Young Scot Fraser Anderson will compete in the 2021 British Rally Championship Academy Trophy aiming to take home the £6,000 prize fund awarded to the champion, so he can attempt to enter the Junior British Rally Championship in 2022.
The eighteen-year old will enter the series in a Ford Fiesta R2T, with backing from Baxter and Gillespie as well as support from two-time British champion Matt Edwards. This will be the first time that Anderson tackles a mixed surface championship, after making the step up from the Junior 1000 Ecosse Challenge and entering a handful of gravel events in 2020.
Speaking to the BRC’s official website, Anderson said the British championship was always his plan.
“I always planned to do the British Rally Championship. It’s been on my radar pretty much most of my career and although the Junior BRC was really the goal, when I saw the BRC Academy Trophy I thought it would be a better proposition and offer realistic competition in a season like this.”
After problematic 2019 season in a Citroen C1, Anderson was offered a test in a Fiesta R2 by Matt Edwards – a situation that let to the current arrangement in place between the pair.
“It was an amazing opportunity and I really felt at home in the Fiesta, much more than the Citroen. Matt was impressed with my driving and offered to run the car for me and that started the relationship with him really.”
After showing impressive pace on his gravel debut on the 2020 Cambrian Rally with a fastest R2 stage time on only his second stage in the car on gravel, a mid year upgrade to the Fiesta R2T allowed Anderson to show further pace, almost upsetting Elliott Payne on the Rali Adfer Coedwigoedd Cymru test event,who was in the in the more powerful Fiesta Rally4.
Despite tackling the season in the older model, he can’t wait to get the season started.
“I can’t wait to get going in the Academy, it will be great to have a fair crack at a championship. I`ll certainly be looking at getting near to the pace of the Juniors and I`m confident that making my own pace notes will help. I did struggle with the way organisers route notes are made. Oulton Park is a good start as I have circuit experience from the Juniors. But I need to get the rust off first as it’s been a long time away from asphalt and Oulton Park will be a kind introduction to the series, to be honest. The Nicky Grist will be where the pace will finally begin to show. I’m looking forward to that for sure”.
