting next to Dougi Hall. Great event and finished 7th overall.

Biggest accident:

In 2001 going off backwards into the solid base of a field whilst lying in the top five on the second leg of the CCS Stages, IOM.
* Both seats snapped and it could have been a lot worse than it ended up

Achievements gained from rallying:

Media award 2003 Ka Championship
* Manx Young Competitor of the Year 2004

Your current performance

Your current driver(s) and events or Championships being contested in 2003

Manx Stage Rally Championship with George Collister
Ford Rally Sport Ka Championship with various drivers

... and in 2005?

* George Collister - ANCRO Clubmans Championship
James Wozencroft - BRC Stars of the Future Championship and BTRDA Silkolene 1400

How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?

Improve my personal fitness and map-reading skills

How could you improve your current driver’s performance?

* To spend more time in the car together testing, enabling us to get the best out of both of us and the car.

If you had £50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do? 

* Hire that Suzuki Ignis Super 1600 for James and I to compete on Rally GB. And hopefully have some change towards paying off the other bills.

Your future in rallying

Where would you most like to compete (in the world):

Australia * and Monte Carlo

Which rally would you most like to compete in?

Corsica * (fast tarmac) or Monte Carlo (challenging event)

Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for?

Petter Solberg

Ambition in rallying for the future:

* At the moment, to compete at the top level in Britain in a World Rally Car.

What would you like to put back into rallying?

Pass on the knowledge I have been given to new co-drivers in the sport and work with new young drivers.

The future of rallying

Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend?

Kris Meeke – proved he has got the pace this year, just needs the consistency on JWRC as he had on BRC 

* Andrew Leece - got the talent just needs the money to prove it.

Barry Clark - showed he has the pace last year and with the move to Grp N this year, you should hear a lot more about him.

Which up-and-coming rally co-driver can you recommend?

Well, myself, of course!!    

* There are a number of good up-and-coming co-drivers at present, to name a few:- Holly Robinson, Vicky Johnson, Neil Shanks, Michael Wilkinson, Ian Windress and Richard "Wee Man" Edwards.

What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers?

Never be afraid to ask and enjoy it. * We all had to start at some point and were in the same boat.

posted 18/12/03
updated 3/2/05 (items marked *)