After securing the 2016 British Rally Championship Production class in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, Matt Edwards and his Ross-on-Wye co-driver, Will Rogers, will finish the final two rounds of the BRC in a M-Sport built Ford Fiesta R5. This follows them striking a deal with M-Sport, DMACK tyres and, long term sponsor Swift Group, before a full attack on the series in 2017, Paul Willets reports, for the Ross Gazette.

Edwards said:?“I’ve put everything into my rallying for so many years, and I haven’t achieved what I wanted to, but now I’ve got some top class machinery, I will find out if I can cut it with the best.”

He added that he is very grateful to Peter Smith and the Swift Group for giving him, and Will, this opportunity.

The final rounds of the series will take them to the narrow, bumpy lanes of Ulster, before another closed road event, a trip across the sea to Douglas in the Isle of Man for the fast roads.

Peter Smith is a regular National Rally competitor and Chairman of the Swift Group, his son Guy won the 2003 Le Mans. He said: “Matt puts everything in to his rallying, working long hours into the night, which is not always easy with a young family to support, to prepare his own car, and I think he’ll do well, that’s why the Swift Group want to help him progress.”

The Swift group have a long association with rallying dating back to the 1970s, both Smith and multiple Motoring News Road Rally Champion, Ron Beecroft, carry the Swift logo on their cars.

For Rogers, this is where he wants to be, after many years of as co-driver on National Rallies with a series of drivers.

Will Rogers said:?“Its been great to do the BRC with Matt this year and compete against the likes of Elfyn Evans, Tom Cave, David Bogie and Fredrik Ahlin. When you look at the history of the series, and the great names and stars it has produced, I am really looking forward to both Ulster and Manx in the R5 car.”

There is no doubt Edwards has served his apprenticeship, starting out in a Vauxhall Astra in 2004, he has had to compete on a limited budget on mostly secondhand tyres, and scraped deals together driving a variety of cars, but his talent has always shone through time and time again in whatever he has driven. Finally, after teaming up with Rogers, people have got behind him, the duo work well together, and given time there is no doubt Edwards will deliver results, through talent, sheer determination and the guts to succeed.