Ling’s French domination

 

Welshman Sebastian Ling competed in dominant fashion by winning the production class on last weekends Rallye Le Touquet Pas-de-Calais, a round of the highly competitive French Rally Championship.

 

Newcastle Emlyn based Sebastian, along with his co-driver Aled Rees, last competed on the Raven’s Rock Rally Ireland back in July, & now looked forward to contesting the Rallye Le Touquet in their SW Motorsports built Evo 9.

 

The three day rally, based in Le Touquet, was a round of the French Rally Championship and featured a high entry of world rally cars as well as a strong manufacturer presence in the smaller categories. This high level of competition did not hamper Sebastian who opened an early lead on Friday night. With changeable weather conditions on offer for Saturday Sebastian’s Kumho shod Mitsubishi was the class of the field and ended the second day lying an incredible sixth overall!

 

Even a fuel pump problem, which slowed the Pro-Dent and Phillip Ling Estates backed Mitsubishi on Sunday, only caused minimal time loss and Seb and Aled returned to the finish 1 st in Group N & eleventh overall.

 

This is a brilliant result for us. We really enjoyed the rally. The stages were great and when the rain came down on Saturday I had so much confidence in my Kumho tyres that I was able to drive with full commitment. It was also good to run in the top ten overall for most of the rally.

 

Sebastian and Aled are now looking forward to competing further European rallies.

Updated 6th October 2008

 

Ling is king of the Red Kite Stages

 

www.chrishuishrallyphotos.co.uk

Newcastle Emlyn’s home grown rally driver Sebastian Ling dominated last weekends Llandovery based Red Kite stages, taking 6 stages wins en route to a triumphant rally win.

 

Sebastian and his co-driver Aled Rees, celebrating his birthday on the same day as this years rally, were untouchable as they eased away from the chasing pack over some of the most famous forests in Mid Wales. Fastest times in Cefn Llwydlo, Crychan and Esgair Dyfydd saw the Kumho shod Phillip Ling Estates backed Mitsubishi Evo 9 return to the mid day service comfortably in the lead.

 

The team agreed to consolidate their position in the afternoon. With the weather not helping matters, as rain and wind beat down on the stages, this was almost as tricky as pushing hard. With standing water around every bend, waiting to catch an unsuspecting car and haul it off the road, the young Pro Dent backed Welshmen handled the pressure with ease and returned to Llandovery with a 33 second winning margin.

 

Wow, our first overall rally win! This is something special. Aled and I were only using the Red Kite as a pre season shakedown as the car has had a complete rebuild over the winter months. Everything was perfect today. The car was faultless, we had great grip out on the stages and although we won most of the stages we were still driving well within ourselves! I have to say a very big thank you to our families, friends and sponsors… and especially to Aled, Happy Birthday!

 

Sebastian and Aled have recently confirmed plans to return to the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge onboard their SW Motorsports built Evo 9 and as such intend to contest the Wyedean Rally in early February as a final test ahead of the season.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge begins with the Sunseeker Rally at the end of February.

 

Top Awards for top team

Newcastle Emlyn rallying ace Sebastian Ling capped off a successful return to the sport when he scooped a number of top awards at the annual National Gravel Rally Championship Gala Awards in Daventry last weekend.

Sebastian, who was co-driven by fellow Welshman Aled Rees in the Phillip Ling Estates backed Mitsubishi Evo 9, were crowned Group N ANCRO Champions after a season full of adventure that saw the pair consistently in the thick of the production class battles. Sebastian’s determination and rapid pace also netted him the Grand Attack award whilst the whole team were rewarded for their painstaking preparation of the Pro Dent backed Mitsubishi by receiving the best prepared car throughout the season award as well.

What a great season. It’s been really close at the top all year but I’m really pleased with the pace we have shown throughout the season.

Aled and I are currently considering several options for next year but I can assure you that we will be looking to continue our strong run of success from this year.

Finally, now would be a good time to thank all of those who have been involved this past season for their friendship and support.

So after a season that saw the pair net no less than 4 podium positions the accolades keep rolling in for the SW Motorsport and Kumho shod pairing.

With 2008 just around the corner both Sebastian and Aled are evaluating a number of options and an announcement will be made early in the New Year.

 

Ling fights to the very end on Rally Yorkshire

Newcastle Emlyn resident Sebastian Ling staged a spirited fight back up the leader board on last weekends International Rally of Yorkshire. After suffering both a broken driveshaft and a puncture during the morning stages Sebastian was forced to fight back from a lowly 18th overall to eventually return to Pickering fifth in the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge.

