International rallying returned to Britain for the first time since 2019 last weekend as Rali Ceredigion made a resoundingly successful debut as part of the European Rally Championship. The event certainly filled British rally fans with hope and, just maybe, could be a catalyst for a Rally GB revival.
Last weekend marked yet another impressive step for the Welsh asphalt rally that has achieved ERC status and put Britain back on the international rally sphere in only its fourth running. It’s been achieved thanks to the tireless efforts of a team led by event director Charlie Jukes who has managed to unite a community, securing funding from local councils and businesses to bring an idea to reality, through an army of 1250 volunteers.
These individuals deserve huge credit for achieving this and even more recognition after Rali Ceredigion made a seamless step up to ERC level, showcasing British rallying on an international stage through a slick and professionally organised rally. Fans once again flocked to the stages held around the Welsh town of Aberystwyth and there was a buzz about the region, rekindling memories when Wales last hosted the World Rally Championship in 2019. The vision of rally cars flying across bumpy narrow lanes in the beautiful Welsh countryside and running around Aberystwyth castle was a great advert for the Welsh tourism board.
It begs an important question. Is a closed road asphalt rally, instead of the historical forestry gravel stages of the past, the future of Rally GB?
Factory Toyota WRC driver Elfyn Evans attended the event before flying to prepare for this week’s Acropolis Rally Greece. The Welshman believes Rali Ceredigion has the potential to grow to WRC status but admits that, while an asphalt rally would suffice, the ultimate goal would be for a gravel Rally GB.
“It gives us hope I think,” Evans told Autosport. “There is no reason why this event can’t grow to even World Rally Championship status. Perhaps accommodation would be the biggest challenge here in Aberystwyth, but definitely the roads and the organisation are capable of it. It is a credit to the organisers that have put in the effort since the launch of this rally back in 2019.
“I think it would add something quite unique to the [world] championship, but still deep down I think everybody wants to see the classic Welsh forest back. That would be the ultimate, but I think this would be a viable option for the future.”
The view espoused by Evans is among the majority. However, Rali Ceredigion is conveniently located not far from the hallowed gravel roads of Hafren forest or Sweet Lamb, so it is feasible for a ‘best of both worlds’ split surface rally - a concept the FIA is open to reviving if there is such a case. It is an option that should be seriously entertained.
Nicky Grist, former co-driver to Colin McRae, was among the star names that turned out to watch the event unfold. He was among those who felt Rali Ceredigion represents a positive “stepping stone” for the future and further adds to the case for a Rally GB bid.
"We think that there are interesting business models, that have been adopted by other WRC events around the world that can narrow that [funding] gap"
Hugh Chambers
“With the demise of Rally GB, I have got to hand it to the organisers that have made it happen,” Grist tells Autosport. “It is not backed, maybe a little bit by Welsh government, but it is not cheap to get the ERC and then you have got to run the rally to a set standard. It has taken a big commitment and a lot of hard work and effort to pull in sponsors.
“Rally GB is a different thing, that is something for the governing body in the UK to make sure it happens. It seems that, up to a point, they haven’t necessarily backed it up.
“Now the WRC more than ever is more about money than the event and I think if anybody has got a passion and a budget to make it happen, then it is entertained seriously. Gone are the days that it is always in the championship, and it should always be in and it is going to stay.
“You have got to pay the money, do what is required as far as the promoters are concerned, and then you get the opportunity to be a round of the championship. Now, having got rid of it, I think [Rally GB] will be a far more costly event to run than it was in the past. There are always options, but it has to be driven from the top and they have got to have a passion to do it.”
Grist is correct that if Rally GB returns, it will require leadership from Motorsport UK. However, what has been achieved by the Rali Ceredigion organisers has not gone unnoticed by Motorsport UK. Its CEO Hugh Chambers and chairman David Richards witnessed proceedings first-hand when they toured the event on Sunday.
Motorsport UK has stated for several years that it wishes for the WRC to return to these shores, but securing funding from third parties has proved and continues to be a hurdle. The budget to secure the WRC is larger than the ERC at roughly £4.2 million (€5 million). But according to Chambers, there is hope.
“We're looking at a number of different options to bring the WRC back to the UK, not just in Wales, but also across the other home nations,” Chambers tells Autosport. “We are really in a much better position now to be able to achieve that than we have done for a number of years.
“The typical budget for WRC events around the world now is in the region of €5 million. There are some outliers, but it's around about €5 million. If we go back to Wales Rally GB, it was probably close to €3-3.5 [million when it was on the calendar] and there has been a significant increase since 2019 [in costs that would make it more expensive today].
“At the same time, we think that there are interesting business models, that have been adopted by other WRC events around the world that can narrow that [funding] gap. At some point we will need to have significant third-party funding in order to make it viable.
“The [Rali Ceredigion] organisers have done an incredible job stepping up to this next level. There is the potential for this [event] to be able to grow, but there are certain infrastructure challenges and not least accommodation. But, that doesn't mean that it's impossible. I'd rather celebrate the fact we're in the ERC and really build on that success and have this fantastic event on a multi-year basis.”
When asked if Motorsport UK could help with extra funding for Rali Ceredigion in the future, Chambers adds: “We are already providing assistance with the event, we work very very closely with the organisers, and we recognise that it's incredibly important for us to have a round of the ERC in the UK and we'll continue to work with them in any way that we can.”
While Chambers has not ruled out the future of a closed road tarmac Rally GB, he admits that the DNA of a Rally GB is "probably" gravel and, if that can return, the event will have “that distinctive heritage place within the calendar”.
There is no doubt that the only aspect holding Rali Ceredigion back from the WRC is perhaps the infrastructure and accommodation surrounding Aberystwyth, which as Chambers notes is not insurmountable. But what the event certainly showcased is the power of a united community. Surely there are lessons to be learned by Motorsport UK from what has been achieved by a group of volunteers?
"The standout element of this is the way that the local community has got behind the rally; whether it's businesses, the council, other stakeholders, the university. They've all really understood the importance of this event" Hugh Chambers
“Undoubtedly,” replies Chambers. “But it also did apply to Wales Rally GB back in 2019. A lot of the elements that we see here, such as the STEM exhibition, are elements that we had as part of that.
“The standout element of this is the way that the local community has got behind the rally; whether it's businesses, the council, other stakeholders, the university. They've all really understood the importance of this event for the local economy, the local community, and it really has worked incredibly well.”
Rali Ceredigion may or may not be the future of Rally GB, but it has certainly helped the cause to bring the WRC back.
