British & Irish Championships 2024

[AndyRAC]

So the RAC was part of the BRC in the past. I didnt know that.

As theres no more Rally GB, imagine if the BRC used the Roger Albert Clark Rally...

I can imagine the outrage from the Historic brigade......

[HKSjbg]

So the RAC was part of the BRC in the past. I didnt know that.

Feast your eyes on the 1977 season! Two rounds more than that year’s WRC! https://www.ewrc-results.com/season/1977/?nat=2

As theres no more Rally GB, imagine if the BRC used the Roger Albert Clark Rally...

…or the Anglo-Caledonian Rally

[the sniper]

Here's a throw back to 1999:

Calendar

Round	Event	Date
1	Vauxhall Rally of Wales	13-14 March
2	Pirelli International Rally	24-25 April
3	Scottish Rally	11-12 June
4	Jim Clark Memorial Rally	2-4 July
5	Stena Line Ulster Rally	30-31 July
6	Manx International Rally	9-12 September

Go back another 20 years to 1979:

Calendar

Round	Event	Date	Winning Time
1	Mintex International	23-25 February	2:33:54
2	Circuit of Ireland	13-17 April	8:29:29
3	Welsh	10-12 May	3:25:53
4	Scottish	9-12 June	4:44:30
5	Manx	14-15 September	3:38:40
6	Ulster	19-20 October	3:27:05
7	RAC	18-21 November	8:03:38

I watched a few of those - they were before my results days!

I'll always be of the belief that losing the marketability and instantly recognisable core structure/format/calendar of 'English/Yorkshire', 'Welsh', 'Scottish', 'NI/Ulster' and 'Manx' rounds was fundamental to the downfall of the BRC, not just the nature of the events themselves being lost.

[HKSjbg]

I'll always be of the belief that losing the marketability and instantly recognisable core structure/format/calendar of 'English/Yorkshire', 'Welsh', 'Scottish', 'NI/Ulster' and 'Manx' rounds was fundamental to the downfall of the BRC, not just the nature of the events themselves being lost.

Yes absolutely. Britain has a fairly unique advantage in that there are 5 nations plus some regions with a strong local identity of their own which could afford the championship some much needed gravitas.

I’ve always thought rallies which choose a name with the suffix stages smacks of ‘this is a club event’ which is disappointing for what should be Britian’s top rung rally championship

[Steve Boyd]

Feast your eyes on the 1977 season! Two rounds more than that year’s WRC! https://www.ewrc-results.com/season/1977/?nat=2

That was the last year that included national status rounds before it became the fully International "British Open Rally Championship" - open to all comers with an International licence. There was no participation in national status events without a licence issued in that country in those days, so if a Fin or Swede wanted to do the British Championship they had to have a UK address and a British competition licence. It's why you sometimes saw Finnish and Swedish drivers on entry lists as British in the 70's. Moving to the open international series meant that Mikkola, Blomqvist, Eklund &c could compete with an international licence from wherever they lived.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

BRC manager on the 2024 Calendar:

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/spo...Fxtzx04mOYNub8

[HKSjbg]

Nothing we hadn’t read already from the BRC calendar press release

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Nothing we hadn’t read already from the BRC calendar press release

Sorry, I was kidded thinking it was new with it starting about axeing the Ulster.

Btw, re your earlier post
"I wonder if this good enough to tempt drivers like Meirion Evans to the BRC as he was quite vocal about registrations at Rali Ceredigion."

I saw him reply to a guy on FB about BRC 2024 that "You dont know who's doing it yet..."

This could be an indication Meirion is planning to give it a go after doing the ITRC for a few years. Fingers crossed he does as we could be glad of his quality.

[HKSjbg]

Often is the way with news stories, if it were Dirt Fish there would be a whole piece on it with just one line of actual quote from anybody

Yeah it would be good to see how good he is now on gravel and in the Rally2. Plus his Castrol liveried car would be a nice professional-looking addition to an otherwise amateur feeling championship!

[Sal yet again]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnaTUQ2UdMA

This type of show might help create more a buzz about rallying in the UK.