The Welsh gravel forests delivered their finest welcome as the Severn Valley Stages made a triumphant comeback to the British rallying calendar on Saturday 11 April, marking the 51st edition of the Midland Manor Motor Club-organised event and opening the 2026 Motorsport UK British Rally Championship season in style.
Based across Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells, the rally attracted close to 120 crews from across the BRC, the Historic Rally Championship and the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, along with the HRCR Stage Masters and TCS Plant Rally Series. After a year's absence, the 2025 event having been cancelled due to storm damage which fans made clear just how much they had missed it, lining the forests at Sarnau and Myherin in numbers to welcome the action back to mid-Wales.
The weekend began with a ceremonial start on Friday evening at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells, where the public mingled with competitors before the rally got underway. Crews faced seven stages in total, covering more than 50 competitive miles across some of the most demanding and celebrated gravel roads in the country, culminating in a gruelling 18-mile finale through the iconic Myherin complex. As if the stages themselves weren't challenge enough, the weather added its own drama. Sunshine gave way to snow, hail and driving rain throughout the day, creating treacherous and ever-changing surface conditions that tested every crew to the limit.
At the sharp end, it was a day defined by two Welshmen in identical machinery. Osian Pryce and co-driver James Morgan stormed to victory on home soil in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, with Pryce locked in a fierce battle throughout the event before proving his pace and experience on Welsh gravel to secure a memorable win. The Machynlleth-born driver was immediately on the pace from the opening stage, and his comfort in the Yaris, on what was effectively his first competitive outing in the car, was a significant statement ahead of the season ahead.
"Honestly, I'm very happy," said Pryce at the finish. "It's so good to be back. James and the team have done a fantastic job getting me comfortable in the car, and to set a fastest time first time out is really encouraging."
Pushing Pryce hardest throughout was fellow Welshman and Castrol MEM teammate Meirion Evans, with Dale Furniss alongside in their matching Yaris. Evans' strong form, evident in his recent Rally North Wales success, ensured he kept the pressure on throughout the day, eventually finishing a close second. The battle at the front was as compelling as any on the day, with the two Toyota crews trading blows across the stages and providing exactly the kind of spectacle the BRC season opener deserved.
Garry Pearson and Hannah McKillop completed the podium, leading the M-Sport Ford charge in their Ford Fiesta Rally2 after recovering from an early spin. Making his Severn Valley debut, Max McRae impressed alongside co-driver Cammy Fair in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 to take fourth, a result that could easily have been higher had a puncture on the fourth test not cost them time. The 21-year-old son of 1995 BRC champion Alister McRae continued to underline his rapid progression in the championship. Scottish Rally Championship front-runner Scot MacBeth rounded out the top five with Ross Whittock alongside in their Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.
For the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, Liam Clark and Michael Gilbey claimed the Interclub category win and top Welsh Championship points, taking their Ford Fiesta Rally2 to a strong overall result to lead the way among the Welsh contenders. With the championship building into what promises to be a competitive season, Clark's composed performance on demanding home stages will set a strong early marker.
The Historic category provided its own share of drama and spectacle. Marty McCormack thrilled fans in his BMW E30 M3, taking back-to-back Fuchs British Historic Rally Championship wins alongside co-driver Barney Mitchell. Fellow Irishman Damian Tourish pushed hard in his Ford Escort alongside Kevin Duggan, with the Historic battle producing the kind of battle and close competition that has long been a hallmark of the BHRC.
Organised by Midland Manor Motor Club, the rally's return after a year's hiatus was warmly received by fans, with the ceremonial start and finish at the Metropole Hotel proving a popular hub for competitors and spectators. The forests provided the theatre they always do, and with three championships now with opening round results in the bank, the 2026 season is well and truly alive.
For Pryce, victory on home soil in the car's competitive debut was a perfect start. For the BRC, the BHRC and the Welsh Championship, the Severn Valley Stages delivered everything a curtain-raiser should.
