Jason Pritchard will contest this Sunday’s Hills Ford Three Shires Stages Rally in his North Road Garage Ford Fiesta S2000.

It is the first time that the double Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally champion has driven the car in competition for over two years.

The Builth Wells rally star got his 2021 campaign off to a flying start on last weekend’s The Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally, finishing second in his Focus WRC05.

For the second round, Pritchard has decided to wheel out his Fiesta S2000 for the first time since the 2019 Rally van Wervik.

He and co-driver Phil Clarke were the top Protyre Asphalt crew in Belgium after the first loop of stages, highlighting what a quick – not to mention great sounding – car it is on narrow single track lanes.

“I love driving the S2000. It’s been sitting in the workshop gathering dust for so long that I thought it’s about time I used it again,” said Pritchard.

“It’s still in its original FIA S2000 spec, so we won’t be able to keep up with the more modern and powerful R5 plus cars. I’m not going to get flustered when I see the stage times – that’s not the point of this weekend. I want to go and enjoy driving the S2000 down the lanes. It certainly makes all the right noises and I’m sure it will put a smile on my face, as well as those of the spectators.”

It will be Melvyn Evans and Mark Glennerster who start this Sunday’s event as Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship leaders, after a stunning win on Epynt in their Škoda Fabia R5+.