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Fred Gallagher won the 1997 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies co-driving Finnish legend Ari Vatanen. Prior to that, he won 5 World Championship rallies, all in Africa. He has also been organising rallies at the highest level for over 25 years over all 6 continents. This is the story of his career to date.

As a fanatic rally teenager growing up in Northern Ireland, fellow countrymen Fred Gallagher and Terry Harryman truly were superstar rally co-driving heroes of mine. I watched Fred on TV in the 1980s when he was co-driving legends such as Tony Pond, Henri Toivonen and Juha Kankkunen. He went on to have even more success with Björn Waldegård and Ari Vatanen. I also watched him in person on home rallies like the Circuit of Ireland. I watched from a distance however, too shy to approach or engage with him.

Little did I know that Fred too had his co-driving heroes growing up, men like Henry Lidden, John Davenport and Jim Porter.

In this episode, Fred tells of the great relationships he built with some of the highest achievers in world motorsport. Those close bonds allowed him to spot and then act on various opportunities, some of which he calls life changing. Fred has been one of the best in the world in at least three different job roles in rallying, his, is a great story.

Enjoy the show.

Learning and action points

Thanks to Fred for all his stories and insights which I hope you enjoyed. The same theme was loud and clear throughout, Fred builds great relationships. That bond of mutual trust must have been a catalyst for most of the opportunities that Fred spotted and did something with.

If you’d like to get in touch, our email is info@stagebystage.com

You can find Rally the Globe here: https://rallytheglobe.com

Nowadays we’re all very busy, so don’t worry about reviewing, liking or sharing the show.

That’s it for now, thanks very much for listening, until the next time, take care.

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Today’s guest is Liz Linford

Description: –

Liz Linford has helped multiple World and National motorsport champions on their path to the top. She specialises in taking a holistic approach to helping her clients manage both body and mind through her business Body Technology. In this show, she talks a lot about her special relationship with 2001 World Rally Champion Ricard Burns.

There’s no doubt that Liz Linford is passionate about what she does. She’s extremely competitive and gets a huge buzz out of pushing people to the limits. But she is also one of the best listeners I know, empathetic and caring. She has literally helped hundreds if not thousands of motorsport competitors over the years, including World Rally Champions, Richard Burns, Robert Reid and Martin Rowe together with a wealth of racing champions.

It was one of my rally mentors, 2001 World Rally Champion Richard Burns, who told me I had to go and see Lizzie in 1997, shortly after I moved to England to pursue a career in motorsport. It soon became clear why this was such a great piece of advice.

Since then, Liz has been looking after me for over 20 years, and we’ve worked together on some great projects, exploring all sorts of new and different ways to find a competitive edge.

I go to see her at least one a year for my annual MOT, walking out of her treatment room every time feeling 100-foot-tall, usually followed by a fantastic catch up over lunch.

Richard and Lizzie had a very special relationship and during the show she regularly talks about it.

Known and respected throughout all motorsport disciplines, virtually all of my podcast and YouTube Show guests to date are clients of hers, most have expressed their gratitude to her during those shows when telling us about why they were successful not just in motorsport but in life in general.

So what does she do? Now that’s the question – she’s just Lizzie! Her business is called Body Technology which sums her up nicely. She takes a holistic approach to helping her clients understand and manage their well-being. She works on both body and mind.

During the show her energy shines through, together with her always present positive language. But don’t be fooled, she can spot bullshit in an instant!

Learning and action points

Thanks to Liz for all her stories and insights.

There was plenty of learning in there, so let me quickly recap it with some suggested actions for you: –

• 6 mins 30 secs – Look for the edge, do something that your competitors haven’t tried
• 7 mins 10 secs – Find someone you can trust to share what’s on your mind. Someone you can voice your biggest fears and concerns to, in confidence without being judged.
• 12 mins 40 secs – Learn from other people, find out what mistakes they made so you don’t!
• 13 mins 48 secs – Be your own person, find out what works for you, don’t follow the crowd.
• 14 mins 50 secs – Write your action plan, how are you going to achieve your goals? Remember, goals are targets, they can be adjusted as you go.
• 22 mins 00 secs – Listen to your body and remember that your mind and body are connected. For example, a slight physical discomfort could be the thing that distracted you enough to break your concentration. Get it looked at.
• 23 mins 00 secs – Make sure you focus as much on your body and mind as you do on your car to optimise performance.
• 28 mins 15 secs – Create a daily stretch routine and stay hydrated – copy your pets – they know what they’re doing!
• 34 mins 00 secs – Analyse your performance – good and bad – regularly.
• 40 mins 45 secs – Mentally practice ‘what if’ scenarios, e.g. if you get a puncture, and learn how to respond calmly rather than reacting in a panic. There’s a big difference.
• 54 mins 15 secs – Don’t be afraid to ask for help, remember, knowledge is for sharing.

