After a blistering start to the 2024 season, the Probite Motorsport UK British Rally Championship [BRC] heads for the gravel next weekend [13 April] as the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages offers the perfect battleground for round two.
Over 62 miles of world-class stages lie ahead, with classics such as Myherin and Hafren Sweet Lamb on offer during a non-stop day of action. Those forest tests have hosted the best drivers in the world in the past, with Wales Rally GB famously visiting the region for many years, witnessing World Rally champions crowned and hopes dashed in the daunting tree-lined route.
Much like the first round in Lancashire, the entry list is bulging with talent and the 50th running of the event has attracted a staggering entry of 180 cars, with Britain’s premier rally series joining the Llandrindod Wells-based offering for the first time.
Fresh from the Legend Fires North West Stages victory, Chris Ingram and Alex Kihurani top the BRC points standings after a flawless performance in their Volkswagen Polo GTi.
Riding the crews of a wave of late are 2023 Junior World Champions William Creighton and Liam Regan who took back-to-back Irish and British Rally Championship podiums in March.
Meirion Evans gave the Toyota Yaris GR Rally2 an ideal UK debut by securing third overall at the season opener and will take the impressive machine onto gravel for the first time.
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin had a troubled start to the season in their Fiesta Rally2 so will be aiming to right the wrongs of the North West stages. In a competitive field, that is a tough ask but his lengthy experience will certainly come into play. James Williams enjoyed a positive start to his BRC campaign in his new Hyundai i20 N Rally2 with fourth spot and takes his example onto the gravel for the first time with co-driver Ross Whittock.
Osian Pryce was Ingram’s nearest challenger last month before technical gremlins in his Ford Fiesta Rally2 forced him and Rhodri Evans out of the rally, so they will be eager for redemption on home soil.
Former Formula One racing driver Jos Verstappen makes a surprise entry to the BRC with regular co-driver Renaud Jamoul alongside. Verstappen, father of F1 superstar, three-time F1 champion and Red Bull Racing driver Max, will make his debut in the BRC and the UK, tackling the world-famous Welsh gravel for the first time.
The Junior BRC enjoys a stellar list of contenders as the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup joins the BRC for its first of four outings. Crews in the Peugeot 208 Rally4 will do battle for an impressive prize fund during the season but heading the Junior BRC standings is a fresh-faced Kalum Graffin.
At just 17 years old, he became one of the youngest winners of a round, and will head for Wales on a high, along with co-driver Richard Crozier.
