Guy Wilks

Guy Wilks is a British rally and rallycross driver who recorded 45 starts in the FIA World Rally Championship between 2002 and 2008. He was the most successful in the Junior WRC category, finishing third in 2004 and as a vice-champion in 2005. After that, Wilks was the British Rally champion two times, in 2007 and 2008.

His last full season in rallying was 2011. In recent years, Wilks switched to rallycross, recording thirteen starts in the FIA World Rallycross Championship from 2015 to 2017.

Guy Wilks

Champion in his first year of rallying

Born in January 1981 in Bishop Auckland in northeastern England, Guy Wilks started his rally career in 2000. He became a champion in his first year of rallying, winning the British Ford Ka Junior Championship. For most of the season, his co-driver in an A5-class Ford Ka was Paul Darlington.

Next year, Wilks graduated to Ford Puma 1400 and finished second in class. In 2001, he also recorded his first international rally attempt, participating in the German round of the European Rally Championship with Ford Puma Kit Car. He finished first in A5 class at ADAC Rallye Deutschland with Clive Jenkins as his navigator.

WRC debut at 2002 Swedish Rally

In February 2002, Wilks made his WRC debut, participating at Swedish Rally in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI. His new navigator was Roger Herron. They retired during the second day.

In 2002, Wilks was driving Ford Puma S1600 in the British Rally Championship, scoring several podiums to finish third in the S1600 class and fifth overall in the BRC.

Guy Wilks in 2003 with Ford Puma S1600

2003 – Junior WRC season with Ford Puma

In 2003, Wilks stepped into Junior WRC category of the World Rally Championship, sharing the #70 Ford Puma S1600 with navigator Phil Pugh.

They were on a podium two times, finishing third in Turkey and Finland, to finish seventh in the final standings. The champion was Frenchman Brice Tirabassi.

2004 British junior rally champion with Suzuki

For the 2004 Junior WRC season, Wilks joined Suzuki factory squad to drive the #33 Suzuki Ignis S1600. He and Phil Pugh were the rally winners two times, in Greece and Wales, finishing third in the Junior WRC standings.

Wilks was using the same car in the British Rally Championship, becoming a Class S1600 and Junior rally champion. Besides driving for Suzuki, he tried a World Rally Car in one event, winning with Hyundai Accent WRC in Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally in Scotland.

Guy Wilks was flying at 2005 ADAC Rallye Deutschland

Junior WRC vice-champion in 2005

In the 2005 Junior WRC season, Wilks and Pugh started a season in a Suzuki Ignis S1600 and later switched to Suzuki Swift S1600. Wilks was a JWRC winner in the #32 Suzuki Ignis at Rally Mexico. Later he added three more podiums to finish second in the Junior WRC standings, losing a title to Dani Sordo.

In 2005, Wilks expanded his JWRC commitments with participation in other WRC events which were not a part of JWRC schedule. He scored class wins at Cyprus Rally and Rally Japan. At the end of the season, he scored one more win in a Hyundai Accent WRC, triumphing at Grizedale Stages.

In 2006, his third season with Suzuki, Wilks was driving the #48 Suzuki Swift S1600 in the Junior WRC. He was a winner at Rally Argentina and Rally Finland, finishing fourth in the final standings.

Guy Wilks was the 2007 British rally champion with Mitsubishi

British rally champion for the first time in 2007

In 2007, Wilks switched his focus on the British Rally Championship, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. He was a rally winner three times, capturing BRC title ahead of Mark Higgins.

In the World Rally Championship, Wilks had a part-time schedule with Ramsport's Ford Focus RS WRC 05, driving it at Rally Norway, Rally de Portugal, Acropolis Rally, Rally Finland and ADAC Rallye Deutschland. At Rally Ireland he was driving a Subaru Impreza  S11 WRC, scoring his career-best finish in the sixth place. At season-ending Wales Rally GB, he was driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, taking a victory in Production WRC class.

Guy Wilks in 2008

Defending a British rally title in 2008

In 2008, Wilks managed to defend his BRC title, scoring one victory with Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX together with Phil Pugh. Over the season, Wilks was also using services of David Moynihan as a navigator.

He participated in several international events with Honda Civic Type-R, including Finnish WRC round where he was 18th overall and first in A7 class. At season-closing Wales Rally GB, he was 13th overall and 3rd in PWRC category in a Mitsubishi.

Škoda Fabia S2000 was Guy Wilks' IRC car in 2010

Three IRC seasons with three different cars

In 2009, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge became Wilks' main competition. He was driving a Proton Satria Neo S2000 in six events, finishing best in the fifth place at Rally Russia. At the end of the season, he switched to Škoda Fabia S2000 and won the Rally of Scotland. He was 7th in the final IRC standings.

In the 2010 IRC season, Wilks continued to drive Fabia S2000 for Škoda UK team, scoring three podiums in eight events. He crashed at Sardinia and missed three rounds due to injuries, ending a season sixth in the points. In 2011, his third IRC season, Wilks was driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 for Peugeot UK team, recording six DNFs in ten events and just one podium (3rd at Monte-Carlo) to finish 7th in the points.

Guy Wilks started his rallycross career with JRM Racing's Mini

Switching to rallycross in 2015

At the age 30, Wilks closed down his active rally career, participating occasionally in some national events such are Goodwood Festival of Speed. In 2015, he started a new career in a rallycross, entering the British round of the World Rallycross Championship with JRM Racing's Mini Countryman RX.

He surprised everybody by reaching finale and finishing in the sixth place. It remained his best World RX result so far. Later in the season, he participated in one more World RX round, at Circuit de Loheac in France.

Guy Wilks was driving the #100 Volkswagen Polo in 2017

Three World RX events in 2016, eight starts in 2017

In 2016, Wilks entered British WRX round with his own Ford Fiesta ST and then joined JRM Racing to drive Mini Countryman in two rounds (Barcelona, Latvia).

In 2017, he planned a full season with #100 Volkswagen Polo of Loco World RX Team but participated in just eight of twelve rounds. His best result was the seventh place in the season-opening event at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Wilks was driving for Loco WorldRX Team in 2017

Photos: fiaworldrallycross.com, Martin Vidourek, Vit Bezdekovsky, Marek Felt/ewrc-results.com,