First run in 1958, the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship has been the making of many a rally legend with five BRC Champions going on to become World Rally Champions. It has been the series that has launched careers, seen manufacturer campaigns delivered and entertained millions of rally fans at home and abroad.
Open to all rally cars that conform to FIA homologation regulations, the very latest rally machines tackle the special stages that make up each round. There is also a National Rally Title for cars that have an Motorsport UK technical Passport, competing alongside BRC crews on the same events. An integral pathway for young drivers, the Junior BRC provides a stepping-stone for under 27 year-old’s to hone their skills on both gravel and asphalt, as well as the all important pre-event recce process.
The prestigious British Rally Championship will blast into action in 2023 with an all-new seven-round calendar, continuing with its traditional mixture of both asphalt and gravel events throughout the season. The focus has remained on longer, tougher and more challenging events for the season ahead, offering the ultimate challenge for top-drawer drivers and co-drivers.
The highly-charged BRC will kick off in the Cumbrian forests, which will echo to the sound of the British Rally Championship for the first time in decades, as the Malcolm Wilson Rally hosts the 2023 curtain raiser. With a bumper day of rallying on offer through stages such as Grizedale and Greystoke in March, the event is set to be the longest gravel rally in the calendar.
The Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally signals the start of four back-to-back asphalt events and takes the series into Scotland in May. The blisteringly fast closed-road stages around the Duns rally base offer a formidable challenge for crews in a two-day event which once again offers a Friday night blast in the Scottish Borders to test contenders’ mettle.
Last on the BRC calendar in 2019, the iconic Ardeca Ypres Rally returns to the bill in June in an exciting move which offers a demanding 130 miles of closed Belgium roads. Based in the heart of Ypres, the legendary rally will see the BRC contenders go toe-to-toe with the Belgian Championship and it often attracts some of the best drivers in Europe, all eager to etch their name on the top of the leader board. A flagship mainland Europe event, it will undoubtedly provide a thrilling challenge for the BRC regulars, testing their resilience over the unforgiving ditch-lined roads.
After a year’s sabbatical from the series, the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally sees the BRC return to Northern Ireland for the prestigious two-day closed road event. Having hosted a sensational 2021 BRC season finale, the bumpy and challenging lanes will also see the BRC, and Irish Tarmac Rally Championship crews resume their friendly rivalry for top spot in Newry in August.
The Get Connected Rali Ceredigion made its way into the hearts of the BRC crews after a stellar event this season and returns for a repeat run in 2023. The Aberystwyth-based closed-road encounter provides an exceptional challenge across the bumpy and unforgiving moorland roads in September.
Switching back to gravel for the final two rounds of the season, Trackrod Rally Yorkshire offers yet another impressive forest test as the rapid, yet narrow stages offer little room for error. The now traditional Friday night foray through Dalby sets the scene perfectly for this popular event at the end of September.
Once again rounding out the season, the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally brings the curtain down on 2023 in North Wales. Iconic stages, made famous by Wales Rally GB, could well be the deciding tests of the championship and the event will continue its Friday night leg to kick off the event.
The British Rally Championship offers all the road surfaces and challenges that the aspiring rally driver needs to conquer to be successful. Where else gives you this competition?
It’s going to be another epic adventure. Let the battles commence!
