The 65th Motorsport UK British Rally Championship season begins this weekend with the Malcolm Wilson Rally
The Motorsport UK British Rally Championship is back for 2023, with the Malcolm Wilson Rally in Cumbria marking the beginning of its 65th season. The first event on March 11 will see a new generation of BRC competitors go up against seasoned drivers, with World Rally Championship and M-Sport driver Adrien Fourmaux leading the pack in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.
It’s the first time in decades that the British Rally Championship has made its way through Cumbria’s forests, and the new Malcolm Wilson Rally features iconic forest stages such as Grizedale. Based in Cockermouth at the home of Ford World Rally Team M-Sport, the event is set to feature plenty of action.
Alongside Adrien Fourmaux and the BRC1 crews in Rally2 racers, Junior and Academy drivers will also participate, driving Rally4 and R2 machines. Fourmaux said: ‘Honestly, I don’t really know [what to expect]. I think we will have a very high level of competition. It’s always interesting to fight in a national championship. I’m expecting a nice rally on the Malcolm Wilson. It’s a good opportunity to support the WRC2 fight this year.’
Having finished second to Osian Pryce last year, four-time British Champion Keith Cronin will also be in attendance in a Volkswagen Polo GTI, vying for a record-equalling title with co-driver Mike Galvin. Cronin said: ‘We’re not really sure yet how many BRC rounds he [Fourmaux] will be able to fit in around his World Championship schedule. If he does most of them then it will be hard to see beyond him for the title. There’s definitely some unfinished business there for me.’
Fresh from Hyundai, James Williams will hit the seven stages in a Fiesta Rally2, while multi-event winner and BTRDA champion Elliot Payne and 2017 Welsh Rally Championship winner Callum Black will also be along in their Rally2s. Junior BRC champions Eamonn Kelly and co-driver Conor Mohan have made the move to BRC1 in 2023, with the pair fighting for the title in the Volkswagen Polo GTI that took them to a podium at last year’s Cambrian Rally. Having stepped up from the Junior BRC category, Johnnie Mulholland and co-driver Eoin Treacy will make their BRC debut in Ford’s all-wheel-drive Fiesta Rally3.
The Malcolm Wilson Rally will begin early on March 11, coming to a close after 51 miles and seven stages at the Penrith finish. Track the latest BRC developments by visiting www.britishrallychampionship.co.uk or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #BRC.
Keyword: 2023 British Rally Championship gears up for launch in Cumbria