 

Sebastian, co-driven by fellow Welshman Aled Rees in the Philip Ling Estates backed Mitsubishi Evo 9, headed to Yorkshire anticipating a strong battle, not only with the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge regulars, but also the top rally drivers in the British Rally Championship. A relatively cautious start saw the SW Motorsport built Kumho shod Mitsubishi post the third fastest time amongst the Evo Challenge contestants through the opening 14 mile stage. Stage 2 was going well until a front driveshaft broke less than half way through the stage. With two more stages to limp through before service it was all about damage limitation for the Pro Dent supported duo. However their bad luck was further compounded by a puncture in stage 4.

 

A hasty re-prep of the car at the mid day service saw the pair return to battle with a fully functioning car in the afternoon. Sebastian’s fight back was nothing short of sensational. As well as topping the Evo Challenge times throughout the afternoon the young rallying ace was also mixing it with the British Rally Championship contenders as he clawed his way back up the leader board.

 

I could not believe my bad luck when that driveshaft broke in the second stage. As my times in the afternoon showed, when we get a clean run we are bang on the pace, but Lady Luck really has not been kind to us this year. We now have to focus on the Bulldog Rally. It’s the last round of the championship and we’d like to finish the year on a positive note.

 

The team now has two weeks to re prepare the car before the Oswestry based Bulldog Rally, the final round of the 2007 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge.

 

Posted 7th October '07

Plains sailing for Ling

 

Newcastle Emlyn resident Sebastian Ling triumphed on last weekends Welshpool based Plains Rally when he drove his Phillip Ling Estates supported Mitsubishi Evo 9 to Production Class honours on the 8 stage event.

 

Sebastian, co-driven as always by fellow Welshman Aled Rees in the Pro Dent backed Evo, was using the penultimate round of the 2007 BTRDA series as a gravel test ahead of the final two rounds of the Evo Challenge and was driving throughout the day fully conscious of the need to keep the car on the road. This cautious approach made his times, and overall result all the more pleasing.

 

Using roads similar to those that will be used on the Bulldog Rally next month Sebastian was on the pace from the outset and despite the slippery nature was constantly in the top 5 in class. This consistent approach was the key to his success as Sebastian once again demonstrated a perfect combination of pace and level headed thinking, something which sees Sebastian enter the final 2 rounds of the Evo Challenge as 1 of only 2 drivers in with a chance at the title.

 

Aled and I were not really pushing hard today, especially as it was really slippery out there. We found a really good setup in the afternoon and apart from loosing the exhaust for the last 2 stages, the car ran brilliantly!

 

 

Ling fights back to claim second on Ulster Rally

Welshman Sebastian Ling recovered from a character building opening leg of last weekends Ulster rally to stage a spirited fight back up the leader board to eventually take second overall in the Evo Challenge.

The Newcastle Emlyn resident, co-driven by fellow Welshman Aled Rees in the Philip Ling Estates backed Kumho shod SW Motorsports built Mitsubishi Evo 9 had been hoping for a competitive run on the notoriously tricky Irish rally but things began to go badly on the very first stage. The starter cable had worked itself loose and when Sebastian suffered a brief spin and then stalled the engine he lost a lot of time whilst spectators rushed to his aid. Then, on the very next stage he caught another competitor mid stage, costing him time as they tried to find a way past.

An excursion through a closed gate and into a field not only destroyed their spotlights but also cost the pair even more time. A discontent Sebastian returned to Armagh at the end of the opening leg languishing down in 21 st position!

The pair decided to push hard on Day 2 and with the Pro Dent supported Evo running faultlessly the pair set a string of storming stage times and rapidly climbed back up the leader board and moving into second in the Evo Challenge on the very last stage. Not only had they moved back into a podium position but their times were right up there with the best of both the British and Irish contenders, proving once again that this talented Welshman has the pace to mix it with the very best!

I just wish our rally could have begun on Saturday. Everything went wrong on Friday night but once we’d cleaned up our act we were bang on the pace. Both Aled and I were pleased with our times on Saturday as they showed we could mix it with the British Championship regulars on what is a really tricky rally!

Next up is the International Rally of Yorkshire where, once again, the Evo Challenge goes head to head with the British Rally Championship, giving Sebastian another chance to prove his pace against some of the best pilots in the country.

Posted 3rd September '07

Ulster Rally next for Welsh Rally Ace

 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge front runner Sebastian Ling is looking forward to this weekend’s Philip White Tyres Ulster Rally as not only is it the fifth round of the 2007 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge, but it is also part of the Irish Championship and the Newcastle Emlyn based driver is looking forward to compete against both the British & Irish Rally Championships’ front runners.

