Molly
Taylor

LATEST SNIPPETS

Molly & Seb working towards a major international program in 2013

Bio
Snippets
News

Results
Schedule

Related Issue: Women Racers Directory, Women in Racing, Women Racers, More Women in Racing, Race Schedules, Notable Women
Contact:
E-Mail or E-Mail | www.mollytaylor.com.au (not active)

 

Direct short-cut to this listing: http://bit.ly/srb0IP

Bio

DOB: June 5, 1988
Birthplace: Beecroft, Sydney, Australia
Current Home: Cumbria, UK
Who started you: My Mum and Dad
Biggest influence: Neal Bates
Women you admire: Michelle Mouton & Fabrizia Pons
Fathers Thoughts: He is very proud
Your encouragement: Rallying is a great sport. Get involved and enjoy!
Hobbies/Interests: Keeping fit, horse-riding, waterskiing, cooking
Biggest Motorsport influence: Neal Bates. He has been my mentor right from the beginning

An interest in rallying was inevitable, given mum Coral’s involvement as four-time Australian Rally Champion co-driver to Neal Bates in the factory Toyota team. However, it wasn’t until she worked at her father Mark’s rally school in the holidays that Molly tried driving a rally car.

While still at school, a friend offered her a car to compete in some local motorkhanas. She finished ninth outright and first in class in her first event. The bug had bitten, so Molly decided to move home to Sydney to finish school and get seriously into motorsport.

As soon as she gained her rally licence she started competing in a Holden Gemini. In 2006 she was selected in the Women’s Driver Development Program run by the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) and noted as a standout performer. She also made the difficult decision to sell her beloved horse, Banjo, to pay for a more powerful car to help advance her career.

Her first outing in the new car was the Rallye Des Femmes in Canberra, which she won by five full minutes. She went on to take the 2WD and 2-Litre titles in the 2006 NSW Rally Championship and was recognised as the NSW Young Achiever of the Year by CAMS, an award that covers all forms of motorsport.

In 2007, Molly made her debut in the Australian Rally Championship and won the F16 class. She repeated the feat the following year, as well as flying to the UK to contest a round of the British Rally Championship.

In 2009 Molly moved to the UK (she has dual citizenship) to compete in the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup, a one-make sub-series of the British Rally Championship.

She won three of the six events and looked certain to take the title in the last round when a mechanical problem ended her rally, and her title chances. She was consoled by becoming the British Ladies Rally Champion.

In 2010, Molly again contested the British series, this time in a Citroën C2 as part of the Citroën Racing Trophy, finishing third outright after three podiums across the season. She also began working at M-Sport, the team behind the Ford World Rally team, working with the customer sales team for the Ford Fiesta S2000.

Late in 2010 Molly's dream opportunity presented itself. With mum Coral in the co-driver’s seat, Molly competed in the Pirelli Star Driver Shootout against 15 other young rally drivers from around the world. She won one of six highly contested, fully funded scholarships to compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship as part of the FIA World Rally Championship Academy.

The specially tailored training program and one-make rally sub-series, replaced the former Junior World Rally Championship format, aimed at developing young drivers and providing them with a passage through to the elite levels of the sport. All the drivers competed in equal Ford Fiesta R2s prepared by M-Sport.

Molly competed across Europe in six WRC rounds in 2011, including Rally de Portugal, Rally d'Italia Sardegna, Rally Finland, Rally Deutschland, Rallye de France and Wales Rally GB, whilst also finding time for other selected European events. Molly finished 2011 on a career high, with a stage win for the final round in the championship at Wales Rally GB.

Molly is currently in negotiations to compete in Europe with a European based team Fast Australian Molly Taylor and Cumbrian co-driver Jemma Bellingham made it a second Swift Sport Cup win in

Snippets


United Business will reveal the 2013 sports programme for Molly Taylor in October

*     *     *

Australian rally driver Molly Taylor has set her sights on a solid result when she returns to World Rally Championship competition in England later this month.

*     *     *

Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall will tackle the fast special stages of the great race of Jyvaskyla

News


Molly & Seb working towards a major international program in 2013


Molly and Seb are working to secure a major programme of international rallies in 2013. Italian Sports Management company, United Business has been impressed following their four event program completed this year, including two rounds of the WRC in Finland and Great Britain.