If you’d like to get in touch, our email is info@stagebystage.com

You can find Liz on Facebook : – https://www.facebook.com/Body-Technology-Liz-Linford-01280-700300-277038392320627/

Or you can call her on 01280 700 300 That’s a UK number of course.

Nowadays we’re all very busy, so don’t worry about reviewing, liking or sharing the show.

That’s it for now, thanks very much for listening, until the next time, take care.

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Molly Taylor became the youngest ever Australian Rally Champion in 2016. Her story is remarkable, and has been the inspiration for many, who like Molly want to follow her dream.

I first met Molly in 2008 and it was clear from the outset that she was different. Hungry for knowledge, an incredible drive to succeed and a charm that means she usually gets what she wants.

From living in a barn 12,000 miles from home, to setting fastest times in the Junior World Rally Championship and then becoming the youngest ever Australian Rally Champion at that time. She is a true inspiration and a role model for many.

I started coaching her over 10 years ago and we became great friends. We chat regularly and I think it’s incredible what she’s achieved in such a short time. Believe me, she’s only getting going.

In a remarkably honest conversation, she shares a tremendous amount of knowledge and a number of unique insights.

More info

Thanks to Molly for all her stories and insights.

Find her using the @mollyrally handle or via her website www.mollytaylor.com.au

Read all about the wonderful Ella Bibby here: – https://bit.ly/2WS7Hwt

Or watch here: – https://bit.ly/3g0twl2

If you found this show helpful, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss any future episodes.

If you could take just 60 seconds or so to write a review, that would be much appreciated. That will help me to reach out to even more people. Liking and sharing the details on social media is also a great help.

For show notes check out my blog at https://www.stagebystage.com/blog

If you’d like to get in touch, our email is info@stagebystage.com

That’s it for now, thanks very much for listening, until the next time, take care.

World Rally Champion Co-driver Phil Mills joins John McLean to answer questions and tell more stories about their winning the World Rally Championship in 2003.

#performancecoaching #rallying #motorsport

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Former Rally Technician John McLean talks us through the highs and lows of his role in the closest ever finish to the World Rally Championship.

Petter Solberg and John McLean (pic. J McLean)

In 2003, Norwegian Petter Solberg and Welshman Phil Mills won the driver & co-driver World Rally Championship titles in their Subaru Impreza. They beat Sébastien Loeb by 1 single point, in a fight that went down to the last day of the last rally.

John was Petter’s No.1 technician that year in the Subaru World Rally Team. He was responsible for the day to day preparation and on-event servicing of their car throughout the year.

I first worked with John nearly 30 years ago and we’ve been great friends since. We’ve been in the same team several times over the years, and one thing’s for sure, you won’t find anyone more passionate about the sport of rallying than John. That comes through loud and clear in our chat.

He takes us on a fascinating behind the scenes look at that amazing year, including an incredible story of how disaster struck on the eve of Rally Corsica, when Solberg crashed heavily on the pre-event shakedown.

We also hear stage by stage, how his team of technicians were able to replace a gearbox in 12 minutes.

As we have learnt throughout this series, irrespective of your role, the same advice for success in all of life’s challenges keeps shining through. John talks about his attention to detail, total self-belief, having a don’t give up attitude and being committed, determined and passionate.

Enjoy the show.

Learning and action points

There was plenty of learning in there, so let me quickly recap it with some suggested actions for you: –

• 16 mins 20 secs – Forward planning and attention to detail are vital if you want to be a world leader at anything. You’ve got to do things a little bit better than your competition. Continually ask yourself – “How can you I do this better?”
• 35 mins 20 secs – Don’t give up, even if all the odds are against you. Dig a bit deeper and push on…
• 36 mins 54 secs – Have total self-belief, you can do it if you want to.
• 42 mins 09 secs – Be committed, determined and passionate.
• 42 mins 40 secs – Create a bond within your team, get everyone on the same wavelength and focus on the fact that you’re doing it to win.
• 44 mins 20 secs – Aim to love every minute of it.
• 49 mins 28 secs – Don’t react by going into the red and panicking. Instead keep it in the green, pause, think clearly and respond calmly.
• 51 mins 45 secs – Use the difficult times and experiences to make you stronger.
• 1hr 06 mins 40 secs – Bond with your team in a genuine way.
• 1hr 07 mins 28 secs – It’s very important to embrace your team to earn respect.

If you found this show helpful, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss any future episodes.

If you could take just 60 seconds or so to write a review, that would be much appreciated. That will help me to reach out to even more people. Liking and sharing the details on social media is also a great help.

For show notes check out my blog at https://www.stagebystage.com/blog

If you’d like to get in touch, our email is info@stagebystage.com

That’s it for now, thanks very much for listening, until the next time, take care.