 

Sebastian, who has come back from a years sabbatical, has enjoyed a series of strong runs in his Philip Ling Estates backed Kumho shod SW Motorsports built Mitsubishi Evo 9, and, along with fellow Welshman Aled Rees, the Pro Dent supported pair have recorded a string of podium positions to lie second in the Evo Challenge with 3 rounds to go.

 

I haven’t been to the Ulster since 2004 and I’m looking forward to compete in this event again. The car has been fully re-prepped so we’ll just cross fingers and hope we have a clean run.

 

With the winner of the Evo Challenge receiving a ‘works drive’ with Mitsubishi in the British Rally Championship in 2008 the Welsh pair will be targeting a top position this weekend.

 

The 2007 Philip White Tyres Ulster Rally is based in the town of Armagh and the 360 mile long rally begins with an intensive 12 hour recce before the event. This allows the crews the opportunity to make detailed notes ahead of the 2 day long rally which begins on Friday 31 August at 2:45pm . The ceremonial finish will be back at The Mall in Armagh on Saturday afternoon.

Posted 22nd August '07

Disappointment for Ling on the Swansea Bay Rally

 

Welsh duo Sebastian Ling and Aled Rees were looking forward to the 5th round of the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge where they would drive on home ground in the hope that they would gain yet another podium win helping towards their endeavours in this years challenge.

 

Newcastle Emlyn based Sebastian headed to the South Wales event lying second in the championship in his Philip Ling Estates backed, Kumho shod, SW Motorsports built Evo 9 and was anticipating a strong battle with his fellow competitors.

 

Unfortunately it was not to be. Around 10 miles into the 1 st stage in Margam, their rear wheel sunk into the waterlogged verge and gently rolled their Mitsubishi

 

The first half of the stage had gone well and I was feeling fairly comfortable with the car. However we came around a corner; ran a little wide and just got sucked into a ditch. We rolled over once but ended up stuck in a ravine. There is not much damage to the car and we actually drove her back to town. It is very frustrating but we’ve still got a shot at the title, so we intend to battle on!

 

The Pro Dent supported pair; together with the team have just over a month to prepare the car & get it back to its customary immaculate condition for the Ulster Rally in Ireland . Based in Armagh the Ulster Rally takes place from the 31 st August to the 1 st of September.

Posted: 23rd July 2007

Strong test for Sebastian ahead of Swansea

 

Welshmen Sebastian Ling and Aled Rees are feeling quietly confident ahead of round 5 of the 2007 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge, the Swansea Bay Rally, after a productive test on the recent Quinton Stages. Using similar roads to those on the Swansea the pair, in their Philip Ling Estates backed Kumho shod Mitsubishi Evo 9 were routinely setting times faster than a host of World Rally Cars as they tried out different setups and tyre choices!

 

Newcastle Emlyn based Sebastian currently lies second in the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge in his SW Motorsports built Evo 9 as the series enters its second half, but is only 4 points adrift of series leader Phillip Morrow. And despite not having competed in the area since Wales Rally GB in 2004 the Pro Dent supported driver feels that he won’t be at a disadvantage.

 

Considering I’ve only returned to driving after a years break I’m very happy with my performance this year. 3 runner up spots in the last 3 rallies is not bad, but we’re going to be pushing from now on. The Quinton test has given us more confidence

 

The 2007 Swansea Bay Rally starts at 8:30am on Saturday 21 st July and uses some of the roads typically used on the Wales Rally GB every year, including the world famous Port Talbot Stage. The first car is expected back at the ceremonial finish at 5pm that afternoon.

Posted 10th July 2007

 

 

Success on the Severn Valley for Sèbastian

 

Newcastle Emlyn based Sebastian Ling enjoyed a fierce battle on the recent Severn Valley Rally; round 4 of the 2007 Mitsubishi Evo Challenge, to record his third consecutive podium place after having been forced to slow due to dust on the event.

 

26 year old Sebastian, co-driven by Aled Rees in the Pro Dent backed Mitsubishi Evo IX, was anticipating a strong fight as the series returned to gravel, but with the weather remaining sunny and dry on the day, dust was always going to be a major factor in this event.

 

The Philip Ling Estates backed duo quickly found their rhythm. Second fastest in class through the opening stage gave an indication of their pace. Another strong time through Stage 2; Cefn, saw the pair once more keep their standing in the championship.

