Ypres
Bart D’hulster will lead the field in his 30th Ypres Rally

It is a year of anniversaries for the Ardeca Ypres Rally. This year, it is celebrating its 60th anniversary, while the Ypres Historic Rally celebrates its 30th edition. However, there is another reason to celebrate as Bart D’hulster, is celebrating his 30th year in the Ypres Rally and will be behind the wheel of the 0-car. The CEO of SKT, the specialist in industrial cooling techniques, has decked out the three Hyundai i20 N Rally2s of BMA in a beautiful livery for the occasion.
D’Hulster had plenty of experience in the Ypres Rally before he decided to take command of the safety car in 2001. Together with navigator Martin Kinget, he watches over the safety of the spectators as the final car before the competitors roars through. 
“In Ypres, we work together with a whole series of opening cars, who work closely together. So we receive a lot of information from the other leading cars before our start. I mainly pay attention to the road, but Martin, my navigator, reads the notes and also pays attention to the public areas and the safety of the spectators. He has a particularly strong visual memory,” D’hulster said. It is clear that he enjoys driving a top car in his home rally every year.
Martin Kinget, the navigator, checks the safety of the spectators one last time along the stages. “Up to a minute before our start, I receive adjustments and comments from the other safety cars, with whom we have been working well for years,”  Kinget said.
D’hulster has developed a special livery with SKT for the three BMA cars, his own 0 car and the Hyundais of Hayden Paddon and Charles Munster. “We try to make a special design for Ypres every year. This time, the lions in the design refer to the lions at the Menin Gate. The blue colour represents the cooling technology of SKT and changes to warm yellow or orange. A special decoration in which we combine the company with Ypres. It is of course fantastic to be able to present three top cars in the same colours. Last year, winner Stéphane Lefebvre drove with our colours. This time we count on Hayden Paddon and Charles Munster for a great result,” D’hulster concluded.
The Ypres Historic Rally will have an experienced and legendary set of eyes watching over spectator and competitor safety. Claudie Tanghe will drive one of the lead cars with Michèle Mouton as Safety Delegate.