The action-packed Motorsport UK British Rally Championship heads to Duns in the Scottish Borders for the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally [26-27 May] – the second round of the series this weekend!
The infamous lanes around the market town have been a staple of the UK’s premier rally series over the decades, and as the British Rally Championship enters its 65th anniversary season, the Jim Clark Rally heralds the first of three asphalt events on the roster and a mix of deceptive moorland roads coupled with twisty country lanes.
And the country’s top-drawer series has added a star-studded list of names to the entry list with an impressive array of top-flight crews in Rally2 machinery, joined by Rally3, Rally4 and National Rally Title contenders, each aiming to grab some early top scores to gain momentum at the early part of the seven-round championship.
Max McRae will return to the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship next weekend as he tackles the Jim Clark Rally behind the wheel of an Opel Corsa Rally4.
He will be returning to the hotly contested Junior British Rally Championship category after making his debut at the Nicky Grist Stages in 2022 where he finished third in a Fiesta Rally4.
Fresh from a sensational performance in the World Rally Championship in Portugal, Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux adds a truly international flavour to the Scottish event as he aims for back-to-back BRC wins in his Ford Fiesta Rally2.
The M-Sport Ford factory driver enjoyed a convincing win on the opening round of the season on the gravel of the Malcolm Wilson Rally, but he and co-driver Alexandre Coria will need to bring their A-Game to Duns if they are to repeat that maximum score.
Breathing down their necks will be a wealth of top-class BRC contenders, led by none other than last year’s Jim Clark Rally winners Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin. The Irish pairing endured a tough opening round and struggled with their Volkswagen Polo GTi, but the change to asphalt, coupled with Cronin’s extensive experience on the event could well play into their hands.
The four-time BRC champion salvaged second in March but will be gunning for a win this time around.
An on-form Callum Black need not worry about his asphalt pace after winning the recent non-championship Manx National Rally, despite making his sealed surface debut in four-wheel-drive machinery. He and Jack Morton will be eying a repeat in Scotland in their sharp-looking Fiesta Rally2.
Saturday sees three stages repeated, with new tests from last year set to challenge even the most experienced of contenders. Duns Market Square town centre will host the ceremonial start, re-groups, and finish celebrations in a weekend-long festival-style atmosphere with a big screen broadcasting all the action to the waiting fans.
Just over 67 miles are in store and as last year demonstrated, the event can throw in a curveball to derail championship aspirations, but one thing is for sure, you will witness some of the best drivers in the business battling for tenths of a second in the Borders’ lanes. That’s a sight you won’t want to miss.