At almost 18 miles; stage 3 Radnor, was the test that the pair had planned to mount their challenge. However, such was the pace of the Kumho shod, SW Motorsports built Evo that it caught the struggling World Rally Car that was ahead of them, causing Sebastian to have to completely stop a number of times as the hanging dust reduced visibility to zero. This caused the pair to drop nearly half a minute, and allowed championship rival Phillip Morrow to open a healthy lead.

 

Radnor was the stage where we could have made the difference, but when we caught the car in front and had to stop to allow the dust to settle I knew it wasn’t going to make things easy. We certainly had the pace all day and the car ran faultlessly once more…it’s just one of those things I guess.

 

With Morrow so far ahead the pair opted to consolidate their position and in doing so picked up a useful haul of points, keeping them very much still in the fight, a mere 4 points off the Irishman.

The championship now has a bit of a summer break before the battle recommences on the South Wales based Swansea Bay Rally on the 21 st of July.

 

For more on the championships please visit www.gravelrally.co.uk

Date Posted 3rd June '07

 

 

 

 

Sebastian looks forward to Severn Valley

The 2007 Severn Valley Rally is based at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells. With competitors facing over 60 miles of forest rallying through such Wales Rally GB classics as Crychan, Halfway and Route 60 you can be sure the action will be fast and furious all day long.

Date posted: 22nd May 2007

 

Photograph courtesy of Geoff Mays Media

 

Sebastian Ling takes second place after heading the Mitsubishi field for most of the way.

 

Mitsubishi Evo Challenge contender Sebastian Ling proved that the pace he has shown on gravel already this year was no coincidence by scoring his second podium in two events on last weekends RBS International Manx Rally.

 

Sebastian and fellow Welsh co-driver Aled Rees drove a faultless rally in their Phillip Ling Estates backed Mitsubishi Evo 9, taking the Evo Challenge lead early on. Quickest in class through the opening stage was followed by a fantastic second fastest overall, beating a string of top World Rally Cars on the 6.8 mile long Parville 1 in their Kumho shod production car. After Stage 3 was cancelled and with conditions worsening as darkness and rain crept in, the Pro Dent supported duo revelled in the tricky conditions over the final two stages of the night. Ending Day 1 fifth overall and leading the Evo Challenge by nearly 30 seconds, Sebastian was understandably pleased with his performance.

 

Saturday began with mixed conditions and tyre choice would prove to be critical as the damp roads quickly dried, but with slippery patches remaining under trees. An excursion into a ditch during the morning run cost Sebastian over a minute but when championship leader Phil Morrow ran into problems of his own, Sebastian could back off and conserve his lead.

 

A string of flying times by Neil McCance saw him pass the Welshman to take the class win but Ling was focused more on the valuable championship points than any unnecessary heroics.

 

We had a fantastic event, the car was brilliant and on Friday night we went really well in spite of the fog & heavy rain. We are only too pleased to bring home some precious points which, at the end of the day is what really matters.

 

This result not only moves Sebastian to within 2 points of the Evo Challenge lead, with the prize of a works drive in 2008 up for grabs, but also elevates the 26 year old into second overall in the Gravel Rally Championship standings!

 

The next event for Sebastian and Aled will be the Mid Wales based Severn Valley Rally on the 2 nd of June

Date posted: 14th May 2007

 

 

Scottish Success for Sebastian

Newcastle Emlyn based Sebastian Ling finished a fantastic second overall in the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge on last weekends Border Counties Rally, missing out on the top step of the podium by a mere 0.1 of a second after a full day of rallying in the infamous Kielder forest!

With the 2007 Mitsubishi Evo challenge rapidly becoming recognised as the closest and toughest rallying championship in the U.K. and with a much vaunted prize for the championship winner (a fully funded season with the ‘works Mitsubishi Team the following year) the competition is incredibly close at the top. And with the other top crews having had a full season to adjust to their steeds this result makes Sebastian’s return to rallying that much more incredible.

"We had a really strong run on the Sunseeker last month and I felt really confident in the car, but this result is amazing. This championship reminds me a lot of my days in the Peugeot super cup where the slightest error can cost you many positions!"

26 year old Sebastian, who shares his Phillip Ling and R & D backed Mitsubishi Evo 9 with fellow Welsh man Aled Rees, set top 3 times all day long but entered the final stage of the day, Harwood, lying 3rd in class and a mere 3.1 seconds off round 1 winner Phillip Morrow. A storming drive saw the SW Motorsport built Kumho shod Mitsubishi Evo 9 go fourth uickest overall, beating a string of far more powerful World Rally Cars in the process, to take exactly 3 seconds out of Morrows advantage! Demoted to third position by Sebastian’s drive was Julian Reynolds who finished a further 0.8th of a second behind Sebastian!

