News

A demonstration run by seven rally cars that were once driven by Richard Burns will take centre stage at Somerley Park, near Bournemouth, on Saturday as part of ongoing fundraising efforts for the Richard Burns Foundation, a charity set up in honour of England’s 2001 world rally champion, who died of a brain tumour in November 2005 aged 34.

The Richard Burns Foundation aims to help people, particularly young people, by providing them with inspiration through Richard’s example and the means to face the future with confidence.

As well as hosting two stages of Rallye Sunseeker, Somerley Park will also feature the annual Motorfair extravaganza, which includes various displays and events in support of the MSA Gravel Rally Championship opener. Burns and co-driver Robert Reid emerged as future stars when they finished second on the event in 1992 in a Group N Subaru Legacy.

At approximately 1000hrs on Saturday (February 27), the seven cars (see list below) will take part in a parade lap of the stately home before being put on display for the remainder of the event. Volunteers from the Richard Burns Foundation will organise bucket collections throughout the day.

A Concours d’Elegance featuring examples of the RB5 and RB320 Subaru Impreza road cars will also take place at Somerley Park, with the winning owner handed the Rob Arthur Trophy and a Robert Reid Co-Pilote watch. Richard’s father Alex Burns, Reid and Jerry Williams, the World Rally Championship correspondent of Motorsport News, will form the judging panel.

In addition to the Somerley Park activities, Rallye Sunseeker organisers have instigated the Richard Burns Trophy, which will be presented, along with a cheque for £1000, to the highest placed Group N finisher on the event. Friends of Richard Burns have donated the trophy and money. Drivers in the running for the prize include Alex Allingham, Jonathan Greer and Dave Weston Jr. Event organisers have also named the Wareham Forest stage in memory of Burns.

The Rallye Sunseeker initiatives follow confirmation on Rally Sweden earlier this month of Marcus Grönholm as patron of the Richard Burns Foundation. Grönholm, a double world rally champion, was Richard’s team-mate at Peugeot from 2002 to 2003.

Grönholm said: “I admired and respected Richard as a sportsman and a person, and his strength through adversity was an inspiration for me. I hope that the work of the Foundation will inspire other people as well. We are all very sad that Richard is gone, but also very excited and confident about the possibilities we have to help other people and honour his memory through the important work of the Foundation. I would ask as many people as possible to help and become involved.”

Richard Burns Collection cars at Somerley Park: Talbot Sunbeam, Peugeot 205GTi, Peugeot 309GTi, Gp N Subaru Legacy, Gp A Subaru Legacy, Subaru Impreza WRC, Peugeot 206 WRC.