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Today’s guest is Richard Asquith

Neil Wearden/Trevor Agnew Rally San Remo 1997 – pic credit unknown

If you’ve ever wondered how to impress a rally team boss, then this show is for you. Richard and his family started their own motorsport team, Asquith Autosport in the early 90s.

For over 20 years, they carefully selected several club drivers and helped propel them on to winning multiple World and British Rally Championships.

This is a list of just ten of those drivers; Jari-Matti Latvala, Mikko Hirvonen, Mark & David Higgins, Neil Wearden, Niall McShea, Robbie Head, Keith Cronin, Osian Price and Jukka Korhonen.

In 1997, they selected Neil Wearden and I, and welcomed us into their family team. A team that was incredibly professional and hugely successful, despite running on the smallest of budgets.  Neil and I will be eternally grateful to the Asquith family for initially believing in us, then nourishing and helping us grow as competitors. We would never have had the confidence to achieve what we did, without their support. I know a lot of their other drivers and co-drivers feel the same way.

Here’s the suggested actions from this show.

Remember Richard was a hugely successful team owner and mentor. Therefore, these are top action points if you want to impress a current team manager, the judging panel of a young driver programme or award, an investor, a sponsor or simply to help with your own self-confidence.

• 14 mins 35 secs – work to build your skills, knowledge and attitude to be in the top 5% of the current talent pool
• 15 mins 10 secs – prove that you have a “total and utter commitment”
• 16 mins 09 secs – Demonstrate that you’re passionate about wanting to succeed, and in Richard’s words that “your heart wants to be World champion, not just your head” You are selling yourself, so being passionate will help convince people to help you.
• 21 mins 50 secs – Work on maximising your traction by increasing your feel and efficiency in relation to throttle control and steering input.
• 42 mins 40 secs – Stay in an under powered car until you can “wring it’s neck and show you’re supreme!” Balance that with finishing events so you can learn a lot more.
• 1 hour 10 mins 10 secs – Build up a good relationship with your team
• 1 hour 10 mins 55 secs – Earn respect from your team, you can’t buy it
• 1 hour 11 mins 25 secs – Listen to people and try to learn from them
• 1 hour 12 mins 20 secs – Be honest about money, transparency & integrity are vital if you want to progress
• 1 hour 13 mins 39 secs – Finally, savour the moment. Enjoy competing and all your victories, big and small along the way….

If you found this show helpful, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss any future episodes.

If you could take just 60 seconds or so to write a review, that would be much appreciated. That will help me to reach out to even more people. Liking and sharing the details on social media is also a great help.

If you’d like to get in touch, our email is info@stagebystage.com

Follow us on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taagnew (@taagnew)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tagnew01 (tagnew01)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stagebystagefb

That’s it for now, thanks very much for listening, until the next time, take care.

If you want to get to the pinnacle of any motorsport discipline, the story of how Neil and Trevor achieved it via Slipstream Sports Management is a must. Slipstream co-founder Angus Watt joins us and explains the model, together with former Slipstream co-driver Phil Pugh, who talks about his career co-driving in the World Rally Championship.

#performancecoaching #rallying #motorsport

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Today’s guest is Neil Wearden

• Neil and I started competing together in 1997 using Asquith Autosport’s Honda Civic in the British Rally Championship and on a selection of other events.

Over the next 2 years we had huge success as a team, putting in some giant-killing performances, which led to offers from 4 different manufacturer teams.

We chose Vauxhall and began a 2-year programme in an Astra Formula 2 kit car, during an era seen by many as the most iconic. We won the Ulster Rally in our 1^st year, before winning the Manufacturer’s title in 2000.

The highlight of our career together was competing in a Peugeot 206 World Rally Car on selected rounds of the World Rally Championship in 2001, where we were able to set some top 5 stage times in our debut year.

I have no doubt that had circumstances been a little more favourable, Neil had the talent and character needed to become a multiple World Rally Champion.

In the show, we learn how his role as a retained fire-fighter helped him stay calm in the pressured environment of the World Rally Championship.

We talked a lot about the need for meticulous preparation

We also learn about his grit and determination to succeed, even after his driving career as a very successful endurance athlete.

Neil lives just outside Blackpool where he continues to run the family garage business.

Here’s the suggested actions from this show.