After 2 rounds Sebastian now lies second overall in the championship standings as the crews prepare for the tough and treacherous tarmac RBS Manx National Rally.

 

 

Sunseeker Success for Sebastian

 

Last weekend saw Sebastian Ling make his return to the rallying scene gaining 4 th in GpN & the Evo Challenge Championship and 8 th overall in the main event where 95 cars in all were competing.

 

Having taken eighteen months off to start his own business & build his Mitsubishi Evo 1X. Sebastian said ‘It was great to get back into the driving seat after such a long time. Sebastian has paired up with fellow Welshman Aled Rees as co-driver for this years’ Evo Challenge Championship.

 

Sebastian commented ‘Even though we spent all last season building the new car we still only managed to have 1 day testing which is not enough to gain back the confidence & speed that is required for competition.

The rally commenced on Friday night with the opening two stages through Bournemouth & with a 24 car strong GpN entry Sebastian & Aled knew that they had their work cut out if they were going to contend with the leaders.

Saturday featured 12 stages in the Warehan & Ringwood forests.  The rain during the week leading up to the rally made the gravel roads more treacherous than usual with stretches of standing water & slippery corners.  The crew found it difficult to get into a good rhythm through these slippery stages & changed positions many times during the day. However, stages 12, 13 & 14 saw Sebastian back to his normal flair managing to set impressive front-running times.

 

Both Sebastian & Aled are now looking forward to the 2nd round of the Evo Challenge Championship at the Border Counties Rally in Scotland on 24 th March.

 

Sebastian extends his unwavering thanks to his sponsors; Kumho tyres, R&D Transmissions, ProDent & Philip Ling Estates, because without their support this year’s championship bid would not be possible & to the engineers Andy & Alan for their professional commitment throughout the weekend.

 

LOOK OUT LING IS BACK

Having taken the year out in 2006 to start his own business and build a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, Sebastian is back and will compete at the Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth for the first round of the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge on the 23rd, 24th of February. The plan for 2007 is to compete in the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge and to compete in selected rounds of the World Rally Champioship.

TEIFI VALLEY FLYER ACHIEVES 2 ND PODIUM POSITION THIS YEAR

Sebastian Ling started cautiously in the RSAC Scottish International Rally at Dumfries , the third round of the British Rally Championship. Sebastian wanted to ensure that the differential problems he experienced with his Hyundai Accent at the last two B.R.C. rallies had been completely eradicated. Another factor in his uncharacteristically conservative start was that he had a fellow Celt, David Moynihan of Cork co-driving for the first time. The pair finished the first day in 5 th place 24 seconds behind the leader gaining confidence in the car and each other.

“Conditions were tricky due to the hanging dust” Sebastian said. It was always likely with those conditions and the loose surface that punctures would play a part in this rally.

On the second day Sebastian continued to improve his position and at the end of the 6 th stage he had moved up to third place just 3 seconds behind the leader. However, on the very next stage he suffered a puncture and lost 90 seconds pushing him down to 4 th position.

Sebastian has always shown the ability to drive even faster when under pressure and he did so now and by the end of the penultimate stage he was still in 4 th position but now only 15 seconds behind the third placed man having clawed back over a minute.

The decision was taken to change the suspension before the last stage to give Sebastian every opportunity to be as competitive as possible. Sebastian really wanted to gain a podium position and went for it on the final stage. Despite him getting his second puncture of the rally on this last stage he did enough to gain 3 rd position. overall. “I was really pleased with my second podium position of this year and it is pleasing that David and I are developing as a team” said Sebastian.

This result means Sebastian maintains his 2 nd position in the British Rally Championship, so far this year he has finished 2 nd , 5 th and 3 rd . He also helped Wales move up to second position in the Nations Cup, being the only member of the Welsh Team to gain points from the Scottish Rally.

Sebastian has confirmed the promise he showed last year, and in his second year in The British Rally Championship is one of the fastest drivers in the W.R.C. cars.

Sebastian wishes to thank all his sponsors and anyone interested in taking advantage of the publicity generated by sponsoring Sebastian, please contact PLE Motorsport on 07074-710543 or e-mail seb@sebastianling.com.

 

PODIUM FINISH FOR LING ON RALLY OF WALES

Sebastian, from Dre-fach Felindre, and his co-driver Ian Allsop, finished 2 nd in his “home” rally, The International Rally of Wales at Dolgellau on the 23 rd and 24 th April.

