MSA warns British fans over rally safety

In an open letter, Jones outlined his concerns for spectator safety, prompted partly by a picture printed in AUTOSPORT's sister publication Motorsport News of a spectator laying down at the side of a competitive stage on the Wyedean Rally.

On Monday Jones also confirmed the secondment to the MSA of Jacqueline Campbell, a Scottish Government staff member who has been at the heart of the Motorsport Event Safety Review prompted by fatal accidents north of the border.

Campbell will help the MSA implement the recommendations laid out by the review.

In his letter, Jones said: "I am astonished and dismayed that an irresponsible minority - and I stress minority - of spectators continue to display a wanton disregard for their own personal wellbeing.

"I can confirm from discussions within the last few days that unless these few idiotic spectators concerned change their attitude immediately and behave responsibly, there will be no future for stage rallying in the UK.

"I am not talking about next year, or the year after; I am talking about right now.

"Even in the meantime, this sort of behaviour will mean that stages are cancelled and rallies disrupted or even stopped."

Jones said Campbell's involvement would make a significant difference given her role in the Scottish review.

"This is a very important development, not only in terms of the MSA benefiting from Jacqueline's direct input, but also in the development of our partnership with the Scottish Government and also through them, our interaction with other key stakeholders in Scotland including the Forestry Commission, the police, and local authorities," he said.

The Scottish Government Motorsport Event Safety Review was set up in the wake of fatal accidents on the Snowman Rally in 2013 and the Jim Clark Rally last year.