DARLINGTON rally driver Guy Wilks is fired up in readiness for his battle to retain the British Rally Championship title.

Wilks is in a three-way challenge for the top honours with brothers Mark and David Higgins, who top the leaderboard with 78 points each.

Mitsubishi driver Wilks sits a further two points behind.

He looked out of contention when he was excluded from September’s Rally Yorkshire.

But an appeal against the penalty was upheld last week and means Wilks and his codriver David Moynihan have been reinstated as winners of the event, which represented round six of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship.

After crossing the line oneand- a-half minutes ahead of his rivals in Yorkshire, Wilks was over the moon to hear that his victory had been reinstated.

He now has the opportunity to challenge for the championship title for the second year in succession.

“It is great news to know that I’ve got my Yorkshire win back and am still in with a shot at the championship,”

said Wilks. “I am now really looking forward to Rally GB and I am more determined than ever to bring back the title, not just for me but for the team, as it has been a difficult few weeks for them as well.”

The Wales Rally GB kicked off with a ceremonial start in Cardiff last night.

The action starts this morning with eight stages in the forests of south and mid- Wales before the overnight halt in Swansea.

A further seven stages take place tomorrow, the last being the spectacular showcase spectator stage inside Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Four more stages are run on Sunday, with the finishing ceremony held in Cardiff.