Sebastian said, “This was an important result as I did not finish The Welsh Rally last season and we wanted to start the championship with a strong performance.” Prior to this event Sebastian had said he was looking for a top 5 finish. This looked to be very ambitious after the first stage where gear box trouble saw him in 8 th place. He did improve in the second and third stages (despite the continuing gear box trouble, which resulted in a spin costing him valuable time,) to move up to 6 th place.

At the service after stage 3 his team changed the gear box and Sebastian set about improving his position, by the end of the first day he was in 4 th place lying 29 seconds behind the third placed car.

However, the drama was not finished for Sebastian and his supporters. With only three stages on Sunday a good start was vital. It was extremely frustrating therefore, that his Hyundai Accent WRC was missing badly. Despite this Sebastian pushed hard and managed to claw back 23 seconds of the 29 second deficit on the third placed car.

At the re-fuelling stop, at the end of the stage, Sebastian changed the plugs himself and went out firing on all cylinders determined to improve his position.

In the next, the penultimate stage, Sebastian was flying and was second fastest on the stage. This moved him up to 3 rd overall and 5 seconds behind the second car. This was an added incentive and on the final stage Sebastian increased the pace to such an extent that he won the stage. This resulted in him taking 2 nd place overall.

This was an excellent result, and as Sebastian said, “I thought we had lost it when we were 8 th after the first stage and then again with the misfiring in stage one today.” However he had learnt from his run out the previous week and had the right Kummo tyres, and once the car was performing he achieved his best result ever in the British Rally Championship. Sebastian hopes to continue this great start in The Pirelli International on the 20 – 21 May, but it depends on whether he can gain extra sponsorship prior to that date.

 

Rally of Wales 23-24 April 2005RallRally of Wales 23 - 24 April Sebastian will be competing this weekend on the Rally of Wales at Dolgellau. For live updates from the rally, and to view Sebastain's stage times and progress visit:-  www.rallyofwales.org.uk

SEBASTIAN LING OPENS NEW RALLY SEASON IN A NEW CAR

On Saturday 9 th April Sebastian, from Drefach Felindre near Newcastle Emlyn, took his Hyundai Accent W.R.C. to Llangollen to take part in the Astra Stages National Rally 2005.

Sebastian used this Rally as a testing ground to become more familiar with both his new co-driver Ian Allsop and his new car in which he will compete in the first round of The British Rally Championship at Dolgellau on the 23rde and 24 th of April.

The fact that he finished 2 nd was testimony to his natural ability to get the most from any car he drives. The conditions were very muddy and slippery which led to Sebastian fitting soft compound Kumho tyres for the first three stages. This proved to be a mistake and as Sebastian said “The car was all over the place.”

Problems with a Hydraulic leak in the gear box in stage 3 contributed to Sebastian lying 2 nd after the 1 st three stages, some 11 seconds behind the leader.

Sebastian’s car is run by S.G. Petch Motorsport of Darlington, County Durham , and their mechanics completed a gear box change during the 20 minutes service between stage three and four. They also changed the tyres to medium compound Kumho. The result was immediate as Sebastian started reducing the 11 second deficit to finish the eight stage rally just 4 seconds behind the leader in 2 nd place.

Sebastian said “The Rally achieved everything we wanted, Ian and I had the opportunity to develop as a team, had a chance to get a better feel of the car, and we learnt more about the best compound tyres to use in wet conditions.”

When asked what his expectations were for the first round of the B.R.C. in Dolgellau. Sebastian said “I will be aiming to finish in the top five places.”

Sebastian and PLE Motorsport want to thank the many local sponsors whose support will enable him to compete in The Rally of Wales on 23 rd and 24 th April. This is the first of 8 events for The British Rally Championship and Sebastian needs additional sponsorship if he is to compete in all eight and have the opportunity to win the championship.

 

Shakedown for the International Rally of Wales.

Sebastian will be preparing for the International Rally of Wales; the opening round of the British Rally Championship by competing on the Astra stages at Llangollen this weekend.  He hopes to get valuable test mileage in the car, as this will be the first time he will have driven the Hyundai WRC run by SGP Motorsport.   Sebastian's co driver for this rally will be Ian Allsop.   Updates from the rally will be available on this site.

Date posted 5th April 2005

 

Sebastian Ling looks forward to 2005.

The only driver in the 2004 BRC Production Cup to have gained maximum points in all of the rallies that he has finished this year is the up & coming rally star, Sebastian Ling from near Newcastle Emlyn, West Wales.

 

Sebastian started the season with a win on The Pirelli International Rally & went on to win the Scottish International, the Jim Clark Memorial & the Trackrod Rallies.

