Martin Rowe

Martin Rowe (37), the 2003 Production Cup World Rally Champion, has achieved much success in his motor sporting career. Born on the Isle of Man, Martin started driving professionally in 1991, winning the Manx Stage Rally Championship in a Ford Escort. Via a national rally scholarship programme, Martin earned himself the opportunity to pilot a Group 'N' Escort Cosworth in the 1993 National Championship Rally series. Martin rose to the challenge and became the youngest winner of the Manx National Rally - and only driver ever to win the rally outright in a Group 'N' category car. The following years brought further victories, including third place overall and first in group ‘N’ in the 1994 Mobil 1 Top Gear British Rally Championship, and fifth place in the ‘Formula 2’ class of the gruelling Network Q RAC Rally in November the same year. 1998 was a great year for Martin as he dominated the British Rally Championship, winning four out of six events and in the process gaining the first rallying titles in Britain for Renault (the Drivers’, Co-drivers’, and Manufacturers’ Championships). In 1999, Martin again contributed to Renault’s rallying success, with a second place in Finland, Australia and Great Britain enabling the French marque to win the ‘Formula 2’ category of the World Rally Championship. In 2001, driving a Ford Puma S1600 in the British Formula Rally Championship, Martin gained first place overall, with three outright wins and two second places. Martin also entered the Production Car World Cup in 2001, finishing in sixth place at his first attempt. In New Zealand, a rally he had never contested before, Martin missed out on his first WRC win by just 19 seconds.

Martin was the only driver in the World in 2002 to compete in BOTH the Junior World Championship and the Production Championship, driving in no fewer than 12 WRC events.In 2003, Martin showed his fast but consistent pace throughout the year to beat tough competition from every corner of the world. This was a great year for Martin, for he won the Production Car World Championship, driving a Subaru Impreza. He was victorious in Australia, finished second in Cyprus and Germany, and third in Sweden and Corsica.

Most recently, Martin has been competing in the Chinese Rally Championship, winning the title outright in 2006, and finishing runner-up in 2007. This experience should stand Martin in good stead this year when the Oxfordshire-based driver takes the wheel of the Cayenne Transsyberia on behalf of Porsche Cars Great Britain in the Rallye Transsyberia.

Richard Tuthill

Richard Tuthill (34), from Oxfordshire, has vast experience in competing in and managing international motor sport events, and through his work in the family engineering business has acquired a deep understanding of automotive design and technology. His rich and diverse experience in both contemporary and historic motor sport events spans competitions in Great Britain, America and Africa.

Richard’s career began in 1996 when he won the British Junior Rally Championship driving a Vauxhall Nova, and he has since proved to be expertly qualified both in driving and navigating. Driving a Subaru Impreza in 1999, he gained second place in the Production Cup of the British Rally Championship. In 2001, Richard achieved two international rally wins in the USA in a Mitsubishi EVO. In 2003, Richard’s association with the Porsche marque brought great success when he finished the tough East African Safari Rally for historic cars in thirdplace, driving a classic Porsche 911.