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Tuthill Porsche is joining Spanish rally legends, Sergio and Diego Vallejo, to field a 997 GT3 on the 2018 Campeonato de España de Rallyes de Tierra (CERT) – the Spanish Gravel Rally Championship. Tuthills will work with the double Spanish rally champions to perfect the as-yet unrallied gravel kit, which was originally developed for Tuthill’s FIA R-GT Cup-winning Porsche 997 GT3 rally car.
The announcement coincides with Tuthill Porsche’s return to the FIA European Rally Championship, supporting its latest R-GT rally car, driven by John Coyne. Although the Irish rally veteran confined his debut season to the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, a number of European events have been added to the car’s 2018 calendar. Team boss, Richard Tuthill, is excited by the challenges ahead.
“Rallying has always been the cornerstone of what we are about, so it is terrific to continue our 997 R-GT experience in three totally different, highly dynamic championships. The FIA ERC is mainland Europe’s flagship championship. As former FIA R-GT Cup winners, we are always delighted to bring our brand of R-GT Porsche excitement back to the continent.
“The Irish and Spanish national championships are incredibly vibrant, supported by some of the most passionate rally fans anywhere in the world. Sharing our passion for Porsche rallying with them is a wonderful prospect, and it is doubly delightful to work with Sergio and Diego Vallejo, whose exploits in the Spanish Tarmac Championship have won them two national titles and thousands of devoted followers.”
“The Porsche is the car that I have enjoyed most running,” says Sergio Vallejo (above, right). “Driving requires a great deal of skill and commitment, as electronic aids do not come into play so much. For the public, the Porsche’s sound and presence is much more attractive and spectacular.
“With asphalt rallies conquered, we were looking for new motivation, so we began to consider gravel rallying. We got in touch with Tuthill Porsche, who had extensively tested their 997 GT3 Cup on that surface. They loved the idea of continuing with the development of their GT3 gravel kit and our sponsors loved it too. Thus, the stage is set for the 2018 Spanish Gravel Rally Championship.
“The greatest challenge lies in configuring the various suspension elements for maximum performance with the highest possible reliability. Gravel roads are not the natural habitat of the 911 GT3, but we are sure that the season will be a great challenge and a memorable experience for our team and the spectators.”
Watch the video below of Tuthill Porsche in-car testing with the Porsche 997 GT3 R-GT on gravel. We are super excited by this partnership and can’t wait to go testing with Sergio and Diego.
About Sergio Vallejo:
- Spanish Tarmac Rally Champion in 2009 & 2014
- Spanish Tarmac Rally Cup – GT Class winner in 2008
- Spanish Tarmac Rally Cup – S1600 winner in 2002 & 2003
- Spanish Tarmac Rally Championship runner-up in 2003 & 2008
- FIAT Spain official rally driver, WRC and Spanish Tarmac Rally Championship (CERA) competitor from 2001 to 2005 with 70 podiums in CERA
About Diego Vallejo:
- Highly experienced co-driver
- Partnered Dani Sordo for 2010 in the Citroen WRC team, achieving 3 WRC podiums during this season
- Spanish Tarmac Rally Champion in 2009 & 2014
- Dakar Rally finisher: 2016, 2017 & 2018
- Spanish TT Rally Championship Winner – 2016
