Rally fans delight as British Championships set for Builth return
Rally fans in the region will be getting ready for the British Rally Championship to make its first return to the Builth Wells area for the first time since 2023.
The British Rally Championship calendar for next year has been announced - with a host of events around the UK.
And it has been confirmed that the changed start in April will see the rally return to the Severn Valley Stages.
It was due to take place in the region in 2025 but was cancelled due to storms - with 2023 being the last time it came to the area.
Using legendary roads from the Wales Rally GB archives, the Builth Wells-based gravel spectacular will pack significant mileage into a single-day format, offering the perfect start to the new season.
After the opener in Mid Wales, the Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally will form the opening asphalt encounter of the year.
The 2026 edition will feature a revised format while retaining the event’s renowned challenge, over 100 miles of closed-road stages across Friday night and Saturday, testing crews across the Berwickshire countryside.
Elsewhere, after stepping into the calendar at short notice in 2025, the Kielder Carlisle Stages quickly became a firm favourite among competitors and drivers will return this year in June.
Following a pause that takes place in the summer, the Voly Grampian Forest Rally will return in the north east of Scotland in August.
And then in September the drivers will make a return to Mid Wales for the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, the celebrated closed-road rally that showcases BRC talent on a truly international stage.
The Aberystwyth-based event has fast become a highlight of the season, combining the unique atmosphere of an FIA European Rally Championship round with brreathtaking Welsh mountain asphalt.
Finally, the championship draws to a close with the Lewis and Hunter Cambrian Rally, which involves the North Wales forests of Clocaenog and Brenig provide a fitting stage for the season finale.
BRC Championship Manager, Reece Tarren, said: “We are delighted to unveil the 2026 British Rally Championship calendar, which I believe offers a fantastic mix of events that truly reflect the strength and heritage of UK rallying.
“Starting later in the year is something I’ve toyed with for a while, as it gives competitors and teams more time to put their plans together and kicking things off on gravel just feels right for the BRC.
"It’s another strong and exciting calendar, and I’m really looking forward to working with our competitors over the winter to ensure they’re ready to hit the ground running next April.”