Robert is the toast of Sarnian supporters
There was only joy for Craig Robert in taking second place in a brilliant Guernsey Rally.
While Jersey’s Ross Le Noa secured a sixth successive victory, this time back alongside Domonic Volante, the domestic driver’s runner-up result, alongside Chris Guille, made him the toast of many rallying enthusiasts and followers – especially amid such poignant circumstances.
The rally had been staged in memory of his late father, Graham, who was a motorsport stalwart.
Robert junior and Guille started running at No 15, their only previous outing in a Ford Escort being a mechanically-prompted retirement in Jersey.
So finishing within 20sec. of Le Noa went very far beyond their expectations.
‘Even if we just got to the end, then I’d have been over the moon,’ the unexpected home hero said.
Watch: Craig Robert and Chris Guille finished as the top local crew
Local knowledge, combined with heavy rainfall, catalysed a remarkable run through the Saturday morning stages, where they quickly overtook eventual third-placer Ed Fossey in the standings and ate into the top Caesareans’ lead.
But Robert was largely unaware of how well they were doing – by choice.
His team had supported his efforts to stay in the dark about overall positions and times.
‘We nearly caught Ed on the first run through St Andrew’s, and I knew that we’d gained quite a bit of time there,’ Robert added.
‘But I didn’t really know compared to anyone else and I didn’t really want to know.
‘I knew I was going at my own pace, I felt comfortable and I didn’t want anything in my head to make me push any harder, because at the end of the day, I like the car straight.
‘I didn’t want any extra pressure to make me think I needed to do anything different.’
Having finished Friday leading a visitor-heavy charge, Volante had to praise their inter-island rivals and their superb start to Saturday.
‘After the second stage, after it started raining, you look at the times and there’s a Guernseyman right behind you.
‘All of a sudden, he’s taking time out of you pretty much every stage, and one he took 19sec. out of us and it was like, “Quick, let’s go”.
Read a full rally report on pages in Monday’s Press.
