Shipley's Luke Pinder is confident his partnership with new co-driver Martyn Taylor will be a success as the pair combine for the first time in this weekend's "Stars of the Future" Pirelli National Rally.

With former co-driver Kim Baker leaving the team in order to contest the full British Rally Championship, Pinder has linked up with the Kendal-based Taylor and said: "I know that he is a very experienced road rally navigator as well as a very competent co-driver. He certainly knows his stuff so I am confident we will work well together."

Pinder was due to spend tomorrow testing his Ford Ka, which has an 1400 Puma kit car engine.

He said: "The Ka is left-hand drive, so it is perfect that I will get a full day testing. I have driven plenty of left-hand drive cars but the last time was last July in a Peugeot 206 super cup car in Norway.

"The Pirelli will be my first rally since Rally GB but I have managed to stay sharp with some testing, a couple of magazine photo shoots and some rally school work.

"I did the Pirelli "Stars" rally last year and was lying second overall in an N1 VW Polo when it broke a driveshaft. The nature of the event is some long, very fast stages that should suit the Ka."