In Neste Rally Finland, Molly and Seb were leading the R3 class when an electrical problem halted their event with only two stages remaining. In Wales Rally GB they set competitive stage times, and posted a stage win against two very quick French driver's also driving Citroen DS3 R3T's. They lost three minutes due to a puncture and finished the event in 3rd place.

Pier Liberali from United Business said: “We are very pleased with Molly and Seb’s season, we were sure of their potential and we liked the maturity they showed in their gradual growth and improving performance. We are already working on the next season, considering the various proposals received. I can say that in 2013 Molly and Seb will certainly be at the start of a prestigious international programme to build on the experience gathered this year and I think next year will be a very important season for them. I have reasonable confidence that it will be the season of the true confirmation of Molly Taylor at international level.
Source: Press release

United Business will reveal the 2013 sports programme for Molly Taylor in October


The brilliant 2012 sports season of Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall has just ended, with yet another strong performance at Wales Rally GB on board the Citroen DS3 R3T with the United Business livery. At the finish in Cardiff, after a race which saw them win stages, occupy the leadership and stand out in their class battling with fast and more experienced drivers, the crew received two important awards: Molly won the Richard Burns Trophy and Seb was awarded the Michael Park Trophy as the best British non-priority drivers.

Molly Taylor said: "I cannot believe the 2012 season is already over, it passed so quickly ... Earlier this year I did not know what we would able to do, then came the opportunity to work with United Business and I was offered the DS3 R3 followed by BP Racing; I had a serious programme, with tests, international events, a dream come true, for me it was a big step forward and a steep learning curve, I am pleased with the progress we made. Pier Liberali of United Business, the company that takes care of my sports management, was present at Wales Rally GB and we started our planning for 2013. This year, Vittorio Caneva and Fabrizia Pons have been invaluable to me, their advice and lessons helped me a lot, I hope that they will be able to follow me again in 2013, their friendship and teachings are very important to me".

Seb Marshall said: "It has been a short but very rewarding year, doing some of my favourite rallyes. Both Molly and I very much liked working with United Business, they are very professional and determined, BP Racing is which took care of our car is made of great people, with full technical knowledge, enthusiastic and indefatigable. Molly drove brilliantly, while maintaining an incredible desire to succeed. Now we look to 2013, hoping for another exciting year of rallying".

United Business have almost completed planning the 2013 season for Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall, only a few details are missing but for now, as in United Business style, there are no anticipations, the 2013 sports programme will be announced by the end of October, the aim being to capitalize on the experience gained in 2012 and continue the growth process of this Australian girl, who this year has impressed all the insiders, for the determination and speed shown.

Just wait for the end of October to know the programme that United Business has prepared for Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall.
Source: Press release

Molly Taylor Plans for International Rally Program in 2013


Australian rally driver Molly Taylor has started making plans for her international driving future, after a successful season with the Italian-based United Business/BP Racing team.

Molly and British co-driver Seb Marshall have done four events with the team, including two rounds of the World Rally Championship. All have been run in a Citroën DS3 R3T.

Last week, in Wales Rally GB, the young Sydneysider finished third in class, with her team boss – United Business chief, Pier Liberali – declaring her ‘fast and strong’ and indicating he is keen to continue their association.

"We are very pleased with Molly and Seb's season. We were sure of their potential and we liked the maturity they showed in their gradual growth and improving performance, culminating with two major awards at Wales Rally GB,” Pier says.

“I can say that in 2013 Molly and Seb will certainly be at the start of a prestigious international program to build on the experience gathered this year and I think next year will be a very important season for them. I have reasonable confidence that it will be the season of the true confirmation of Molly Taylor at international level."

At the end of Rally GB, Molly won the Richard Burns Trophy and Seb Marshall was awarded the Michael Park Trophy, the two prestigious awards in memory of two former rally champions (**see below). says the rally proved to be an extremely competitive one for her, doing battle against two of the leading French Citroën Trophy drivers. She was pleased to set very competitive times, taking a stage win and finishing many stages within a tenth of a second of her rivals.

“We were really happy with our pace in GB,” Molly says.

“The conditions were changing all the time but I felt a lot more comfortable in the car. It was really valuable to have the strong competition as a benchmark and I'm happy to know we have the speed, just need more time in the car to get the consistency.

