Gill and Bates wave Aussie rallying flag

Taylor Gill and Harry Bates represented Australia on the international rallying map with pride last weekend.

Gill and Dan Brkic had a crack at the FIA Junior World Rally Championship title, but fell short at the tough Acropolis Rally.

Meanwhile, Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor made their Japanese debuts and made a massive impression, finishing second in the Hokkaido Rally.

Gill and Brkic entered the gruelling Greek event second in the JWRC standings and in contention to win the title.

Taylor Gill putting the foot down in the Greek dirt. Image: Supplied

After a promising start, the pair were just 25s from the lead on Friday, only for a puncture on the day’s final stage to push them from third to fifth.

A further blow arrived on Saturday when the Aussie damaged a rear control arm on his Ford Fiesta Rally3, which forced them to crawl through the final two stages and lost a lot of time.

Unfortunately this meant Gill and Brkic had to settle for eighth at the end of the rally, which saw them fall to third in the championship behind champion Romeo Jurgenson and Greece winner Norbert Maior.

“We went into the weekend with a goal of staying consistent and making sure we made as few mistakes as possible,” Gill recalled.

“Throughout Friday we were driving at a comfortable speed, but unfortunately the puncture set us back. 

“Then, on Saturday, our issue appeared, and the time loss was gradual.

“The rough roads damaged the rear of the car, and we simply had to nurse it through.

“Initially, the rear control arm was bent, however, it eventually broke completely as we made it to the end of the day.

Taylor Gill has completed his first FIA Junior World Rally Championship campaign. Image: Supplied

“It was a tough pill to swallow, but we understand that in an event like this, these problems can come from nowhere.

“Regardless of the final outcome, we’re very proud of our efforts this season and can hold our heads high knowing we gave ourselves the best possible chance at championship victory in the last round.”

Gill and Brkic received the opportunity to compete at WRC events in the junior championship through the FIA Rally Star program and a decision on whether they will remain part of it next year is expected in coming months.

Over in Japan Bates and Taylor made a guest appearance at the Hokkaido Rally thanks to an international partnership between TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and its Australian arm, supported by Neal Bates Motorsport and they made the most of it.

Harry Bates puts on a show for the Japanese crowd. Image: Supplied

The Aussies wasted no time in showing their skills by winning the very first stage, but a pop off valve issue hurt their chances of more success on the opening day.

However, Bates did enough to secure second in the overall standings and chase further success on Day 2.

The Toyota pair did just that by being the fastest across the second-day stages.

With a total of four stage wins, Bates and Taylor finished an impressive second, 49s behind winners Arai Hiroki and Matsui Shunsuke in a Skoda Fabia R5.

Both Bates and Taylor were thrilled with their efforts and loved the experience.

“I’m extremely happy with second place, it’s like a dream to come over here and in my first Rally in Japan I got a podium, so I was very happy with that,” Bates said.

“Thank you so much to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Australia for making this happen, and also the cooperation with TGR-WRJ, they gave us so much support this weekend, their mechanics were unbelievable, and really, really good at working on my car.”

Harry Bates and Coral Taylor showed plenty of speed on Japanese soil. Image: Supplied

“We’ve had a fantastic time here, really fantastic,” Taylor said. 

“It’s been a huge collaboration between TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Japan and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Australia, but also the event organisers have been super helpful, the Japanese people in general have been super welcoming and friendly, and just can’t do enough to help you.

“I think Harry drove a brilliant event here, and it was all very close… our event apart from a slight mechanical issue had gone perfectly, and we really enjoyed ourselves.”

Bates and Taylor return to Australia for the Adelaide Hills Rally this weekend.

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