Quentin Gilbert will make his first appearance in the World Rally Championship in a WRC car this weekend when he tackles the penultimate round of the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship at the 2016 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB for the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team.
The Frenchman has an impressive CV to date and will be using the weekend to gain valuable experience at this level in the sport. Gilbert completed a test with the team on Monday ahead of the event alongside Stéphane Lefebvre.
The Frenchman was crowned the 2015 Junior World Rally Champion last year and has impressed in this season’s WRC2 Championship where he is currently placed 11th in the Standings. Gilbert has competed three times here in the past, taking second in the JWRC here last year.
“On my side, I have been preparing by stepping up my physical training and working on on-board camera footage.
“I’m trying to take on board as much information as possible so I can be in my element at the start. As regards my objectives for the weekend, I know that I can’t compete with the drivers who have been racing in the WRC all season.
“The most important thing for me is to improve on the stages as the rally progresses to reduce the gap to the leaders by the end.”
The 2016 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB will see teams and crews cover a total distance of 330.21 kilometres, spread over 22 stages. The action kicks off on Friday’s stages, which comprises over half of the total distance, with a staggering 178km of punishing gravel stages to cover over Day 1 of the event.
