The 2024 Probite British Rally Championship (BRC) delivered one of the most captivating seasons in recent history. With a refreshed calendar, a new title sponsor, extensive terrestrial TV coverage and a competitive field, the championship set a high standard for motorsport excellence with a reinvigorated campaign.
The season unfolded across seven action-packed rounds, with an even split between tarmac and gravel surfaces, each rally providing unique challenges, from the fast tarmac roads of Lancashire to the iconic gravel stages in Wales and Scotland.
A sensational lineup of top-flight crews and unprecedented level of registrations in the series elite category featured a host of BRC1 top guns, with former British champions battling European and World title holders for glory and a thrilling fight for the coveted crown unravelled over the season. So gripping in fact, that the championship would go down to the final stage, of the final round.
Lining up at the first round of the year in Lancashire, the Legend Fires North West Stages enjoyed a stellar list of BRC1 contenders and the Garstang event would deliver an unpredictable start to 2024.
It would be 2019 FIA European Rally champion Chris Ingram who showed the BRC contingent the way in his Castrol MEM Rally Team VW Polo GTi, with an early lead to four-time BRC champion Keith Cronin, back for another shot at claiming a fifth title in a Fiesta Rally2.
In turn, Cronin was ahead of 2022 British champion Osian Pryce, but Ingram had put his 2022 event-winning knowledge to good use and held onto a healthy lead despite a gutsy attempt from those around him. Several incidents blighted the day, cutting the rally short, but Ingram did all he needed to claim the confidence-boosting round-one victory, taking his very first BRC win against some of the toughest competition the series has seen in many years.
Former Junior BRC and Junior WRC champion William Creighton secured second in an M-Sport Ford Rally Team Fiesta Rally2, setting the tone for the remainder of the season, with Meirion Evans taking the final podium spot in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The legendary gravel stages of the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages offered both fans and crews a Wales Rally GB vibe to round two, with tests such as Hafren and Myherin making up the 60 mile event.
It was Ingram and co-driver Alex Kihurani who took first blood, stopping the clocks just over three seconds faster than Osian Pryce but from there on in, it was the Welshman who took control on home soil, winning each one of the remaining morning stages to head into service with almost 12 seconds in hand over Ingram.
But set-up changes in the wrong direction to Ingram’s Polo in service saw the North West Stages winner fall back from the front runners, into the clutches of Creighton and Liam Regan who were on a mission over the afternoon loop. Two fastest times out of the block after service saw the Irishmen close in on Pryce, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Just to hammer home his authority on the Welsh stages, Pryce set the scratch time on the seventh and final stage of the event, to take his first BRC victory since Rally Yorkshire in 2022. Creighton took second [which would be a theme of the season] and Ingram grabbed third.
In a shock registration, Jos Verstappen, father of F1 superstar Max made his British rallying debut in a Skoda Fabia Rally2 along with co-driver Renaud Jamoul.
Third round – third winner.After a dismal start to this their BRC campaign, Keith Cronin, and co-driver Mikie Galvin their Ford Fiesta Rally2 to their first victory of the season at the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally, edging back into contention for the coveted crown.
A stellar drive saw the Irish duo claim the top spot after an early battle with Ingram ended when the Polo driver left the road early on the second day. Up to that point, Ingram was almost uncatchable, although Cronin’s Abbey St Bathans run was over 14 seconds quicker than anyone else, moving him within striking distance.
Ingram’s off on Saturday left Cronin to manage his lead and take a valuable win, from – yes – you guessed it – Creighton.
It was a case of being the bridesmaid for the third time this season, but the Irishman didn’t mind. That second overall was enough to launch him firmly into the lead of the championship, heading into the summer break with a 15-point advantage.
After ending his 2023 attempt at the Jim Clark off the road, Duns driver Garry Pearson banished all his demons from his home lanes, taking third place overall and an important podium place in front of a home crowd in his Fiesta Rally2 with Daniel Barritt alongside.
