Yeray Lemes will continue for another year in the elite of the rally specialty as one of the twelve chosen to take part in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Cup, a new single-brand cup that to some extent takes over from the Junior championship that the Canary Islander contested in 2011 and 2013 at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R2. The previous experience with M-Sport, the fantastic prize at stake and very balanced participation costs have led the current JWRC world runner-up and his team to opt for this option.
As in the past year, the support of Auto-Laca Competición has been decisive in being able to undertake what will be his fourth season in the World Rally Championship. The Tenerife-based company run by Ángel Ramos will be the main sponsor and shares with Lemes the illusion of being able to aspire to first position.
"At the end of 2013 I thought that perhaps we were going to have to leave the world championship despite achieving the Junior runner-up with the victory in Catalonia. But thanks to Auto-Laca and Ángel Ramos we are already registered and confirmed in this new cup. I can't be more grateful," said the Canary Islander, whose goal will be to fight for the title again. "I am more excited than ever and now we have a couple of months to prepare and start the championship strong. There are five rallies and the regularity of results will be decisive," he predicts.
Alongside him will be the Gran Canaria co-driver Rogelio Peñate. In their world championship career from 2010 onwards, they have accumulated significant experience in a dozen different events, four of which are part of the calendar of this Drive DMACK Fiesta Cup. "Having the opportunity to continue in the World Rally Championship is great news. We have everything in our favor: we know the car, the team and most of the rallies except for Poland. I have very good feelings for this season," said the co-driver from Santa Lucía de Tirajana.
The season will start at the Rally de Portugal from April 3 to 6 and will be followed by two other gravel events, Poland –from June 27 to 29– and Finland –from August 1 to 3. The last two events will be on asphalt: the Rally de Alemania, from August 22 to 24; and the Rally de Francia Alsacia, from October 3 to 5. Only Poland is outside the experience of the Canary Islanders in the world championship, as they have contested the rest of the events on at least two occasions.