“We owe huge thanks to Pier and all the crew at United Business and BP Racing, as well as all the supporters, for making the whole program possible. It's taken a lot of work but we've learned a lot and this will be a good foundation to move forward with for next year. We are working very hard to put a full program together for 2013.”

Molly and Seb signed with the Italian sports management company early this year, contesting four events with them: Geko Ypres Rally (European Rally Championship), Coppa Città di Lucca (International Rally Challenge), Neste Rally Finland and Wales Rally GB, the last two being rounds of the World Rally Championship.

The season gave them valuable experience at a level above their WRC Academy development series season last year, and saw them take several special stage victories and lead their class on a number of occasions.

** Richard Burns was the 2001 world rally champion, having finished runner-up in 1999 and 2000. He died of a brain tumour in 2005. Michael Park was a champion co-driver, who was killed in a crash on Wales Rally GB in 2005. The trophies are awarded to the highest placed British-based non-priority driver and co-driver competing on the event.
Source: Press release

The Wales Rally GB closes Molly Taylor's 2012 sporting season


"Molly Taylor is really fast and strong" this is the brief comment from Pier Liberali, Untied Business team principal at the end of the Wales Rally GB, rally which marked the end of the 2012 sports programme of Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall with the Citroen DS3 R3T followed by Bp Racing with the livery Italian sports management company United Business. A season planned at the best: several days of testing and Rally Casentino, where the crew was running as course car and where the race was used as a further test and four races: Geko Ypres Rally, Coppa Città di Lucca, Neste Rally Finland and Wales Rally GB. Asphalt and gravel, prestigious national events, European Championship, IRC and World Championship. A season which allowed Molly Taylor to find the right feeling with a new car for her and to face valued opponents, obtaining special stage victories and being several times in the lead of her class.

In Wales Rally GB Molly Taylor won the Richard Burns Trophy and Seb Marshall was awarded the Michael Park Trophy, two prestigious awards in memory of two key actors of world rallying prematurely disappeared.

Pier Liberali said: "We are very pleased with the Molly and Seb's season, we were sure of their potential and we liked the maturity they showed in their gradual growth and improving performance culminated with two major awards at Wales Rally GB. We are already working on the next season, considering the various proposals received. I can say that in 2013 Molly and Seb will certainly be at the start of a prestigious international program to build on the experience gathered this year and I think next year will be a very important season for them, I have reasonable confidence that it will be the season of the true confirmation of Molly Taylor at international level". For Molly Taylor, Seb Marshall, United Business and Bp Racing 2012 has been a good season, we gained a lot of experience, continuous and constant technical and sporting improvements and with much satisfaction: fans everywhere have greeted with lots of sympathy this Australian girl, humble, determined and fast!
Source: Press release

Molly Taylor sets sight on Wales Rally GB


The United Business driver and Seb Marshall, with the DS3 R3T in the United Business livery followed by BP Racing, return to the World Rally Championship.

After the excellent performances shown in Neste Rally Finland, where they had to abandon the fight for the class win due to an electrical fault a few special stages from the end, while traveling in second place after having previously occupied the top spot and having won some stages, the United Business crew returns to the well known roads of Wales Rally GB, which in the 2011 edition had seen them get their first stage win in the WRC Academy. A test before the race will allow Molly to fine tune the set-up of the Citroen DS3 R3T before embarking on the dirt roads through the Welsh forests.

Molly Taylor said: "I am very excited to have the opportunity to compete at Wales Rally GB. From all of the WRC Academy events we did last year, I have the best memories of this event and it is where we got our first WRC Academy stage win. I have also done a few smaller rallies around the same area, so whilst the stages will be different, I have a good idea of the nature of the roads. I really enjoyed Rally Finland and am looking forward to spending some more time in the car and progressing from what we learnt in Finland ".

Pier Liberali (United Business) said: “United Business is very pleased with what Molly is doing, both Seb and her have proven to be two excellent professionals, inside and outside the cockpit. Both myself and my staff are pleased with the steady growth that Molly is achieving, race after race and test after test her feeling with the car improves just like her performance. With Wales Rally GB the programme we had planned ends, we will see whether by the end of the year there will be the opportunity to tackle some other rallies, but this is not a priority, the most important thing on which we are now focused is to plan the 2013 racing season in the best way. We are evaluating and exploring different options and proposals that we have received. We hope to make the best choice, 2013 will be a very important year for Molly Taylor and her sporting career, we will try to make the right choice".

