The 65th Motorsport UK British Rally Championship season has begun 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. Although heavy snow cut eight stages down to five, there was no shortage of spectacular racing, with a new generation of BRC competitors going head-to-head with seasoned drivers.
M-Sport factory driver Adrien Fourmaux and co-driver Alex Coria took the victory in their Ford Fiesta Rally2, with 2022's runners up Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin passing the finish line 53 seconds later in second place. Fourmaux said: 'These stages are beautiful and are amazing to drive. Perhaps not so easy with the ice and snow first thing, but these last two passes of Greystoke were just muddy and it was just great fun.'
Fresh from Hyundai, James Williams hit the five stages in a Fiesta Rally2, while multi-event winner and BTRDA champion Elliot Payne and 2017 Welsh Rally Championship winner Callum Black were also competing in their Rally2s. Junior BRC champions Eamonn Kelly and co-driver Conor Mohan made the move to BRC1 in 2023, with the pair now 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 made their BRC debut in Ford’s all-wheel-drive Fiesta Rally3.
The Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally is up next, bringing the series to the Scottish borders on May 26/27. Track the latest BRC developments by visiting www.britishrallychampionship.co.uk or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #BRC.
| Round 1 | Malcolm Wilson Rally – Cockermouth | 11 March |
| Round 2 | Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally – Duns | 26/27 May |
| Round 3 | Ardeca Ypres Rally – Ypres, Belgium | 23/24 June |
| Round 4 | Modern Tyres Ulster Rally – Newry | 18/19 August |
| Round 5 | Get Connected Rali Ceredigion – Aberystwyth | 2/3 September |
| Round 6 | Trackrod Rally Yorkshire – Filey | 22/23 September |
| Round 7 | Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally – Llandudno | 27/28 October |
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Keyword: 2023 British Rally Championship launches in Cumbria