The turning point in Ingram’s title fight came at the Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally, in more ways than one. The arrival of a second Yaris Rally2 to the MEM squad re-ignited his hopes, as did a nightmare weekend for arch-rival Creighton.
Ingram overcame a lack of seat time in the Toyota to seal the victory, despite only winning one stage, but did enough to seal the all-important top-score. Early rally leader Osian Pryce put in a sublime performance to take second, whilst Jim Clark Rally winner Keith Cronin rounded out the podium.
What of Creighton? Punctures – several of them – hampered his progress with a high-speed spin putting the nail in the coffin and leaving Ingram to take win number two.
The arrival of the FIA European Rally Championship at the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion brought a true international flavour to the series and West Wales was blanketed with rally fever.
In fact, Ingram had an outside chance of taking the title in Wales thanks to two points scoring opportunities available and after Saturday night – that prospect was looking highly likely. But – this is rallying – and nothing is straightforward.
Ingram set the pace with two scratch times over Friday night’s Aberystwyth street stage before 124km of action followed on Saturday.
James Williams and Ross Whittock blasted into the lead of not only the BRC, but the rally overall in their Hyundai i20 N Rally2 thanks to a sensational opening Saturday stage time over Brechfa but would exit on the next test.
Punctures for William Creighton and sworn-in teammate Jon Armstrong over the opening loop of the day threw the leaderboard into chaos and positions would change with every passing stage.
Despite just one stage win, Ingram was uncatchable as he and Kihurani headed into the final day with the BRC title within reach; a win would be enough to seal the crown. Second went to Cronin with Pryce rounding out the podium.
With the clocks reset for points purposes, Sunday would be a short, sharp blast of just four stages, kicking off with the treacherous Bethania test. Creighton was one of the first on the road and would set the pace but behind him, the drama unfolded in spectacular fashion.
Ingram’s Yaris rear end stepped away and launched him off the road and into instant retirement. If that wasn’t enough, just a few minutes later Cronin clipped the inside of a wall and rolled his Fiesta, meaning once again the BRC leaderboard was thrown into disarray.
Eager to capitalise, Armstrong was quickest on the next test to move into the lead for Sunday’s points. Three-time British Rally champion Matt Edwards’ return to the series was a testing one, but the fastest overall time on the Bethania repeat was some consolation for a difficult weekend in his Fiesta Rally2.
Another scratch time from Armstrong on the final stage of the rally gave him the win on paper, before electing to check into the finish time control late to incur a 20 second penalty – enough to hand teammate William Creighton the round six win and a vital top score for the Irishman’s Championship aspirations. Edwards and co-driver David Moynihan took third on their BRC return.
Onto the final fling and after a remarkable season, four drivers would head to the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally with a chance of clinching the title.
Ingram, Creighton, Cronin and Pryce could all claim glory and a final-round shootout was certain to be a corker.
And it was.
Creighton and Ingram locked horns over the opening loop with the Fiesta Rally2 driver never more than 5s away from the charging Ingram, both setting the identical scratch time on more than one occasion.
Cronin would exit from the rally – and the title race after driveshaft failure, making it a three-way tussle although Pryce would need the gods to be on his side to secure the crown.
But Ingram managed to pull out a crucial lead over the afternoon loop and Creighton, who had strategically deployed his points-boosting Joker for the finale, gave everything he had. Despite the Joker’s advantage, Creighton couldn’t quite overcome Ingram’s calculated pace and precision, leaving the Monaco resident to clinch the BRC crown.
“What a relief,” said an emotional Ingram after the final stage.
“Will has pushed so hard today and we have had to give it everything we had. It’s been an amazing season, and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been an amazing competition. It’s not been an easy season, but that really adds to the story for us. It’s been amazing.”
Ingram’s victory places him among an elite group of drivers who have claimed the British Rally Championship title; his name joins rally legends such as Colin McRae, Richard Burns, and Elfyn Evans on the prestigious BRC trophy.
So…same again next year? Not long to find out…
