The Welsh hills will be alive this weekend with the roar of motorsport as the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion (5–7 September) takes over the closed-road lanes of west Wales.

As a round of both the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and the Probite British Rally Championship (BRC), last year’s event – won by Hayden Paddon and John Kennard – was a resounding success. It attracted tens of thousands of rally fans and generated over £4.5 million in economic benefits for the hospitality and tourism sectors across Aberystwyth and Ceredigion.

This weekend’s rally promises to be even more exciting and decisive, with both ERC and BRC titles entering their critical stages. Once the dust settles in Wales, both championships will have just one further round remaining on their calendars.

In the ERC battle, Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 drivers Miko Marczyk (Poland) and Andrea Mabellini (Italy) are locked in a duel, separated by just 11 points. Factoring in dropped scores, the fight is even tighter.

“Rali Ceredigion means a lot to me as it was where I scored my first ERC podium last year – something I will always remember,” said Marczyk. “The landscape is amazing with narrow, tricky parts; it’s demanding, and the weather is another challenge we must watch closely. I am motivated – this is the moment of the season where taking risks is necessary. I will fight to the end.”

Keeping a close eye on the title battle will be Jon Armstrong (Ireland), who sits third in the standings in his Ford Fiesta Rally2 after securing his second podium of the season last time out in the Czech Republic.

In the BRC, William Creighton and Liam Regan currently lead the standings with two wins this year, holding a ten-point advantage over Castrol MEM teammate Meirion Evans. Still in contention mathematically are Callum Black, Romet Jurgenson, Garry Pearson and Max McRae.

As a wildcard entry and fan favourite, two-time Rali Ceredigion winner Osian Pryce makes a welcome comeback on home soil. Now behind the wheel of a new Hyundai i20 Rally2, Pryce has no championship pressure and will be aiming for a Ceredigion hat-trick.

“We are really looking forward to the event – there are some new, challenging stages alongside Rali Ceredigion classics,” said Pryce. “After our shakedown on the Ulster Rally, I feel a lot more confident, having made good progress with the car.” The Machynlleth man warmed up in style by taking class honours on last weekend’s Woodpecker Rally in an Escort RS1800.

Following the international field, the national rally will also provide fierce competition, with a wealth of rallying talent eager to perform on one of the UK’s biggest stages, seeing the tit-for-tat battle between Chris Richmond-Hand and Izzie Holman’s Toyota Starlet with Rob Cotton in his Subaru Impreza.

The action kicks off on Friday at 5:10pm with the popular Aberystwyth street stage, before crews tackle nearly 80 miles of closed-road stages on Saturday across Ceredigion and Powys. The three-stage loop includes the new Cwm Elan test through the iconic Elan Valley, the mammoth 20-mile Y Diafol stage featuring the Devil’s Staircase, and the all-new Mydroilyn stage.

On Sunday, competitors face two flat-out passes, including the traditional Nant y Moch blast, before finishing with the Mynydd Bach Power Stage.

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For the latest Rali Ceredigion updates and full spectator information, visit the event website.