Speeding fines for rally stars

Daniel Carlsson, Freddy Loix, Kris Meeke and Armin Schwarz all received licence bans after most were caught offending by a speed camera set-up on a two-mile stretch of public road between the rally's service area and the 'shakedown' stage. Those banned will still be able to drive in rallies in the UK but not drive on public roads between special stages, where their co-drivers will have to take over.

McRae and Burns were also given fines for similar speeding offences. In total, 17 competitors were caught during last year's event, based in Cardiff in South Wales.

Loix was fined £1,750 and given a six month ban after being caught seven times at speeds of up to 54mph in the 30mph zone in just one morning.

McRae was caught at 51mph, and fined £150 plus three penalty points. Burns was recorded at 83mph on a dual carriageway. He given three points and fined £150. Those hit the most were...

- banned for six months, fined £800
- banned for six months, fined £1,750
- banned for 12 months (had previous points), fined £300
- banned for six month, fined £1,000

Others to be fined and given penalty points were Carlos Sainz, Markko Martin, Tommi Makinen, Martin Rowe and Mikko Hirvonen. The roadside cameras picked up over 2,000 offences in all, most of which were spectators who were following the rally.

Magistrates chairman Cliff Jones said: "The area where these offences happened is particularly dangerous for people to exceed the speed limit under any circumstances."

Ironically, the man who invented the road-side speed camera, Maurice Gatsonides, was a former rally driver himself.