Robbie Stokes is the latest driver to experience competing in both AP4 and Rally 2 platform of cars and he insists both have their own advantages.
For the past few years, one of the hottest topics in the sport has been the definition of parity between the two types of cars.
Stokes feels that over the course of the season, the advantages even out.
“They have got their advantages in their own ways,” he explained.
“The R5’s turn a lot faster and stop faster, and they are lighter, and you can really feel that money that has been spent on the development of them when you are driving them compared to the AP4s.
“The AP4s are still a very good car for being home-built in a shed and have a higher top speed, but are a little slower on the steering, a bit slower to slow down.”
The Stokes Motorsport team is running one of each this season with Robbie moving to Rally 2 platform with his Skoda while brother Jack is piloting the Ford Fiesta AP4.
If Otago was anything to go by – when both cars were having a good run – there was little to nothing separating the pair.
“If you look at the times between Jack and I at Otago, there was nothing in it,” Stokes said.
“They are both great cars in their own right.”
2025 NZRC Dates:
- Apr 5-6 Otago Rally
- May 10 Rally South Canterbury
- Jun 1 Rally Canterbury
- Aug 23 Rally Coromandel
- Oct 11 Rally Bay of Plenty
- Nov 7-9 International Rally Whangarei
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
