NEWS RELEASE: 9 SEPTEMBER 2014

RALLY ACE BARRABLE TO RACE AT DONINGTON

Rally star Robert Barrable is to contest this weekend’s final rounds of the Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup at the wheel of the THM Racing team’s Golf GTI.

Fresh from contesting the Czech round of the FIA European Rally Championship, Barrable says he is looking forward to returning to circuit racing: “I’m absolutely delighted to have taken the seat for THM Racing at Donington Park, they are a fantastic outfit. It’s going to be totally different but not alien to me to be back on the track, as I did a Formula Ford race in May.

“The Volkswagen Racing Cup is notoriously competitive and has a huge field; it’s real head-to-head racing, congested and not for the faint-hearted, and it’s going to be very exciting to be in the thick of it all. The whole team is fully behind me and I’m aiming to bring us all home a result.”

Said Steve Parkinson, THM Racing director: “Securing Robert for Donington is a huge boost for us. His pedigree speaks for itself and, in driving terms, we couldn’t have asked for more. Robert’s determination, skill and technical knowledge will be welcomed by the team. We had an incredible weekend at Brands and thanks to Chris Knox and the team for bringing home an excellent result. Robert will help us build upon that, the team are tremendously excited at the news.”

Robert started his motorsport car in his native Ireland in circuit racing – firstly in karts, before turning to single-seaters in Formula Ford and then saloon car racing with a season in the Ford Fiesta Trophy. He switched to rallying in 2010, and quickly began to follow in the footsteps of his father Michael by becoming a force to be reckoned with. Only a year after entering his first rally, Robert was crowned British and Irish Citroën C2 R2 champion.

Robert stepped up to S2000 machinery for 2011, contesting selected Irish, British and international events in an ex-works ŠKODA Fabia S2000. And in 2012 he contested selected rounds of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in a ŠKODA Ireland-backed Fabia S2000, finishing 6th on the high-speed Circuit of Ireland Rally. Robert made his FIA World Rally Championship debut in 2013.