Osian Pryce will start this weekend’s Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally (Saturday 26 October) as one of four drivers still in with a chance of winning the 2024 Probite British Rally Championship title – and while he’s currently fourth in the standings, the 2021 event winner still has his bonus points scoring BRC Joker to play and is focused on nothing less than another BRC event win.
Having already tasted victory on Welsh gravel this year – winning the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages in spectacular style in his Dom Buckley RSC-prepared Ford Fiesta Rally2 – the 2022 British and TER – Tour European champion will arrive in Llandudno tied on points with Keith Cronin. With Cronin and second-placed Chris Ingram having already played their Jokers and series leader William Creighton having to drop a score (as five scores from seven count), Osian meanwhile can count every point he scores on the final round.
Winning the Cambrian Rally is essential for Osian’s title aspirations, while he and co-driver Rhodri Evans must hope that their main rivals finish off the podium – which, given the strength of the entry and a demanding 58.31 stage mile route through the forests of Elsi, Clocaenog, Brenig and Alwen, is not out of the question.
“Everyone tells me that winning the British Rally Championship on the Cambrian is a long shot, but I’m not too sure it is to be honest,” says Osian.
“Yes, I have to win the event and score maximum BRC points, but I go to every rally with the aim of winning so that’s nothing new.
“And I’m playing my BRC Joker, so there are extra bonus points available – and having already dropped the mandatory two scores I can count every point I get on the final round.
“My main battle is with Chris Ingram. Even if I win and Chris finishes third, he’ll win on a tiebreak. But that’s out of my hands. All I can do is focus on my own driving, do the very best I can and see what happens at the end of the event. You have to go into these title deciding battles believing there is a chance.
“I do enjoy the Cambrian. I won it the last time I contested the event in 2021 and I’ve always gone reasonably well there.
“Clocaenog is a great stage, but I haven’t rallied there for many years and it’s changed quite a bit since then. The road is a lot wider for a start, thanks to the new wind farms. The other stages like Brenig and Alwen are great Wales Rally GB stages too, although I haven’t rallied in them since 2016.
“I thought after Rali Ceredigion that our season was over, but I couldn’t miss the final round of the BRC knowing that I was still in contention for the title.
“A big ‘thank you’ to all my sponsors who have supported me this year. I couldn’t have done any of this without them, so I hope we can finish 2024 with a rally win – and who knows, maybe the title as well.”
Osian is supported by The Leading Edge, Michelin, Demon Tweeks, Hills Ford, Bell, OMP, Motofit, Haddo Energy, Superfast Properties, Red Kite Glass, Diogel Events, Gorsaf Betrol TyMawr, DL Jones Wales Ltd, Dyfi Kitchens, A&M Lloyd Plant Hire and his own family-run specialist building firm G+M Pryce.