Wales Rally GB will start in Llandudno on Thursday, September 13th at 19:00 GMT, and will end in Cardiff on Sunday 16th at 15:40 GMT, after 1,606 km, of which 325 timed, divided into 19 special stages.
Source: Press release

Molly Taylor sets sight on Wales Rally GB


Australian rally driver Molly Taylor has set her sights on a solid result when she returns to World Rally Championship competition in England later this month.

The young Sydneysider is tackling the famous Wales Rally GB with British co-driver Sib Marshall in their United Business/BP Racing Citroën DS3 R3T.

The duo put in an excellent performance in Neste Rally Finland, leading their class with two stages to run until they were forced to abandon the fight for a podium finish due to an electrical fault.

Now Molly and Sib are looking forward to another run over the roads of Wales Rally GB. It was here last year, that they took their first stage win while competing in the one-make WRC Academy series.

The team has scheduled a test day before the event to allow Molly to fine-tune the set-up of the Citroen DS3 R3T before embarking on the dirt roads through the Welsh forests.

"I’m very excited to have the opportunity to compete at Wales Rally GB.

“From all the WRC Academy events we did last year, I have the best memories of this event and it is where we got our first WRC Academy stage win.

“I have also done a few smaller rallies around the same area, so while the stages will be different, I have a good idea of the nature of the roads. I really enjoyed Rally Finland and am looking forward to spending some more time in the car and progressing from what we learned there.”

According to United Business chief, Pier Liberal, the team is very pleased with the way Molly is progressing.

“Both Molly and Sib have proven to be two excellent professionals, inside and outside the cockpit. Both myself and my staff are pleased with the steady growth that Molly is achieving, race after race and test after test. Her feeling for the car improves just like her performance.

“The program we had planned with her ends with Wales Rally GB, but we will see whether, by the end of the year, there will be the opportunity to tackle some other rallies. But this is not a priority.

“The most important thing on which we are now focused is to plan the 2013 racing season in the best way. We are evaluating and exploring different options and proposals that we have received. We hope to make the best choice.

“Next year will be a very important year for Molly Taylor and her sporting career. We will try to make the right choice."

Wales Rally GB will start in Llandudno on Thursday, September 13 at 7pm GMT, and will end in Cardiff on Sunday 16th at 3.40pm GMT, after a total distance of 1606 km, of which 325km is timed competition, divided into 19 special stages.
Source: Press release

Molly Taylor at Neste Rally Finland


After the tarmac of Belgium and Italy, the gravel of Finland for the strong Australian driver of United Business. Next weekend Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall, with the DS3 R3T in the United Business livery followed by BP Racing, will tackle the fast special stages of the great race of Jyvaskyla, where in 2011 at their debut they finished in ninth place among the crews taking part in the WRC Academy.

Molly Taylor said: "I am delighted to have the opportunity to return to the stages of Rally Finland, and I am working with the team to increase my feeling with the car. We will do a test before the race and I hope to get a good result to thank everybody at United Business and BP Racing for their efforts".

After this race, United Business together with BP Racing and Molly Taylor will decide whether to contest Rally Deutschland or another World Rally Championship event.

Neste Rally Finland will start from Jyvaskyla on Thursday, August 2nd at 13:30 and will end on Saturday 4th at 21:00 in Jyvaskyla after 1,625 km, of which 303 timed divided into 18 special stages.
Source: Press release

Molly Taylor at the Rally Coppa Città di Lucca - Italy


Molly Taylor, the young Australian driver, continues her apprenticeship with the Citroën DS3 R3T in the United Business livery followed by BP Racing, in view of future commitments in the World Rally Championship events, the first of which will be the forthcoming Rally Finland. After the debut at the Geko Ypres Rally in Belgium, Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall took part in last weekend's Rally del Casentino as zero car, trying new set-up solutions and increasing the feeling with the car.

Immediately after the race, the United Business crew travelled to Asiago, at the Vittorio Caneva Rally School, for two days of training and refinement.

