The big guns are coming out for this year’s revitalised Probite British Rally Championship with both four-time BRC champion Keith Cronin and FIA European Rally Champion Chris Ingram confirming their entries earlier this week. 

Irish star Cronin previously won the coveted British title in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2017, and was runner-up in 2022.  Only Jimmy McRae has more BRC titles to his name, with a tally of five.   

“Our original ambition was to concentrate on the Irish events this year, the plan was to return to the BRC in the future,” explained Cronin who lines up aboard the latest evolution of the Ford Fiesta Rally 2 with co-driver Mikie Galvin. “In conjunction with our partners, we have reached a decision to take on the two championships, and I am very grateful to them for their support”. 

The BRC has recently announced that the championship will be televised on the free-to-air terrestrial channel, ITV4. The package will include a dedicated one-hour highlights programme after each round of the series, to be broadcast at prime time, with further later repeats, plus an end of season round-up programme. Ingram admits the step-up in coverage was pivotal in his exciting decision to re-join the BRC for the first time in more than a decade. 

“This year’s BRC British Rally Championship is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory,” enthused the 29-year-old who has been competing internationally in recent years.  

“The amazing news that ITV Sport is covering the championship will be a great boost for the sport and provide superb promotion for my partners. The BRC will provide more return on investment than competing in WRC2 as a privateer. With the BRC gaining momentum, featuring exciting new events, national television coverage, and top-tier competition, the choice is clear.” 

The new-look calendar highlighted by Ingram as another reason for his return consists of six events across England, Scotland and Wales, held between March and October.  

“The British Championship includes some incredible new events, such as the North West Rally (22 March) taking place on closed public roads and bringing in hundreds of thousands of pounds to the local economy,” continued Ingram who will be co-driven in an as yet unnamed Rally2 car by Alex Kihurani. “More highlights include the European Rally Championship returning to Wales at Rali Ceredigion (31 August), as well as classics like the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland (24 May).” 

For more information on the Probite British Rally Championship click here.