Simon Hughes: Career History

At just 21 years of age, Simon Hughes is one of the most promising drivers in the British Rally Championship. Behind the wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRX and Renault Clio S1600, Simon demonstrated that he is a naturally gifted driver with a steely determination to make it to the top.

Starting out at just 17 years of age, Simon began his rallying career in the much-heralded Peugeot 106 Super Cup, where he was the Rookie of the Year in his first season in the cut-throat series.

After an impressive start to the year, Simon stepped up his pace for 2001, as he continued to get to grips with the Peugeot 106. By the end of the season, the young Welshman from the Conwy Valley was very much a pace setter in the series in his familiar dark blue car.

In 2002/3 Simon moved into the all new Super 1600 Renault, where he developed the car in various rounds of the British Rally Championship, setting fastest stage times on both tarmac and gravel stages.

British Breakthrough...

2004 has seen Simon progress from the world of one makes to the Super 1600 category of the British Rally Championship, and the exciting Renault Clio Super 1600 car. Latterly, Simon has also contested two rounds of the Production Cup, for Group N or ‘showroom' category rally cars.

Simon ended the 2003 season with two outings in a hired Group A Subaru Impreza 555. A mechanical failure on his local Cambrian Rally dashed hopes of victory after holding second overall before Stage 3.

However, Hughes more than made up for the disappointment of that retirement as he bounced back to score a scintillating victory on the Galloway Hills Rally in Scotland . Simon more than 22 seconds faster than any other driver in the short eight-mile final stage, took a superb victory as a result. It was a memorable first win for Hughes.

The winning didn't stop there. After being recruited by crack Group N team 22 Motorsport for the final two rounds of the BRC in 2004, Hughes rounded off the year with a sensational Group N win on the Tempest Rally – beating off all competition to take a finely judged win, despite little time in the car prior to the event.

Training for the top...

As you'd expect from someone totally focussed on competing at the highest level, Simon dedicates a great deal of time to fitness training in order to be both mentally and physically fit for the demands of driving a top line rally car.

In terms of driving technique, Simon has learnt from some of the best names of the sport, not least from father Ian, a rapid national competitor in his day.

Simon has also attended the respected John Haugland Winter School in Norway , and received a master class from 4 times World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen during testing in Wales and Finland .

Simon has also tested with Renault Sport driver Simon Jean Joseph in the development Clio Super 1600 car recently, and Simon has also been employed by Renault Sport for endurance testing of both the Clio S1600 and new Clio Group N car since he began driving a Renault machine.

Experience of actual rallies is also very important, and Simon has contended a mix of events, mostly centred around the Peugeot 106 series, but also outings in a Group A Nissan Micra on some BTRDA F1400 rounds, where Simon was a pace setter and winner on the rallies he contested.

Simon also has international rally experience, from competing on an Estonian rally, the overseas rounds of the Peugeot 106 cup and also testing in Finland with the Mitsubishi World Rally Team.

Having made the transition into a four wheel drive car, to gain yet more experience, Simon has moved on to more modern four wheel drive cars, such as the Mitsubishi Evolution 4, Mitsubishi Evolution 7 and Subaru Impreza 555 impressing with excellent displays on all the rallies he has contested.

More recently, Simon has worked closely with 22 Motorsport and the development of their Subaru Impreza N10 ‘Production Class' machines.

Hard work and dedication is something Simon is used to. His efforts have demonstrated this over the past four seasons, in which he has established himself as one of Britain 's most promising rally talents.