Pier Liberali of United Business said: "Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall are proving to be excellent professionals, the work we are doing all together, the United Business staff, the BP Racing, the crew and Vittorio Caneva who with his professionalism and advice is working to improve Molly's driving techniques, are important for the growth process of the crew. I am very happy with the work done so far and I am sure that by continuing to work hard and all close together we will achieve the goals we have set ourselves".

Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall, waiting for Rally Finland, will compete this weekend at the Rally Coppa Città di Lucca (Italy), a national event that will start at 23:01 on Saturday 21st and end at 8:50 on Sunday 22nd , after 288 km of which 84 timed km divided into 7 special stages. Source: Press release

United Business at Rally Casentino with Young Drivers - Molly Taylor and Gabriele Cogni


At the Rally del Casentino there will be two ‘junior’ drivers of United Business with the Citroën DS3 R3T

Not only established drivers for United Business, which on the contrary will actively look for their heirs both at Italian and at international level. After the excellent results of the last season with Luca Rossetti having become European Champion for the third time (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) and now entered in the 2012 Turkish Championship with the Skoda Fabia S2000 of Skoda Turkey - Yuce Auto - Pegasus Racing, with Piero Longhi winner of the 2011 Slovenian Championship (Skoda Fabia S2000) and now committed with the Mini Countryman WRC of Twister Corse in the International Rally Cup and with Portuguese Bernardo Sousa, who in 2011 after only two events with United Business won the Rally 2 delle Colline (Peugeot 207 S2000) ahead of WRC cars, and now, having become a works driver of the Team Lotus International Rally (Lotus Exige R-GT), United Business, which runs the sports management of more than 20 rally drivers, both Italian and foreign, is actively engaged in the best commercial-marketing management and sports planning of its young drivers in the 2012 programmes, including the confirmed Gabriele Cogni, 'promoted' to the Citroën Racing Trophy, and of the new entry at United Business, the young, but already expert, Molly Taylor.

For the young Australian driver who is part of the FIA "Women in Motorsport" project, United Business has set up a program aiming at both growth and prestige. The 2010 British Female Champion is scheduled to take part in some events of the 2012 World Rally Championship beginning with Rally Finland with a Citroën DS3 R3T, after some private tests and some preparation events. Molly Taylor has already taken part in the recent Geko Ypres Rally and will line up next weekend, with the car in the United Business livery prepared by BP Racing, as zero car in the Rally del Casentino, valid for the International Rally Cup (www.ircup.net), before tackling the Rally di Lucca at the end of this month (www.balestrero.it/2012/rally-coppa-citta-lucca ).

The Rally del Casentino, also valid as the third round of the Italian Citroën Racing Trophy, will also see in competition Gabriele Cogni, who after his excellent results in last season (winner of the Peugeot 207 Top Trophy) is currently second in the overall ranking of the series, together with Silvia Mazzetti and always with a Citroën DS3 R3T in the United Business livery and followed by BP Racing.

The Rally del Casentino (www.scuderiaetruria.net) will be held on Saturday, July 14th with start (at 10:31) and finish (at 23:00) in Bibbiena (Arezzo - Italy) and includes eight special stages on tarmac for a total of over 137 km, of which the last stage of 35.44 km will be run in nighttime.
Source: Press release

Difficult though Positive Debut for Molly Taylor at the Geko Ypres Rally


At the Geko Ypres Rally, valid for the European Rally Championship and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge seated in the picturesque town of Ypres in Belgium, Australian Molly Taylor, codriven by Englishman Seb Marshall, concluded the race with honour despite the difficulties encountered in the first special stages.

During the first day of competition, the United Business crew experienced a slight off in the first special stage, but despite the damages they were able to complete the first three special stages and to return to service where the team promptly repaired the Citroen DS3 R3 allowing them to continue and to complete the first leg. During the second and final day Molly and Seb, progressively improved their results also thanks to the increasingly greater feeling reached with the car from BP Racing.

