News that the Ulster Rally is being dropped is sure to displease local motorsport fans who, back in August, were treated to a spell-binding display of speed and car control by M-Sport Ford World Rally Championship WRC2 driver Adrien Fourmaux.
The axe has fallen on the Northern Ireland Motor Club event and is joined on the casualties’ list by the Malcolm Wilson Rally — a newcomer for the 2023 season — and Yorkshire’s Trackrod Rally.
Entering its 66th season, the decision to base all six fixtures exclusively in Great Britain is one influenced by the need to reduce costs, according to Reece Tarren.
My opinion on the announcement is this – With the unveiling of the 2024 calendar of the British Rally Championship, I am a little disappointed the Ulster Rally is not added.
Mainly they want this championship to be cost effective but at the end of the day this is a UK championship where they should be competing across all four parts of UK and compete.
They will be events in England, Scotland & Wales but sadly once again Northern Ireland is going to be left out of the rallying picture.
This could impact the future of Irish rallying on a worldwide scale especially when there’s talks of bringing back Rally Ireland to the WRC. Hopefully we will see the BRC return to Ulster tarmac sooner rather than later.
