British champions Stephanie and Rachael Simmonite start their challenge in the 1998 Mobil 1 British Rally Championships at Silverstone on Saturday.

The Bradford-based sisters, three-time winners of the British Ladies title, will drive a purpose-built Escort Super Rally Car.

They begin their season by tackling Saturday's RallySprint, which counts for the manufacturers' series only. They will then compete in all five remaining events which take drivers to the gravel forest roads of Wales, Cumbria and Scotland before switching to the demanding asphalt roads of Ulster and the Isle of Man.

Stephanie and Rachael, who finished fourth overall in the 1996 championship, are looking forward to the challenge of the series and to driving a new Chris Birkbeck rallysport-built Escort. The car will boast an improved engine and a revised differential specification, and the sisters are confident of maintaining their progress up rallying's ladder of achievement.

Last year's experiment of allocating championship points at the end of each leg of the Pirelli Rally has been extended. This year the Scottish Rally will adopt the same 'double-header' procedure, giving drivers seven scoring opportunities from just five events.

"It is more of a thinking championship this year with double-headers on the Pirelli and Scottish," said 28-year-old Stephanie. "On those two events we'll have to decide whether to go flat out from the start, or be more reserved on the first leg and really go for it on the second. It will be interesting to see what everyone will do."

She is especially looking forward to the asphalt rallies in Ulster and the Isle of Man towards the end of the year. "I always used to dread the asphalt events. Having competed in off-roading events, we were used to the muddy forest tracks, but I enjoy the challenges of asphalt and we've had some of our best results on them. The Manx especially has always been kind to us," she added.

For the first time the British Championships will start with a spectacular RallySpring at Silverstone where drivers will race head-to-head throughout the day over the spectacular loose surface purpose-built circuit. Stephanie already has good experience of the track this year, having reached the quarter-final of the Celebrity TV Rallysprint earlier this month.

"The RallySprint is very enjoyable and there's a good atmosphere among the competitors because everyone is in one place. As a driver it's a tough course and you have to be cautious as the corners are fast but narrow, and you can get carried away with the excitement of racing alongside someone else," added Stephanie.

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