Molly Taylor said: "After the time lost in the first stage we stuck to bringing the car back to service, where the Team did a fantastic job to put it back on track. Then in the second loop on Friday and on Saturday we chose only to gain experience rather than overdoing it, there is so much to learn! On the special stages on Saturday we went always better event though not as we wanted, but we focused on reaching the finish. This is the first race, a very difficult one which I did not know, as it was the first time I drove the Citroen DS3 R3 on event, to take it to the finish was the goal that Pier Liberali of United Business had given us, we reached it, for the next races in our programme I know that we will always do better, because what I have available, Pirelli tyres, car and team are a great sporting and technical package. Race after race, we will have plenty of satisfaction".

The next events, as per schedule d for the United Business crew will be in Italy at the Rally Coppa Città di Lucca followed by Neste Rally Finland and ADAC Rally Deutschland.
Source: Press release

Molly Confirms Citroen Programme


Young Australian rally star Molly Taylor will be back behind the wheel for four headlining European events including two rounds of the World Rally Championship.

Taylor will drive a front-wheel-drive Citroen DS3 R3T on the Intercontinental Ypres Rally (Belgium), Coppa Citttà di Lucca (Italy), and the WRC Neste Rally Finland and the ADAC Rally Deutschland.

Under the guidance of sports management firm United Business; Taylor tested the BP Racing Citroen DS3 in Italy. The test allowed Taylor and British co-driver Seb Marshall to familiarise themselves with the car, as well as evaluate the Pirelli tyres they will use in Belgian in two weeks.

Molly Taylor said: "For me it is a fantastic opportunity, and a great step forward in my career. To have the opportunity to work with a professional team and a different car from the ones I drove before will allow me to learn a lot. I am trying to soak as much as possible, this car has many possible settings, we are trying to understand it as we go. We have a lot of work to do this year to gain experience, we will take what comes and try to make the most of it".

Pier Liberali of United Business said: "We started this cooperation with Molly Taylor, because we believe in this lady driver who has proven to be very solid and fast. I think she is one of the fastest lady rally drivers at world level today. Just like we do for all the other professional drivers whose management we take care of , we have prepared for her a medium to long term programme which caters for these events, although we are working to increase the number of races which she will be present in for 2012. For these events we will use the structure of BP Racing, already used by another one of our drivers, and which has always proven to be a well prepared and very professional factory".

Fabrizia Pons (Representative of the FIA Women in Motorsport commission) said: "I am very happy that Molly has the opportunity to drive a performing car such as Citroen DS3: to start with Ypres is a beautiful challenge for her, but I'm sure that she will rise up to it”.

The Geko Ypres Rally will start at 16:25 on Friday June 22nd , first leg with six special stages for 85 km, finish at 22:54. After the overnight halt, restart at 9:50 on Saturday June 23rd, second leg with 12 special stages for 209 km, finish in Ypres at 22:39.
Source: www.mollytaylor.com.au/latest-news/490-mollys-new-rally-program-announced

Molly Taylor set for a start in 2012 really season


Australian rally driver Molly Taylor will kick off her 2012 international rally campaign with a run in the Bulldog International Rally of North Wales next week.

The second round of the British Rally Championship will be run on Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24 and is made up of five individual rallies including international, national and historic classes.

Molly, her 2011 co-driver, British-born Seb Marshall, and their Ford Fiesta R2 will tackle this event together as well as other selected events across the UK and Europe. They hope to announce more details in the coming weeks.

“I really can’t wait to get back in the car after what feels like a lifetime,” the 23-year-old Sydneysider says.

“I haven’t done an event since Rally GB, the final round of the 2011 World Rally Championship. Several of the 2012 Academy drivers such as Elfyn Evans and Alistair Fisher are doing the Bulldog. They’re both very experienced drivers so it will be good to check my speed against theirs after the quick times we were posting at the end of last year.”

Molly says the Bulldog is one of her favourite events. It’s based around Welshpool in mid-Wales, about six kilometres from the England/Wales border and offers a real challenge to her skills.

“I really enjoy the roads in Wales. The roads really flow and the stages are quite a mixture of fast and technical. We set some good times in the same area during Rally GB, so this is my chance to back that up in similar conditions.

“My best result in this event was in 2009 when I won my class in the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup. I have competed here a few times so it’s one of the rallies that I have more experience of, and that familiarity will help. We’re not doing the whole British championship series so the aim is to benchmark ourselves against the top competitors here and make the most of the event.”