 

Although Sebastian retired after a broken steering arm on the Tempest Rally at the weekend & shattered his dreams of becoming the 2004 Production Cup winner, this has not prevented him being recognised as one of the most talented rally drivers to come out of Britain this year.

 

Sebastian commented. "It was a real shame that I had to retire at the beginning of SS8 due to a broken steering arm especially as I had set the some of the fastest stage times at the beginning of the rally & it meant that I was no longer in contention for the Championship title. "

 

Sebastian now looks forward to 2005 where he hopes to continue to rally at the International level.

Date posted 8th November 2004

Back to the TOP

2004 - A Successful Season for Sebastian Ling.  - November 2004

How will it end?

 

In only his second year in International rallying, Sebastian Ling from Newcastle Emlyn, West Wales won the opening round of the BRC Production Cup in The Pirelli International at Gateshead in April. This set the pattern for his season and he has become the man to catch.

 

It certainly has been an eventful year both for Sebastian and for his supporters. Every time he has completed a rally, he has won his class. This has resulted in four wins to date, The Pirelli, The Scottish, The Jim Clarke Memorial, and The Trackrod. Unfortunately, Sebastian missed out on his home rally in Wales where a freak accident involving the sump guard forced him to retire when he was in the lead. He was also leading in the other two rallies, The Manx & The Ulster International but, circumstances beyond Sebastian’s control did not allow him to finish.

 

The pattern set by Sebastian and co-driver James in all but one of the rallies, is to open a lead on the first stage and leave it to the rest of the competitors to try to close the gap over the remainder of the stages. The only time he could not employ that tactic was in the last event, the Trackrod International. This was due to a faulty centre differential that impaired the car’s handling.

 

Sebastian said at the start of the year, “I am apprehensive as this is the first time for me to compete in the BRC Production Cup and in a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. I am hoping to put in a credible performance especially as I will be competing with some of Britain ’s leading rally drivers.” He has without doubt, had more than just a “credible” year, but the nerves will certainly be present on the 6 th November in Aldershot .

 

However, Sebastian’s record of accomplishment shows that his fellow competitors will have their work cut out to stop him from winning.

 

Whether or not this eventful and memorable, season becomes a great season is all down to the final event and Sebastian and James will be fully prepared and fully committed. They now look forward to their ultimate challenge – to become winners of the Tempest International Rally and with a little luck on their sides to walk away with the 2004 BRC Production Cup Trophy.

 

Sebastian concludes ‘I’ve had a really enjoyable year; I’ve competed with some top-class drivers and feel honoured that I have been chosen to drive for my country in every event of the series. My only hope now is that I will earn maximum points yet again both for Wales and myself in the forthcoming Tempest International Rally.

 

Sebastian would like to give a big thank you to his sponsors; without their support none of this would have been possible. He is already thinking about new challenges in 2005 and considering the World Rally Championship, but he will need some major sponsorship if he is going to compete on that stage. Should anybody wish to be a sponsor linked with one of the fastest Welsh rally drivers please contact Sebastian at PLE Motorsport on 07074-710543 or e-mail: sebrally@hotmail.com

Dated posted: 30/10/04

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Sebastian Ling returns to winning ways in the BRC Trackrod Rally in Yorkshire .

 

It was an unusual opening to the Trackrod Rally for Sebastian Ling from Drefach, and his co-driver James Phillips from Swansea . In all other BRC rallies Sebastian has started aggressively, usually opening a lead in the very first stage and challenging the other competitors to catch him.

 

This time he did not start in his usual way, and at the end of the first stage, he was lying 5 th in the BRC Production Cup, 1.3 seconds behind the leader, and 17 th Overall. It transpired that this was not a new tactic by Sebastian, but an error in his choice of tyres. On the first three stages, he was running on a new type of tyre that proved too soft and did not provide enough grip. Sebastian said, “They did not suit the conditions or my style of driving and so we had to reverse our decision and change to another compound.”

 

Their results started to improve on the fourth stage and at the end of the stage Sebastian had moved up to 12 th position overall and 3 rd place in the Production Cup. At the end of stage eight with Sebastian and James still in 3 rd position in the Production Cup, they hit a big problem when the central differential broke. Luckily, they were able to limp back to the service area. The mechanics now had just 45 minutes to renew the diff. The service team could only get hold of a standard differential but managed to change it before the final stage of the day. It was now a question of hoping that this standard part would hold out until the end of the rally.

 

At the start of day two Sebastian said, “With the new differential added to the changed tyres the car’s handling has improved dramatically.” This improvement meant that by the end the second stage of day two Sebastian had taken over the lead in the Production Cup and moved up to 10 th position overall. Now as Sebastian said “We decided to drive conservatively after the differential problems to ensure we finished the rally”

 

They were successful; and completed the rally winning the BRC Production Cup by 1minute 28 seconds and finishing 10 th overall.

