Why Meeke shouldn't have been benched

This was supposed to be the year when Kris Meeke showed the world what he and his Mini WRC could do. Instead, he's sat on the sidelines following budget cuts to the Prodrive-run rally programme. David Evans is not happy about it

It was the best and the worst day of Kris Meeke's year to date. He was back behind the wheel of a Mini John Cooper Works WRC, where he was meant to be spending most of this year. And next year. Yes, it was cold, wet asphalt, but not the right cold, wet asphalt; he was testing Eugene Donnelly's car for Galway, not warming up the number 52 machine on the Monte.

Meeke still doesn't want to talk about what's gone on at Mini, but stepping out of the car he's shaking down for Donnelly, he can't really help himself.

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