Personal

Name:

Shaun O’Gorman 

Age:

35 years 

Marital status:

** Married (YES - gone and done it!)

Children:

Working on it! 

Occupation:

Owner of motorsport fabrication company 

Place of birth: 

Aberystwyth

Country or county where you live:

Newtown, Powys 

Does your spouse / partner like rallying?

Yes, loves it 

Any other hobbies?

Mountain biking 

Your opinions

Favourite food:

Cantonese 

Favourite drink:

A good pint of Tetley's bitter 

Favourite motorsport paper / magazine:

Rally XS  

Favourite sports person (other than rallying):

George Best 

Favourite film star:

Meg Ryan …. A BABE!

Favourite holiday destination:

What’s a holiday? 

Which TV sports programmes do you watch?

Eurosport 

Starting out

How did you start out?

Following Dad’s footsteps, watching rallying since I could walk.

Started with 12 car events in local motor club 

First driver you sat with: 

Andrew ‘chief’ Williams

First event:

Holrus Road Rally 1984 

Rallying background

Type of licence held:

International 

Which motor club do you belong to?

Dovey Valley motor club  

Do you contribute towards your rallying?

Not financially but in other ways

Have you ever driven on a rally?

Yes, but only on navigation runs (12 car) 

Did you ever marshal on events?  When and where?

Yes, and have organised events. Llanidloes motor club events i.e. stage and road rallies !! yes Llani had a club!

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

As many as I can , but this year none as yet 

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

10 – 15 a year approx 

Have you competed abroad? Where and when?

Yes many a time. Since 1995 competing in Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg, Ireland 

Your opinions (rallying)

Favourite rally car:

Lancia Delta s4 – advanced technology of that era 

Favourite rally driver:

Henri Toivonen  - sheer speed and car control ‘ a master of the Sport’

Favourite rally co-driver:

Haven’t really got one!  All WRC manufacturer co-drivers.

Favourite bit of road or forest:

Enjoy them all – but that’s what rallying’s about! 

Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?

Map- reading 

Things you dislike about rallying?

Politics!! Mickey-mouse stages! 

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

One of the top 3 drivers at current championship standings

Rallying history

Drivers you have sat with:

Mark and David Higgins, Colin Bound, Geoff Jones, Paul Griffiths, Ian Gwynne, Dave Weston, Wynne  Pickersgill, Martin Healer, Julian Reynolds, Martin Evans, ‘Mad’ Mick Jones, Andy Miers, ** Gareth Jones and James Wosencroft to name but a few.  

Best driver you have ever sat with? 

Can’t answer that one – look at the list above!!!

Best result:

Can’t choose one, had many good results over the years 

Worst result:

Had a few but never finished last 

Championships contested:

British , Welsh Clubman and Welsh National, Welsh road rally , BTRDA, Peugeot, Mintex National 

Best Championship result:

British Championship Group N amateur Cup1988 

2001 race& rally.com BTRDA 1400 champions

Best rally memory:

Being asked to co-drive for works Peugeot team 

Strangest incident on a rally:

Never had one yet! 

Biggest accident:

With David Higgins in works Peugeot , but had a few over the years 

Achievements gained from rallying:

Mainly friendship!   

Your current performance

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

Due to setting up my own business this year, I haven’t competed as much I’d like

How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?

To carry on competing at the highest level I can   

How could you improve your current driver’s performance?

Can’t answer that one 

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

I would put the money towards improving safety, and buying up-to-date equipment to be used by rescue teams, and the training of marshalls who we cannot do without.

Your future in rallying

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

Already achieved that – FINLAND! The character of the rally in a beautiful country!

Which rally would you most like to compete in? 

Sweden – fast and furious!

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

If he was alive today – the late great Roger Clark! 

Ambition in rallying for the future:

To keep doing what I love best 

What would you like to put back into rallying?

To encourage the best to get to the top through their own skills!  

The future of rallying

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

There is a lot of potential out there, too many to name!  

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

See above! 

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

To be prepared before a rally, keep a cool head and remember it’s the taking part that counts!