GUY Wilks has suffered a double blow to his rallying aspirations.

Not only could the Darlington driver have celebrated his British Rally Championship victory prematurely, but his bid for a World Rally Championship seat with Subaru lies in tatters after the manufacturer pulled out of the event, citing the economic downturn.

The highly-talented Mitisubishi driver has been told his back-to-back triumph in the British Championship has gone to appeal.

Wilks sealed victory by pipping brothers Mark and David Higgins following the rally of Wales recently, but that might now be taken away from him.

After complaints that the steering column on his Evo 9 was not homogolated following his triumph in the International Rally Yorkshire in September, Wilks win was rescinded.

However, he was reinstated on appeal, putting him back in the running for the national title.

Now the Motor Sports Association (MSA) has said it is to further investigate the appeal hearing, throwing the championship into chaos.

"Under MSA British Rally Championship regulation 14.10.1, the British Rally Championship for drivers and co-drivers, the British Teams' Championship and the Class category Rally 4 championship points tables will remain provisional until such time as these matters have been resolved," championship organisers confirmed.

A spokesman for Mitsubishi Motors UK Rally Team said: "We understand that a request has been submitted to the MSA to reopen the case which was heard at the end of November by the MSA National Court.

We are therefore looking into this situation in order to respond accordingly. In the meantime, our decision regarding next year's participation in the British Rally Championship is on hold, although it is the wish of Mitsubishi UK to continue with a motorsport programme in 2009."

Meanwhile, Wilks 500 Club scheme, which sought backers to enable him to fund a seat with Subaru, has become an indirect victim of the global downturn effecting motorsport.

Wilks was just hours from signing a contract with Prodrive for 2009 when the pullout was announced on Tuesday morning.

"I'm absolutely stunned, he said. We have been working so hard to earn this opportunity and thanks to the generosity of rally fans who backed the Wilks 500 Club and a major private investor we were so close to making it happen.

"The money was in place. The final amendments to the contract had been agreed and we were due to sign this week and hold a media lunch on Friday."

The deal would have seen Wilks and co-driver Phil Pugh contest a minimum of eight rounds of the 2009 WRC as the third official factory car, starting on Rally Ireland next month.

"It's so sad to see Subaru quit the WRC. They were the iconic team with millions of fans around the world. The WRC is part of Subaru's DNA, Wilks said.

"It would have been a privilege to be the first Brit since Colin (McRae) and Richard (Burns) to drive for Subaru and I was really look forward to working with David Richards.

"But this is now yesterday's news. We can't change it. We have to move on and work hard for tomorrow."

Wilks 500 Club members will be contacted privately in the next ten days, he said.