DAY 2: GROUP N and GROUP A!!

Group N has seen an exodus of sorts this year, but the remaining competitors have set up a battle of numerous clichés. First of all, it will be the battle of the sexes: American George Sherman and Englishwoman Shelly Taunt will go head to head for group supremacy. Sherman's Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 and Taunt in her Subaru Impreza N10. With a fourth placed finish in 2016, Taunt has the edge going in to this battle.

Where did some of those previous Group N cars go? Into group A, of course. However, they've been joined by a whole host of others. There are thirteen cars in Group A, a record number. This group is, in keeping with the trend of the other groups, too close to call. Winner in 2017, Avinash Chatrani will be keen to repeat but he's up against some very stiff competition. There has been some developmental work on his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6,so he'll be well equipped in the battle for group supremacy. Jonathan Trenholme is back in his Subaru. Runner-up to Avinash in 2017, Trenholme will be hoping that he can go one place higher.

Trinidad's David Coelho returns with his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. A third placed finish in the Carter's Pit Stop Stages, will have provided him with good preparation for the next 2 weekends. England's Simon Wallis is back in his Subaru Impreza N10. No stranger to Barbados, he'll be drawing on his previous experiences for a good result. Back in Group A driving his Subaru Impreza after going up to WRC-1 last year, Stuart Austin wouldn't mind emulating his second placed finish in 2016. Making the big step up from Clubman 1, Peter Gallagher enters the fray in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6. It's going to be a bit of going in at the deep end, but it will be interesting to see how Gallagher performs. 2018 Rally Trinidad winner Ryan Pinheiro is back as well. He made his Sol Rally Barbados debut last year, but retired due to a damaged gearbox. With the car refreshed and ready, Pinheiro is looking forward to showing what he can really do.

Andrew Mallalieu has stepped up from Group N and is ready for the fight ahead. With his Subaru Impreza given a thorough shakedown during the Carter's Pit Stop Stages en route to taking him to second place, it's safe to say that Mallalieu should be in the mix near the top of the group. Mark Thompson has also crossed the divide and brought his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 up to Group A spec. Though not having competed for the year, can his fully committed driving style take him to the top? England's Geoff Phelps makes his first trip to Sol Rally Barbados, and he's chosen a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 specifically built for tarmac.

England's Ryan Champion is back. No stranger to Barbados, he's brought a car with which he's very familiar. The Ralliart-built Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 which he'll be driving, is the same car in which he won the 2006 British Rally Championship. Champion should be fighting it out among the top, even taking the fight to 2 cars which will cause quite a stir. Andy Scott will have his second competitive outing in his recently acquired Ford-Fiesta R5. He will be absent for Flow King of The hill due to rallycross driving duties, he will be here for Sol Rally Barbados. Having given the Fiesta a good shakedown during the Carter's pit Stop Rally, Scott is looking to improve on his first attempt at Sol Rally Barbados last year. Tom Preston makes his second appearance in Sol Rally Barbados, his first being in 2003 behind the wheel of a Group N Subaru Impreza. This time around, he's brought a Skoda Fabia R5. Preston is no slouch, having won the Wales Rally GB National Rally. We'll see how quickly how quickly he gets up to speed, furthermore, with the advanced machinery he'll be operating, can he get in front and stay there?