Evans: Hopes of UK's top-flight return rest with Rali Ceredigion
Rali Ceredigion represents the “best opportunity” of bringing an international level, stage-based event back to UK shores in the future, according to World Rally Championship driver Elfyn Evans.
Organisers of the closed-road event are currently in talks with senior representatives from the FIA European Rally Championship about how they can secure a slot on the calendar. Earlier this month, they held a meeting during the Royal Rally of Scandinavia in Sweden that resulted in “useful discussions” and raised expectations that an agreement can be reached.
2019 was the last time a top-flight rally was held in Great Britain when Wales Rally GB hosted the antepenultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Since then, the country’s devolved administration has withdrawn funding whilst efforts to run a Belfast-based replacement have so far failed because of funding reasons.
Phil Pugh – the chairman of the Rali Ceredigion organising team – said securing ERC status is “the next step” for Rali Ceredigion, which Hyundai Motorsport driver Hayden Paddon won last year in an i20 N Rally2 car. “Losing Wales Rally GB has been a significant set-back for rallying in the UK and it’s important that we, as event organisers and enthusiasts, do whatever we can to try and restore our place on an international championship,” said Pugh, an experienced co-driver.
“For decades, gravel stages in Wales were at the heart of UK World Rally Championship rounds. However, we can also offer a network of high-quality Tarmac roads that provide a very different and unique, world-class challenge. Indeed, it’s not unthinkable that Welsh public roads could see the return of World Rally Championship stars sometime in the future.
“But for now, our target is to be an ERC round – sooner rather than later – and we’re working diligently with key stakeholders such as Ceredigion County Council to secure a slot at the earliest opportunity. Our visit to the Royal Rally resulted in some very useful discussions with the promoter and allowed us to see exactly what is required to deliver our strategy and make that happen,” he added.
Evans has made no secret of his desire to see the biggest names in rallying return to UK more generally but Wales specifically after his country’s politicians turned their back on the FIA World Rally Championship.
“The UK desperately needs to get a rally reinstated back on an FIA calendar and Rali Ceredigion now looks like our best opportunity to achieve that,” said the Toyota Gazoo Racing driver.
“The organisers comprise an experienced team of international competitors with great ambitions to take it forward. The stages are world-class, fast and technical with high levels of grip, making them challenging but very rewarding from a competitor’s perspective.”
