Osian Pryce made a sensational return to the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship [BRC] by claiming a commanding victory at the Severn Valley Stages [11 April], delivering a statement performance on home soil to kickstart his 2026 campaign.
Reunited with the very MEM Rally Team with whom he secured the 2022 title, Pryce and co-driver James Morgan wasted no time in reasserting themselves at the front of the BRC field. This time at the wheel of a Michelin-shod Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, the 2022 champion set the benchmark early on and never looked back, claiming five stage wins from seven to secure victory by 19 seconds.
“Honestly, I’m very happy”, he exclaimed at the finish.
“It’s so good to be back! It’s much easier coming back here with the title in hand; you can just relax and enjoy it! James and MEM have done a great job in getting me comfortable in this car. I think that’s been the key, and you know, to set a fastest time for the first time out in the car, I’m more than happy with that. From my side, I’ve got a bit of work to do with my driving to get used to the car, but no, I’m very happy”.
The Llandrindod Wells-based event, steeped in the heritage of Wales Rally GB, provided a fitting backdrop for the 2026 season opener. Iconic stages such as Myherin once again tested crews to their limits, with a mix of hail, snow, rain and intermittent sunshine creating constantly evolving grip levels.
Team-mate Meirion Evans emerged as Pryce’s closest challenger throughout the day, securing second place after a measured and consistent performance in his Pirelli-shod GR Yaris. Despite taking a stage win of his own, Evans was unable to match Pryce’s relentless pace but demonstrated clear progression compared to previous outings in the event.
Having been several minutes adrift of the lead on the same rally in previous years, Evans’ 19-second deficit this time around shows his development and his growing confidence in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, positioning him as a serious contender for the 2026 crown.
Garry Pearson completed the podium in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2, overcoming an early spin to secure third place. The Scotsman and co-driver Hannah McKillop showed strong pace across the stages and will take valuable confidence into the next round on home soil
Max McRae briefly emerged as a contender for victory, closing in on Pryce during the opening loop; however, the fourth test proved pivotal for the Scot. A puncture, which required a wheel change in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, cost him and co-driver Cammy Fair over two minutes. He recovered to fourth after a gutsy afternoon push.
Scott MacBeth and Ross Whittock brought their Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 home in fifth on MacBeth’s BRC1 debut after a solid outing in the demanding conditions.
The BRC3 category saw an impressive performance from Aoife Raftery, who marked her return to the championship in style with a commanding class victory in her Ford Fiesta Rally3 with Kyle McDaid alongside.
She secured victory by over five minutes from BRC debutant Junzhe Tang. The Chinese driver delivered a commendable performance on his BRC debut, adapting quickly to the unique demands of UK forest stages with Tsungyu Hsieh alongside.
The Junior British Rally Championship once delivered close competition with Ben McFall claiming an impressive victory on his series debut. Driving a Ford Fiesta Rally4, McFall dominated proceedings, setting the fastest time on six of the seven stages to secure a convincing win with Richard Crozier alongside.
“It was a great learning experience this weekend,” said McFall. “That was some tough competition, those boys weren’t far off the pace at the boys at home, so fair play. It was good racing all day.”
Riley Chester/Robbie Sandford and Sam Mason/James Seymour completed the podium, both finishing over a minute behind in their Peugeot 208 Rally4’s.
The fight for second place took a dramatic turn on the final stage, where Charlie Mathewson and Josh Carr, who had been running strongly and claimed a stage win, suffered an off in the closing miles. Damage to their Peugeot 208 Rally4 forced them to nurse the car to the finish, dropping them down the order.
The National Rally Title category delivered its usual mix of variety and drama. James Giddings/Aled Davies led the category for much of the rally before an off on the final stage ended their hopes of victory in their Mitsubishi Evo.
Alfie Hammond/Harry Walshaw looked set to inherit the lead but retired their Subaru on the penultimate test, leaving John Clayton and Ben Wild to claim victory in their distinctive Nissan Micra Kit Car, overcoming an early misfire to secure the win. Julian Fouquet and Emma Clarke completed the podium in their R2T entry.
The championship now switches to asphalt for round two, as the iconic Jim Clark Rally in the Scottish Borders hosts the next chapter of the 2026 British Rally Championship in May.
-Ends
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