Kiwi debuts hybrid rally car in APRC

Kiwi Mike Young has just completed the China Rally held over the past weekend in Zhangye, China, where he debuted the BYD hybrid rally car at the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), one of the first in an FIA-sanctioned rally event.

BYD has been competing in China for over two years, with Young being its first international driver. The event (held under extremely hot conditions at 35 degrees Celsius), where he was not eligible to score drivers’ championship points due to regulations, follows his Rally Estonia debut in July, where he finished second in class.

Not well known outside China, BYD produced more plug-in electric cars than any other company in the world last year and has backing from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and more recently Samsung Electronics.

“This is an exciting opportunity to work with a rally team that’s bringing the latest battery and new energy technology into motorsport. This is the future of racing and it’s great to be part of that process,” says Young.

“BYD, the APRC and even the WRC are very keen to see this car running in more international events and to the FIA rules and regulations, so I’m honoured to be among the first in the world to be offered the opportunity to do this.”

Young’s co-driver for the event was Long-she Zhung. His regular co-driver Malcolm Read attended a rally in Sri Lanka for EZY Racing.

Young’s campaign is supported by Cusco, EZY Racing, Dunlop, Dreams India, Yoda Rally, Verandah Apartments and KOS Sunglasses.

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