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Hunters Mid-Seasons Big-Reasons

20.02.2023 - After what has been a stellar WRS campaign so far, British Rally Legend Wynn Hunter caught up with MRC to debrief about how the first half of Season 50 has appeared from the Welshman's rather muddy point of view...

Carrying a 25 point lead into the closing 7 rallies, the 31 year old remained coy about his chances of claiming a 5th WRS Crown, ahead of heated rival Visvaldis Cels, and his own pursuit of a fabulous 5th!

"I dunno... We came out swinging and claimed a stack of early wins, asphalt has been kind to us this season, in contrast to recent seasons where I couldn't match Cels on the grey stuff, I think we have the guys at Hyundai to thank for that! It's a funny one really, I guess Cels is feeling the effects that age has on us all! I was 21 when he hit the scene with a lot more experience, and winning four on the bounce was met with him winning four on the bounce as I hit my late 20's, we are both evenly matched in driving skill, mental skill, rally skill, basically it's as elite as it can get, the main difference I can see is physically, I hit the gym, never skipped leg day, my swans are sick and my abs have got their own postcode, 100/100 fitness takes time, effort, and a sweet hair-do...".

Digressing somewhat from the point, Hunter eventually took his eyes off his own reflection in the window of the plane he took out of Portugal long enough to finish his sentence...

"Look at the remaining rallies, there are more gravel events than asphalt... We should have Germany and Japan locked down, but with trend not on my side, I have to assume Cels will have the edge on the remainder as they're all gravel, even in my own backyard in Rally Wales! I think the title decider will be in Spain, we have a mix of gravel and asphalt stages, it's literally going to be THAT tight that, I think whoever takes Spain will have enough to see it through... Providing he doesn't mix up his tyres again which I totally didn't have anything to do with whatsoever..."

With that, rather suddenly, Hunters career-long co-pilot Ninian Hampshire ducked further behind his copy of The Guardian, and cranked the TV volume to ensure we couldn't ask any more questions...

Which of these two drivers will prevail? Hunter with his 3rd different manufacturer, having already taken titles with Toyota and Ford? Or Cels for his 2nd, after racking them up with MINI in seasons past!