Osian Pryce gave the VR4K Oreca FIA R4-spec car a dream world competition debut by scoring an incredible three fastest stage wins and finishing second overall on the Rallye Ciudad de Granada.

The Aberangell rally star and co-driver Dale Furniss of Llanfyllin took on more powerful R5 and other four wheel drive cars in the Barcelona based ASM Motorsport prepared Etios R4 on the Spanish Gravel Rally Championship round.

Having successfully completed Friday night’s one kilometre asphalt stage around the streets of Granada, Saturday’s eight stages were all on gravel with a further 93.44kms divided into three separate stages.

Pryce overcame the gravel stage third fastest before superior handling saw him attain three top times on stage four, seven and nine.

As the stages dried and the pace of the event increased with Pryce holding onto second place, 52.5 seconds behind the Škoda Fabia R5 of Xevi Pons and Rodrigo Sanjuan.

Pryce said: “I really enjoyed driving the R4-spec car, and from a performance and results point of view I couldn’t have asked for any more.

“We only did three runs over the shakedown stage, but straight away the car felt good and easy to drive and we made no changes whatsoever before the start.

“We were a little cautious over the first gravel stage, it was damp and we knew we had a job to do, but we still set the third fastest time.

“ It dried out after that, and some of the stages had very long straights where power was a big advantage, but where we lost out in outright speed the R4 car we gained in the tight and twisty sections.

“One gravel stage in particular suited the R4 car, and we were able to set fastest time every time it was run, which we were very pleased with.

“The R4 car ran faultlessly, we set consistently good times and came away with second overall, which everyone was very pleased with.

Pryce spoke of his pride having played his part in history and hoped to compete in the car again in the future.

“I’d really like to thank ASM Motorsport and Oreca for giving me this opportunity to drive the R4 car in Spain.

“We made rally history together by giving the R4-spec car its world competition debut, and I’d certainly love to drive it again in the future.”

Álex Sabater of ASM Motorsport said: “Osian did a very professional job, and gave Oreca and us a lot of very good technical feedback.

“With only three runs over the shakedown stage before the start, he was able to demonstrate what a good and driver friendly car the R4 is.

“To make three fastest stage wins, and finish second overall in a very strong field, on the R4 car’s world competition debut, is an incredible achievement.”

Closer to home Builth Wells hosted the Hansford Plant Hire Rally organised by Hereford Motor Club.

Sam Davies and co-driver Martin Lasper won the event for the second consecutive year but the final result was decided by a tie-break after the 36 mile event saw an exact equal time between the two duelling Nova crews, leaving rivals Ian Evans and Justin Brooks in second position by a mere second.

Local interest was led by Newtown’s Phil Jones and Clive Jones who claimed seventh in their Escort to mark a successful weekend in South Powys.

Mark Lennox and Ian Beamond were 15thin their Escort Mk2 with Newtown’s Karl Chapple-Gill and Gemma Wheeldon 25th in a Sunbeam Lotus.

Newtown’s Alun and Kate Horn retired their Impreza with engine problems with Alwyn Passant and Dillan Andrew also retiring in their Escort.