Datts Motorsport

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Stage 8 from the Tour of Epynt

Tour of Epynt Rally 2026 – Full Rally Onboard | Ford Fiesta Rally2 - Dean Grimes Tour of Epynt Rally 2026 | Full Onboard | Ford Fiesta Rally2 | Datt...

Tour of Epynt Rally – Day Two Round-Up

After the frustrations of day one, the objective for Sunday was simple – drive smoothly, apply everything we had learnt from the opening day, avoid unnecessary risks and, above all, bring the car home.

Following the problems on Saturday, including losing almost five minutes after damaging a wheel, we were reseeded overnight from Car 28 to 79th on the road. That meant there was a long way back if we were going to recover any positions.

With overnight rain making tyre choice critical, we opted for Michelin soft compound tyres for Stage 5, and it proved to be the right decision. A clean and controlled run immediately saw us climb from 79th to 70th overall.

Stage 6 was a repeat of the previous test and, with confidence continuing to grow, another solid performance moved us further up the leaderboard to 57th overall.

Although we were steadily recovering the time lost on day one, it quickly became clear just how much of an advantage the local crews have around the Epynt military ranges. Their knowledge of the blind crests and fast flowing roads makes finding significant chunks of time incredibly difficult, but we continued to chip away at the deficit.

As Stage 7 approached, the rain began to fall and we switched onto medium compound tyres. Initially we questioned whether we had made the right choice, so we eased ourselves into the stage to assess the grip levels. As confidence grew, so did our pace, and the tyres worked far better than expected. Another strong stage lifted us from 57th to 46th overall.

Going into the final stage of the rally, the priority was simply to get to the finish without any drama. However, once we settled into the rhythm of the stage, confidence took over and we gradually increased the pace. It turned into our fastest stage of the entire weekend and was enough to move us up another eight places to finish an impressive 38th overall.

Considering we lost almost five minutes on Saturday after damaging a wheel, recovering from 79th on the road to finish 38th overall is something we can be proud of. More importantly, we leave Epynt with valuable experience, greater confidence in our pace notes and another rally completed in the Ford Fiesta Rally2.

A huge thank you goes to our service crew, whose hard work kept the car in perfect condition throughout the weekend, to our partners for their continued support, and to Osian Pryce, whose coaching has undoubtedly helped us improve both our confidence and pace.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has followed our progress throughout the weekend. Your messages and support are hugely appreciated.

We’ll be back soon with more updates as preparations begin for the next event.

Datts Motorsport Partners:

* DG Construction Group
* DG Charging
* Exposure Lights
* Memories in Motion

Datts Motorsport Ready for Tough Tour of Epynt Challenge

Datts Motorsport returns to the iconic Tour of Epynt this weekend as driver Dean Grimes and co-driver Martin Corbett prepare to tackle one of the UK’s most demanding sealed-surface rallies.

This year’s event marks the team’s second appearance on the famous military ranges, with the aim of improving on last year’s finishing result. However, with an exceptionally competitive entry list featuring many experienced Epynt specialists and local crews, the team knows that every second will count.

Starting as Car 28, Dean and Martin will face two days of challenging competition, with the rally beginning in Llandovery on Saturday before crews tackle four demanding stages. The remaining stages will be completed on Sunday, providing competitors with a true test of speed, precision and consistency across the unique roads of the Epynt ranges.

The event is another important step in Dean’s return to competitive rallying following eight months away from the sport after undergoing spinal surgery. Having made a successful return earlier this season, the focus this weekend remains on building confidence, gaining valuable experience and bringing the Fiesta Rally2 home with another strong finish.

Dean Grimes said:

“We’re really looking forward to getting back to Epynt. It’s a fantastic event with some of the best tarmac stages in the country, but we also know just how difficult it is. There are a lot of drivers in the field who know these roads incredibly well, so we’re under no illusions about the challenge ahead.

“After eight months out following my spinal surgery, every event is another opportunity to rebuild confidence and improve. We’d love to better last year’s result, but our priority is to have a clean, consistent run and bring the car home while continuing to build momentum.”

The team would like to thank its partners and supporters whose continued backing makes the season possible.

Follow the Action Live

Fans can follow the rally throughout the weekend via YouTube or Facebook by searching “Special Stage Rally Video”, where live stage coverage and updates will be available across both days of competition.

Everyone at Datts Motorsport is looking forward to another exciting weekend of rallying and wishes all competitors, officials and volunteers a safe and successful event.