 

Sebastian and James now need to win the final round of the BRC Production Cup at the Tempest Rally in Aldershot on the 6 th November. This would give them the chance to be the winners of the 2004 BRC Production Cup. Therefore, everything is set up for an exciting and competitive finish to Sebastian’s 2004 season.

 

Another great result for Sebastian’s sponsors: - Philip Ling Estates, Chris Stevens Chartered Surveyor, Dent Wizard, Walters Arena, Shield Security, Pit and Polish Car Valeting, Ededa J Exclusive Ladieswear and

M.T.M. Motorsport.

 

 

Anyone interested in taking advantage of the publicity generated by sponsoring Sebastian, please contact PLE Motorsport on 07074-710543

Or e-mail: sebrally@hotmail.com

The luck of the Irish deserts Sebastian Ling.

Sebastian Ling, one of the most promising and successful young rally drivers to come out of Wales in the last two years, was leading the British Rally Championship Production Cup in the Ulster International Rally after eight stages. Then during the first stage on Saturday the 4th September a sheared balljoint put an end to his participation in the rally.

A familiar sight for competitors in the Production Cup is to see Sebastian, and his co-driver James Phillips, take the lead on the first stage and to retain that position throughout the rally. However, this was not the way events transpired in the Ulster International Rally.

After stage one Sebastian, of Drefach near Newcastle Emlyn, and James, were lying 20th overall and 1st in the BRC Production Cup, being 1.4 seconds in front of his competitors. In stage two and three Sebastian was running with a “wrong” tyre compound on the back due to a puncture on the previous stage which reduced the handling ability of his Mitsubishi Evo VIII.

On stage four Sebastian was lying 16th overall and 1st in Production BRC competition. By the end of that stage he had moved up to 15th overall.

This was a position Sebastian was to hold and even increase by the end of the day’s racing on Friday. At the end of the first day he was was in 12th place overall and leading The Production Cup by 57 seconds. Unfortunately, on the very first stage of Saturday Sebastian’s rally came to an end when he had a bad off due to the sheared ball joint.
Sebastian said, “There was serious damage to the car, but of more concern is that we may not be able to complete the Championship. We now need somebody to provide financial support to enable us to finish the final two rallies and win the BRC Production Cup.”

Anyone that can help please contact:
PLE Motorsport on 07074-710543
Or e-mail: sebrally@hotmail.com

Press release from P L E Motorsport

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As one of the most successful drivers in the BRC, Sebastian Ling faced a new challenge in the latest round of the Production Cup held in Edinburgh. It was the first time he had driven his Mitsubishi Evo 8 in competition on tarmac. The surface required not only, a different set up for the car, but a change in technique for Sebastian and James Phillips (co-driver), who are one of the quickest teams in the BRC Production Cup. Sebastian said, "I owe a big thank you to Eilir Morris of MTM Motorsport, Waungilwen, for letting me borrow his Subaru to race in The Ravens Rock Rally in Ireland last week. This was on tarmac and gave me some experience of the surface prior to Edinburgh."

However, the conditions in the Jim Clark Memorial were treacherous and with alternate sun and rain tyre changes were frequent and essential. Despite a slight off on stage one which cost them some time Sebastian and James once again led The BRC Production Cup. On finishing stage six Sebastian was concerned as he said "The car's slowing down and I've no idea why." Whatever the problem was it was not crucial, as Sebastian and James completed the rally 2minutes 48 seconds in front of the next competitor in the BRC Production Cup. This saw them taking the maximum 20 points for the third rally out of four in this year's British Rally Championship Production Cup.

Once again the application of speed, allied to good technique, means that Sebastian and James improved their personal standings in The Pirelli MSA British Rally Championship. Sebastian, from near Newcastle Emlyn, is now lying 8th in the overall driver rankings with 35 points and James, from Swansea, has moved up to 6th in the overall co-drivers list with 42 points.

These performances have also helped Promax Motorsport of Llanelli, who are running Sebastian's car this year; take first position in the British Teams Championship with 76 points.

The icing on the cake was that they also gained maximum points for the Welsh team in the competition for the Nations Cup. The standings in this competition after four rounds are: - Wales 172 points, Scotland 125 points, England 124 points, Ireland 106 points, and Italy 22 points.

Another great result for Sebastian's sponsors: - Philip Ling Estates, Chris Stevens Chartered Surveyor, Dent Wiz