Molly is currently in negotiations to do several events in Europe, with a European based team. Outside her rally commitments, she continues to work with M-Sport, the company that has operated Ford's world rally championship program since 1997.

2012 will be the 52nd running of the Bulldog Rally since it started in 1958. The event covers a total distance of 343 miles (552km), of which 97.5 miles (157km) are competitive, divided into 11 timed special stages.

In 2011, Molly and Seb contested the WRC Academy, a sub-series of the WRC, which replaced the previous Junior WRC category and was designed to give young drivers a strong foundation in all aspects of competing at the elite level of motorsport.

Six of the young drivers entered in the series won a fully-funded scholarship for the year. That covered all expenses for the six events in the Academy series and Molly was one of the fortunate six. She was also the only female driver competing at any level of the World Rally Championship.

Molly Taylor and Jemma Bellingham take podium at Suzuki Swift Sport Cup 4/20/09


Fast female Molly Taylor made it a second Swift Sport Cup win in a row on the Carlisle-based Pirelli International Rally at the weekend.

Australian Molly and Cumbrian co-driver Jemma Bellingham battled stages in the notorious ‘Killer Kielder’ and Kershope Forests in their Monster Sport Europe and Motorsport Insurance Services backed Suzuki Swift Sport.

The girls left the start at Carlisle Racecourse on Friday evening for two stages in Kershope Forest. Running later down the field, meant that they would be completing the stages just as it was getting dark.

They didn’t quite get off to the start they’d hoped for; the rough nature of the stages caused them to drop some time. They continued through SS2, determined to get through the tricky stages and back into service. At the end of Leg 1, the girls were lying third in the Swift Sport Cup, twenty seconds behind leader, Luke Pinder.

Leg 2 began early on Saturday morning with four stages in the Kielder Forest Complex. SS5, the girls managed to claw back some time from fellow Suzuki competitor, Richard Sykes, getting into second place. SS6 the girls took the lead of the Swift Sport Cup after Luke Pinder crashed out of the rally.

In service Molly commented “We were all pushing really hard and I was trying not to take too many risks as I knew we still had lots of stage miles still to go. It was a real shame to see Luke off the road, but I had to keep focused. With the fast tricky stages I had to keep concentrating on the notes and keeping the car neat to avoid the huge ditches!”

Their lead was short lived when Richard Sykes took 2.9 seconds back from them. The girls were then affected by the hold-up when Guy Wilks’ car caught fire. They assumed the rally was over and had settled for 2nd place in the British Rally Championship’s Swift Sport Cup, when the organisers announced they would still run the two final stages of the day in Kershope, so the title was still to be fought.

Determined to have a good battle with Richard Sykes for the win, the girls set out on SS11 with the plan to push as hard as they could without taking any major risks, however they were given the lead by default as Sykes suffered mechanical problems mid-way through the stage.

“We were genuinely disappointed to see Richard stopped in stage as I was looking forward to comparing our times with him at the finish.” said Molly, “The rally has been a real rollercoaster for us this weekend. We struggled with the rough stages on Friday night, and then we had the battle with Luke and Richard for the win. It’s a huge relief to have finished and to win again. We’ve taken maximum championship points for the first two rounds, which will help us massively for the rest of the season.”

Molly and Jemma won the Swift Sport Cup by 1m 16s from Manxman David Harrison.
Source: femaleracingnews.com/molly-taylor-and-jemma-bellingham-take-podium-at-suzuki-swift-sport-cup/

Results

2011 WRC Academy Pirelli Star Driver
2011: Pirelli Star Driver - World Rally Championship Academy
2010: British Ladies Rally Champion, 3rd Citroen Racing Trophy (BRC), IRDC Most Improved Award
2009: British Ladies Rally Champion, Greenlight TV Star Performer Award
2008: F16 Champion, Australian Rally Championship
2007: F16 Champion, Australian Rally Championship
2007: Australian Rally Championship Debut: Coates Rally Queensland
2006: 2WD Champion, NSW Rally Championship
2006: 2 Litre Champion, NSW Rally Championship
2005: Rally Debut: Rally of the Manning Valley

Schedule

Competing in European and World Rally Championship events.

*    *    *



WomenInRacing.org | Contact Us
©1996-2023 by of Gordon Clay