THE British Rally Championship is to go ahead later this year – with Scotland hosting two of six rounds, say organisers.
The Nicky Grist Stages in the forests of mid-Wales will become the opening round of the competition on July 10.
Then in a first for the BRC line-up, crews will make the trip to Kincardineshire for the Grampian Forest Rally. Ultra-fast and flowing stages will provide crews with a new challenge and offers up a perfect leveller to the 2021 championship on August 14.
That will be followed by Trackrod Rally Yorkshire, near Scarborough, on the weekend of September 24 and 25, with tests both under the cover of darkness and in daylight.
One of the most popular stage events in the UK steps into the fold during October 8 to 10, as the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally hosts a weekend of closed road action.
Arguably the toughest challenge in rallying, the island event houses a unique format with much of the competitive mileage in the dark – making it worthy of inclusion of the BRC tour.
The Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally is switching dates to October 30, providing imposing forest stages made famous by Wales Rally GB from its base in Llandudno.
The final round of the 2021 British Championship will be played out across the infamous and tricky closed-public roads of Northern Ireland at the Today’s Ulster Rally on November 20.
British Rally Championship Manager Iain Campbell said: “We have been working very hard behind the scenes to create a calendar worthy of the British Championship title and I truly believe we have come up with an exciting, challenging yet cost-effective offering for competitors.”
The British Touring Car Championship has also made a few changes to dates in a bid to ensure spectators can be present. So while the opening weekend at Thruxton will still take place behind closed doors on May 8 and 9, the next two events are shifting dates.
The BTCC visit to Snetterton will now take place on June 12 and 13, with the Brands Hatch Indy event scheduled for June 26 and 27.
The remaining rounds are unchanged, including the visit to Knockhill on August 14 and 15, when fans will get the chance to see Gordon Shedden, Rory Butcher and Aiden Moffat battle it out at their home circuit.
Meanwhile, GT campaigner Dean Macdonald, from Kelty, Fife, is set to race for United Autosports alongside Gus Bowers in a McLaren 570S in the GT4 European Series.
Macdonald said: “I have followed United Autosports for a while now and I can’t wait to start working with them and try to have a successful year.
“They are a very impressive and professional team, so hopefully we can challenge for race wins and the championship together.”
More immediately, across the pond, Scotland’s Ryan Dalziel is back in action tomorrow in the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida with his Era Motorsport LMP2 team-mates.
