Former World Rally Champion Robert Reid has talked of the opportunity Rally Scotland presents both to British rallying and the country as a whole next year.
The Aberdeen-based event was confirmed with a three-year agreement for a WRC calendar slot from 2027 last month. Reid, who won the 2001 world title alongside Richard Burns, lives and works in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.
“I think the first point has to be congratulations to all involved here,” Reid told DirtFish. “It’s been a long time since we left Wales in 2019 – but the consistent effort and hard work from David Richards and everybody at Motorsport UK has paid dividends.
“And now, right now, I’m just looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to seeing the best drivers and co-drivers in the world here in the British forests again. It’s at the right time of the year and it presents a real opportunity for the sport here in Britain and, of course, for Scotland.
“What’s been really interesting for me is the amount of people and businesses that have contacted me since the announcement. The response has been the same: “Wow, this is incredible. How do we, how do we get involved? How do we go and see it? Where’s it going to be? Will there be hospitality?”
“These are people that are, maybe, Formula 1 fans or go to a couple of races that are now looking to rallying and Rally Scotland.”
Thierry Neuville was among those to sample Scottish conditions when IRC visited in 2011
As well as being a world champion, Reid is a former deputy president of the FIA and has significant business experience, including an elite-level training company.
He added: “I want to use my international influence and relationships in motorsport to help make sure Rally Scotland is seen as more than an event. It is a real opportunity to showcase what Scotland can offer on the world stage, and I would like to see the sport and the wider industry lean into that.
“Beyond the amazing Aberdeenshire stages, there’s so much more with, for example, world-class golf courses, distilleries and, of course, there’s Scotland – which absolutely comes to life with the countryside and the color in the autumn. It’s a fantastic place to be.”
Beyond the commercial aspect, Reid is keen to see a UK-based WRC round become what it was when he was growing through the sport.
“It was the aspirational event,” he said. “You know, you would do your national events, the Scottish championship, but then at the end of the year there was this chance to do our round of the world championship. That was such a big thing and it needs to be again, we need to get that enthusiasm and aspiration back for building towards this end-of-year opportunity for home-based drivers to showcase their talent on the world stage.”
