Snijers relives Manx success

Twenty-two years after he scored a sensational victory on the Manx Rally, Patrick Snijers was back to demonstrate the same BMW M3 during the Rally Isle of Man in July.

The multiple Belgian rally champion drove the Prodrive-loaned M3 through the Castletown stage on Friday night (above) and then over the final Classic stage on Saturday, finishing with a set of donuts in front of the TT grandstands.

Snijers visited the island in 1988 during his bid for the European title and pundits said no driver new to the Manx could win such a technical event. Snijers proved them wrong by dominating the rally from the start, winning 25 of the 39 stages to see off Jimmy McRae’s Sierra Cosworth.

This time around it was merely a demonstration run, but Snijers still thrilled the fans in Castletown by sliding the M3 around on the wet and slippery roads bordering the harbour. Victory on this year’s historic rally went to Irishman Ryan Barrett in his Ford Escort Mk2.