The 2026 Motorsport UK British Rally Championship returns to action after an extended summer break next weekend [7/8 August], as this year’s Voly Grampian Forest Rally takes crews back to Scotland for one of the most eagerly awaited events of the season.
Following an enforced mid-season pause after the cancellation of the Kielder Carlisle Stages, the forests of Aberdeenshire provide the perfect setting for the championship battle to resume.
With 57 competitive miles spread across 10 stages, the Grampian will also welcome an added layer of intrigue thanks to an impressive list of guest entries.
Current FIA World Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans joins the field alongside fellow WRC stars Jon Armstrong and Romet Jürgenson as they continue preparations for Rally Scotland’s return to the World Rally Championship calendar in 2027.
Lancia are set to make their first trip to a BRC round since the late 1980’s, as WRC2 aces Nikolay Gryazin and Yohan Rossel also head for Banchory.
For British rally fans, it offers a rare opportunity to see established WRC competitors sharing the same roads as the country’s leading domestic talent. It’s also a reminder that many WRC drivers developed their careers through the British Rally Championship, highlighting the series’ continued reputation as one of Europe’s premier proving grounds for future international stars.
BRC1 – BRC3
The opening round, the Severn Valley Stages, saw Osian Pryce and James Morgan make an immediate statement. Reunited with the Castrol MEM Rally Team and a new Michelin-shod Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, the Welsh pairing dominated the Welsh gravel to claim maximum points and establish themselves as the early championship leaders.
But round two in the Scottish Borders demonstrated just how competitive this year’s title fight is becoming.
At the Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally, Pryce once again showed his speed by leading the opening stages before home favourite Max McRae and Cammy Fair produced one of the performances of the season. A breathtaking charge through Friday night’s darkness transformed the event, the Pirelli-supported Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 crew building a commanding overnight advantage before controlling Saturday’s action to secure a hugely popular British Rally Championship victory.
Behind him, Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss quietly continued one of the most consistent starts to any campaign. Two consecutive runner-up finishes have kept the second Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota firmly in title contention, proving that outright victories are not the only route to championship success.
As a result, the championship standings could scarcely be closer.
Pryce and Morgan lead the way on 40 points, but McRae’s victory has moved the Scots to within just three points on 37. Evans sits only one point further back on 36, meaning the top three are covered by just four points heading into round three.
Garry Pearson and Hannah McKillop occupy fourth after another consistent start aboard their Ford Fiesta Rally2, whilst Sam Touzel’s impressive fourth-place finish elevated the Skoda crew into fifth overall in the standings.
Other crews are also well worth watching out for, including Elliot Payne [Fiesta Rally2], Euan Thorburn [VW Polo] and Brendan Cumiskey [Fiesta Rally2], who returns to the BRC after many years away.
The BRC3 category welcomes back the Ford Fiesta Rally3 crews of Aoife Raftery and Kyle McDaid, alongside Chinese driver Junzhe Tang, who is once again partnered by Tsungyu Hsieh. Raftery has enjoyed a perfect start to her BRC campaign, taking two wins from two starts while also delivering a series of impressive overall results. Tang, meanwhile, will be eager to bounce back after his Jim Clark Rally ended prematurely with an early retirement.
Junior BRC & BRC4
Away from the headline Rally2 battle, the Junior British Rally Championship has quickly become one of the highlights of the season.
Ben McFall has been simply unstoppable so far, taking maximum points from both opening rounds aboard his Fiesta Rally4. However, the Jim Clark Rally proved he won’t have everything his own way for the remainder of the season.
Luke Constantine pushed the Irishman all the way on the Scottish asphalt, closing the gap dramatically over the final stages to claim second place and move into the runner-up spot in the Junior standings. Ross Hunter also announced himself as a genuine contender with an impressive BRC4 performance in his Peugeot 208 Rally4, while Sam Mason continues to occupy third in the Junior championship after another consistent outing.
National Rally Title
The National Rally Title battle is equally finely balanced, with Owen Paterson and John Clayton each arriving with a victory apiece, leaving the championship tied heading into Grampian. Alfie Hammond will be aiming to usurp Paterson’s run of form whilst Julian Fouquet returns in a Subaru.
With the championship battle hotting up, a star-studded entry featuring World Rally Championship regulars, and one of Scotland’s most demanding forest rallies awaiting the competitors, all the ingredients are in place for another memorable chapter in the 2026 Motorsport UK British Rally Championship. If the opening two rounds have taught us anything, it’s that predicting the outcome has never been more difficult, and that is exactly what makes this championship so compelling.
