After a fantastic 2011, Rally Team GB are extremely excited about 2012 as they launch into the World Rally Championship. Louise Cook will attack the 2WD Production World Rally Championship and it will be the British Female Rally Champion's largest challenge to date.

British female Rally Driver, Louise Cook from Maidstone is revving up for her most ambitious leap yet. The Kent lady who has only just completed her second full season has enjoyed great success. Louise became the British Female Rally Champion this season and became Vice-Champion in the UK’s most competitive one make rally series, the Fiesta Sport Trophy UK, despite being in under powered machinery to 11 competitors. The previous year saw Louise become the RC5 champion in the British Rally Championship feeder series, the BRCC and the BRCC Ladies Award. Louise has never held back on voicing her target to become the first ever female to be World Rally Champion and she is determined to push to the World level without hesitation.

“The World Rally Championship has been my aim since the start. The sooner I am on those stages learning and gaining experience, the better” said Louise.

“The scariest thing is the non appearance fine, if I do not make it to any one of the rounds, I face a fine from the FIA of over £20,000 and the loss of my rally license until it is paid, I would literally be bust!”

To achieve her overall goal and compete at the highest level in the WRC, in a modern World Rally Car, Louise will have to find a budget over 100 times that of her 2011 British Rally Championship campaign. A staggering £4 million would be needed for each season. In the mean time Louise needs to find £100,000 of support to find her feet on the first rung of the WRC ladder for 2012, no mean fete.

“It is a huge amount to find, I might have to replace my race boots with roller skates to get around a lot more industrial estates and businesses in 2012. There are a lot of nice people in Britain and small amounts can add up, genuinely, every bit helps. In the WRC we can offer a lot more opportunities being in the world’s top flight, all be it the bottom rung of the ladder for now.”

Louise successfully funded a large part of her 2010 and 2011 seasons through her promotion 50 campaign. Louise managed to raise the support of 300 companies, each contributing £50, the cost of a couple of boxes of A4 paper. 2011 saw 66 of them winning large placements on her Fiesta rally car for the British Rally Championship rounds. For 2012, and with triple the budget to find, Louise hopes others will join her 300 supporters and have their own chance to get their brand out to millions of rally spectators and fans. Louise urges all business’s to take a look at www.cutecookie.co.uk and get in touch.

Louise’s first round is the World Rally Championship opener, the famous Rallye Monte Carlo. The Monte organisers have warned WRC crews to be braced for an early shock to the system. The 2012 event will feature an additional 100 competitive kilometres and an extra 240 kilometres of liaison, making it the longest Rallye Monte Carlo since 1995.

The asphalt event, which returns to the WRC calendar following a three-year absence, will get underway with a shakedown and a ceremonial start in the Champ de Mars in Valence, the capital of the Drome region of France, on Tuesday 17 January 2012. Wednesday will feature the classic stages in the south of the Ardeche, Thursday’s route takes in northern parts of the Ardeche and Haute Loire and on Friday crews will head south to Monaco. Following a rest on Saturday morning action will resume on Saturday afternoon for the final loop of stages based in the hills above Monte Carlo, including two runs over the infamous Col de Turini. The event will then conclude on the morning of Sunday 22 January with the Power Stage held between Sainte Agnes and Col de la Madone followed by the traditional prize giving, held on Sunday afternoon at the Place du Palais the official residence of the Prince of Monaco.

Automobile Club de Monaco said “With a total of 17 stages, including 433 kilometres timed and 1246 kilometres connecting roads, this Monte Carlo Rally is certain to uphold the long tradition of a highly challenging course, requiring great endurance on the part of drivers and vehicles alike.”

Rally Team GB are looking for partners to join them in 2012 and various opportunities are available to pledge support and benefit from the fantastic media. You can visit www.rallyteamgb.com for available opportunities.