British & Irish Championships 2026

[Sal yet again]

See the BRC calendar for next year is out and the East Ridings has been dropped after just one year and the Severn Valley is now the season opener. Three rounds in Wales and two in Scotland and only two tarmac rounds.

https://britishrallychampionship.co....2026-calendar/

[Sal yet again]

https://asphaltrallying.com/2025/11/...ndar-unveiled/

2026 asphalt rally championship calendar which does include the East Ridings stages which will be running stages on the Saturday night in the dark as well as the normal full Sunday. Could be fun if its icy!

[hutchie]

Interesting comment from East Riding Rally that seemingly the event isn't included in the calendar due to being too early in the year. Seems a daft reason to me with rally seasons typically not restricted to half a year like your typical race season. But I presume the championship had some feedback from competitors or someone that a shorter season would be better.

https://www.facebook.com/EastRidingS...7ZZMzXSqYmLbdl

[Sal yet again]

All we need is another storm affecting the Welsh woods and the phone might still be ringing in Beverley..

[Sal yet again]

The provisional entry lists for the first events of the year in and around Yorkshire are looking pretty healthy with the Rally 2/4WD field for the Riponian in particular. Waiting for the East Ridings entry to open however expect that to continue the trend.

[Sal yet again]

https://www.rallies.info/webentry/20...entries?type=u

Provisional entry list for the inaugural Yorkshire Dales rally at the end of March looking particularly sweet. Really looking forward to this one as long as the weather behaves!

[Fast Eddie WRC]

[Sal yet again]

Not great news elsewhere....


Press Release Malcolm Wilson Rally 2026

It is with great sadness that we have to release the following statement.
The North Lakes forests became unavailable due to the cost of regrading and although we tried tirelessly to work out a plan with Forest England without those forests there was simply no answer to the logistical issues.
MSUK became involved in the later stages of negotiations in an intense few days but sadly a solution could not be found.

Therefore this year the 49th Malcolm Wilson Rally will not run.

Apologies to all those who wished to enter and also those support teams that we rely on.
We will continue to talk to Forest England and hope that the issues can be resolved for the future.

Press Officer
Richard Forster

[Fast Eddie WRC]

https://ewrc-results.com/event/98754...y-2026/entries

Not a great entry for the Galway International this weekend.

Compared to recent years there are many top names no longer taking part, such as Keith Cronin, Meirion Evans, Garry Jennings, Sam Moffett & Matt Edwards.

The MI Rally Academy is doing a lot for the sport, but the home Championship isnt gaining any top drivers.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Rally journalist John Fife on FB:

Thought for the Day …. The news from the North Lakes Forests in Cumbria is disturbing as it seems to be following a growing and worrying trend which is also affecting Scottish forests with access for motor rallying use being denied. Many reasons are being cited for this from harvesting to damage caused by rally cars, wildlife protection and nesting birds, beaver introduction and deer management, various fauna and plantlife disturbance and of course the oft claimed carbon reduction schemes and excuses.

Whereas in the past, car clubs dealt with local forest area managers (and built up good relationships), much of that decision making is now being controlled centrally, and if the ‘high heid yin’ says ‘naw’ then we’re scuppered.

However, one can understand the antagonism to rallying. Road (and ditch!) damage is costly to repair and if rallying is such a minority sport then criticism and complaints are more easily refuted. Not only that, when rallying comes to the local woodland, local folks and visitors are denied access to certain roads.

However, the forestry companies are partly to blame for the road damage. According to an experienced FC engineer current roads are not built to the same standard as they were 40 years ago. Neither are they maintained to the same standard, or as often as needed. Of course this is partly due to the fact that other timber extraction methods are now being used so roads don’t need to be built to such high standards. In some cases, roads aren’t needed at all as timber is being dragged out on cable crane systems.

Cost saving is another reason and coupled with advances in rally car improved traction, grip and tyre technology roads are being damaged rather more severely especially in braking areas, acceleration zones and sharp corners. So if a forestry area doesn’t want its roads chewed up, simple, ban the cars and create an excuse.

For instance one Local Forestry Manager has been heard saying that he would like to ban all rallying from March to October to protect the raptors – and we’re not talking Jurassic Park here, just eagles, hawks, owls and suchlike, i.e. birds which like to kill and feed on other wildlife in the forests. And this is yet another example of what rallying is up against. As the fifth largest landowner in the UK the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds carries a lot of clout with politicians at both local and national level. As such, the bird-watching community is a very powerful lobbying force able to generate a lot of public support for their activities and interests.

There are of course many other vested interests including walkers, dog walkers, hikers, cyclists, anglers, wildlife and bird watchers, naturalists and botanists, all keen to pursue their own interests, and of course general tourists.

This is what we are up against, but it should be pointed out to the Forestry companies that they are merely the managers of a publicly owned resource. They are responsible to the tax payer – that’s us! And since their remit is to allow public access to all – that also includes us. Rallying should not be edged out of the forest simply to appease the majority. There has to be room to accommodate all sporting pursuits and general interests.

And who should be pointing this out to Forestry management and the Government? The sport’s governing body? Once upon a time the Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association regarded themselves purely as governors and regulators, not promotors and publicists and the sport has suffered from its low public profile ever since.

Admittedly the new-look MotorSport UK is making change, but not enough and not soon enough, although dealing with the Civil Service and politicians does take time, determination and perseverance. The trouble is forest rallying is running out of time, in fact some pundits reckon we’ll all be out of the forests by 2030.

We need to ‘tell’ rather than ‘request’ the forestry companies to permit access for rallying and that’s down to car club folk and competitors badgering their club committees to persuade the regional associations to encourage MS UK to pursue the fight at Forestry HO, Sports Council and Government level.

These people have to be reminded that the forests are a ‘public’ resource and all members of the public should be treated equally.

To deny vehicle access for rallying is quite wrong. The Forestry management companies already have to provide vehicular access for their own staff, contractors, farmers and agricultural equipment, Water Board and power company employees and equipment, medical and rescue services, and in some cases Royal Mail, parcel delivery firms and other contractors.

For our part we would need to look at the sport of rallying itself to do its bit. Already rallies are being asked to engage in carbon-offsetting schemes, but do we also need to look at power outputs, lower octane fuels, 4WD versus 2WD, less aggressive tyres? That might also lead to reduced costs for competitive equipment as well as reduced damage to roads.

Not popular perhaps, but what’s the alternative? Closed public roads? That opens up a whole other can of worms and associated costs – and it is most certainly not a cheaper form of rallying.

Anyone got a PlayStation I could have?