Fermanagh’s rally drivers have welcomed the news that the Ulster International Rally is scheduled to go ahead in 2021.

The Newry based rally has become the first event in Ireland to announce that it intends to run in 2021, shifting from its traditional August date to the weekend of Friday November 19 and Saturday November 20 in a bid to get motorsport up and running again.

The prospect of a high profile rally International Rally going ahead is sure to attract a large entry, with Alastair Fisher and William Mavitty among those who would be looking to grab a spot in the starting line-up.

“It is good to see some positive news and see that the club are putting plans in place to work towards a date,” said Fisher.

“It is really the first light at the end of the tunnel we have seen in almost a year and I think we would definitely consider entering. It would be a different type of event in November so it would be an interesting one. I would think there will be a lot of people looking to give it a go. It will be well subscribed.”

William Mavitty’s last event was the 2020 Galway Rally, where he won Group N and finished eighth overall in his familiar Mitsubishi, and he would like to get back to competitive action on an event that has not always been kind to him.

“I will be looking forward to getting back out again, and hopefully get a good run around it,” he admitted.

“Last year we were leading it and the diff blew up, so I would like to get back and pick up where I left off. It is going to be a different Ulster to what we have been used to. It is going to be darker in November, but it was in Newry before and although they haven’t talked about an area for the stages, Newry worked quite well and the stages were good.

“I’m sure it will get a good entry because people will be mad to get out again.”

Although the Donegal International Rally has not yet been officially cancelled, few expect the June rally to go ahead.

With the Irish Tarmac Championship already cancelled, the news that the Ulster Rally is hoping to go ahead is a huge boost to the rally community.

“Due to Covid-19 and the current restrictions, the preparations required for an August date could not be completed,” explained event director, Richard Swanston. “We will continue to monitor the situation and tailor our plans to suit as we work towards the November date.

“If restrictions are such that the attendance of spectators would be illegal, and would pose a risk to the community we are operating in, then we’ll review the viability closer to the time. In controlled areas such as service parks, again, restrictions at the time will dictate how we operate. It’s very fluid at the moment but we have a date and we’re working towards that.”