Pirelli announces support for Richard Burns Foundation at Castle Combe

Pirelli UK will provide its rally simulator to the Richard Burns Foundation at the Rallyday event in Castle Combe on 20 September. All proceeds from the simulator experience will go to the Richard Burns Foundation: a charity set up in the name of the 2001 World Rally Champion, who won his title on Pirelli tyres.

Burns died of an astrocytoma, a type of brain tumour, in 2005 and the Richard Burns Foundation was set up shortly after his death to support people with brain illnesses or injuries. One of the trustees of the charity is Pirelli’s Motorsport director Paul Hembery, a close friend of Burns during his lifetime. Since last year, the Pirelli-backed round of the British Rally Championship has also been known as the Pirelli Carlisle Richard Burns Foundation Rally.

Pirelli UK managing director Dominic Sandivasci said: “We’re very pleased to be able to support the valuable work of the Richard Burns Foundation once more by lending our simulator for the Rallyday event. We have a very close connection with Richard and the charity set up in his name, which is a practical and inspirational support to those afflicted by brain injuries or illnesses. So we urge as many people as possible to try our simulator out and donate generously.”

The Rallyday event is a festival of rallying, featuring not only historic cars and star drivers from the past, but also more modern machinery. A number of the rally legends who will be attending the event, such as Markku Alen and Markko Martin, made their names using Pirelli tyres. A wide variety of attractions are spread all over the Castle Combe circuit, in Wiltshire, making it a great day out for the entire family.

The Richard Burns Foundation is Rallyday’s official charity, and it will be collecting donations throughout the weekend. An important part of the fundraising drive will now be provided by Pirelli’s rally simulator, which allows people to experience what it is like to be a rally driver.

Kate Higton from the Richard Burns Foundation added: “We’re very grateful to Pirelli for the generous loan of the simulator. We hope that people will be able to have a taste of Richard’s passion for the sport through driving it, and support our work at the Richard Burns Foundation.”