• Preparation and a routine will help you stay calm and be more relaxed. That in turn will help you absorb information more easily, give you more sensitivity to the car’s movements, help you drive more smoothly which means you will be easier on your car. It will also help you preserve energy.
• Try to balance your hands on the steering wheel at the 10 to 2 position for maximum efficiency and smooth driving.
• Use a racing instructor or coach to help understand lines and the physics of driving, e.g. how the forces work on a tyre.
• Look as far ahead as you can, you will steer where you look. That’s the same for looking where the corner finishes.
• Aim to guide your car rather than fight it – it’s all about momentum and carrying speed.
• Visualise your competitor when you are training and do one more rep or sprint that little bit faster
• Work hard, practice hard, put everything into it, nothing half-hearted
• Don’t let your mind tell your body to stop, keep going until you physically stop. Focus on the process, one stride or swimming stroke after the other
• Teach yourself how to quickly adapt your driving
• You’ve got to be true to yourself
• Commit 100% to what you’re doing
• For everything you do in life, ask these 3 things to maximise your learning and add to your experience: –
  • What went well?
  • What could have gone better?
  • What could I do differently next time?
• Make the car float
• Be creative in trying to find an edge over your competitors, e.g. using a hypnotherapist. 

Show references: –

Neil & Trevor interview on the Absolute Rally podcast from 14.07.19 (from 30mins 30 secs): –

https://www.absoluterally.co.uk/episode-6-season-17-14-08-19/

Neil & Trevor interview on the Sprint podcast from 28.05.20: –

https://sprintpodcast.podbean.com/e/s1-2001-wrc-special-interview-with-neil-wearden-trevor-agnew/

You can find Neil on Twitter: – @neilwearden

If you found this show helpful, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss any future episodes.

If you could take just 60 seconds or so to write a review, that would be much appreciated. That will help me to reach out to even more people. Liking and sharing the details on social media is also a great help.

If you’d like to get in touch, our email is info@stagebystage.com

Follow us on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taagnew (@taagnew)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tagnew01 (tagnew01)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stagebystagefb

That’s it for now, thanks very much for listening, until the next time, take care.

In the second Stage by Stage Show Live, Martin, Trevor and guests Gethin Jones and Jon Armstrong answer questions from Luke Barry, Tony Simpson and our viewers.

#performancecoaching #rallying

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Learn what it takes to become a World Rally Champion and use the suggested actions to start your journey. A lot of those actions are equally relevant in other sports, business and life in general.

Martin Rowe

In 2003, Martin and I achieved the high point of our professional careers to date, when together with our fantastic team, we won the FIA Production World Rally Championship, the very first time that Subaru had won the title.

I’ve known Martin since the mid-nineties, and we’ve been great friends for close to 20 years. Originally from the Isle of Man, he now lives in Whistler Canada with his wife Claire and daughters, Toby and Willow.

As well as a World title, he also won the British Rally Championship in 1998 and the Chinese Manufacturers Championship in 2006.

In the show, we talk about how his Dad got him competing on a motorbike aged just 4. We also learn how he taught Martin to never give up. The determination Martin had to practice skills at 6 years of age, has stood by him in both competition and business.

He talks about channelling his energy using the flame of a candle and how he still continues working to improve his driving.

He tells a brilliant story of spending 2 days teaching driving efficiency to Ferrari’s latest Formula 1 driver signing, Carlos Sainz Jr, when he was aged just 15 on a frozen lake in Norway. It ended with a shootout between Carlos Snr, his brother, Carlos Jr and Martin. Who won? You’d better listen to find out!

Martin is a genuine honest hard-working family man, with a wicked sense of humour and I’m proud to call him my mate.

Here’s the suggested actions from this show.

• Set clear goals, be determined and hungry to do better and never give up
• Find a way to work on your balance and feel. Try something simple, like balancing a bike whilst stationary and build up the time. That extra feel and improved sensitivity, will help you find the edge of grip or traction, and give you a better brake feel.
• Use a technique like Martin’s candle flame to help you relax and focus before the start of a special stage. Remember, a relaxed concentrated state is the goal.
• Find the pivot or balance point of your car, usually around the dash or gear lever. That will help raise your awareness of how to maintain momentum.
• Find the optimum position for your hands on the steering wheel, to be more aware of the edge of traction. Be aware of how tight you are holding the steering wheel. The looser the grip, the more feel you have, and the movement will be more fluid. Guide the car as much as possible to again maintain momentum. As Burnsie used to say, “Pinkies out, concentrate like hell!”
• Zen steering – avoid taking your hands off the steering wheel, that means less sideways movement, therefore more efficiency = faster. Just ask Carlos Sainz Junior!
• And finally, synchronising bladders is very efficient – give it a go….

Check out Martin’s personal website: –

http://www.martinrowe.com

and his business website: –

http://cm2driverdevelopment.com

I hope that has been useful. Thanks to Martin for his input and to you for listening.

If you found this show helpful, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss any future episodes.

If you could take just 60 seconds or so to write a review, that would be much appreciated. That will help me to reach out to even more people. Sharing the details on social media is also a great help.

If you’d like to get in touch, our email is info@stagebystage.com

Follow us on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taagnew (@taagnew)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tagnew01 (tagnew01)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stagebystagefb

That’s all for now, until next time, stay safe and take care.