Building on the great successes of last year, the 2025 Probite British Rally Championship has attracted a stellar entry for this weekend’s season opener – the East Riding Stages based in Beverley, Yorkshire.

Over its long history, the BRC boasts an incredible roster of title winners including Roger Clark, Ari Vatanen, Hannu Mikkola, Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Malcolm Wilson. In more recent times, current WRC stars Elfyn Evans and Adrien Fourmaux both reignited their careers by lifting the much-prized British crown.

Chris Ingram took the coveted title last year but, as he isn’t returning to defend his title, there could be a new name on the trophy come October.

Indeed, despite the high quality entry, only Keith Cronin has won the BRC before – the evergreen Irishman is still aiming for an elusive fifth title to match the record set by Jimmy McRae back in the 1980s.

However, Cronin and co-driver Mikie Galvin – now rallying a Citroen C3 Rally2 – face some very stiff opposition, notably from two Junior WRC Champions: last year’s BRC runner-up William Creighton and promising Estonian Romet Jürgenson.

The former, with Liam Regan alongside, lines up with Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss in a pair of Toyota GR Yaris Rally2s while the 2024 Junior WRC champion, with Siim Oja on the notes, joins Garry Pearson and Hannah McKillop in the twin-pronged M-Sport Ford Rally Team attack.

James Williams is another with his sights on the title; he has Ross Whittock alongside and they return to their regular Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Hard-chargers Callum Black and Jack Morton also return for another shot in their Fiesta Rally2.

The legendary McRae name is etched on the BRC trophy more than any other and Jimmy’s grandson Max is now hoping to give the family its seventh title. Like Cronin, Colin’s nephew has switched to a Citroen C3 and he is joined by co-driver Cameron Fair aboard the French machine.

The coveted Junior BRC title race has also attracted an impressive entry – it will see young drivers under 27 years of age battle for the crown and the chance to secure free entries to the 2026 British Rally Championship events: a package worth over £6,000. Both Open and National Rally classes are well populated, too.

They will all be aiming to make a fast start to their respective campaigns on Sunday’s series opening East Riding Stages Rally. The ten timed stages total more than 54 miles with Beverley becoming the fan-friendly rally hub for the day. The town centre will host the ceremonial start, mid-day regroup and rally finish celebrations.

Thereafter five more rounds follow. As befits a British championship, they are based throughout the country on a challenging mix of surfaces. Next up is the Carlisle Stages (12 April) followed by the Border Competitions Jim Clark Rally (23 May), the Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally (8 August), the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion (5 September) and, finally, the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally (25 October).

Offering unrivalled coverage across the UK and Republic of Ireland for fans, drivers, events and partners, a dedicated one-hour, post-produced highlights show will be screened on ITV4 and subsequently available on the accompanying online catch-up service ITVX.