On 8 February, the Riponian Rally tore through the frost-bitten forests of the North York Moors National Park, kicking gravel season into life with a proper northern wake-up call.
One hundred and thirty-six crews rolled into the woods to take on 44 competitive miles, marking the opening round of both the Historic Rally Championship and the Mini Rally Championship. From top-spec Rally2 machinery to snarling Minis and sideways historic icons, the entry list read like a love letter to British rallying.
Payne and Walsh set the tone
From the first stage, Elliot Payne and Patrick Walsh made it clear they hadn’t come for a gentle start to the year. In their Hooch-liveried Ford Fiesta Rally2, they stamped authority on the rally with a blistering pace that never really dipped.
Their final time of 38 minutes and 9 seconds was enough to seal victory - but it was anything but comfortable.
Joe Cunningham and Joshua Beer pushed hard in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC, clocking 38 minutes and 26 seconds to take second. Just 17 seconds further back were Liam Clark and Jack Morton in another Ford Fiesta Rally2, stopping the clocks at 38 minutes and 38 seconds.
At the finish, the top three were separated by just 29 seconds. Over 44 miles of gravel. That is margins-on-a-knife-edge stuff. Every braking point, every crest, every pacenote mattered. You can bet there were a few held breaths inside those helmets.
Historic honours - Galant breaks Escort dominance
The Historic Rally Championship brought out one of rallying’s most beloved silhouettes - the Ford Escort MkII. A crowd favourite and a forest soundtrack in its own right.
But this time, the Escort did not have it all its own way.
Victory went to George Lepely and Dafydd Evans in their Mitsubishi Galant VR-4, who delivered a composed and committed run to finish in 40 minutes and 28 seconds. It was a statement drive in machinery that still commands serious respect on gravel.
Richard Hill and Patrick Cooper claimed second in their Ford Escort MkII with a time of 41 minutes and 3 seconds, while Paul Thompson and Josh Davidson completed the podium in another Escort MkII, ensuring the Blue Oval faithful still had plenty to cheer about.
A proper season opener
As one of the first gravel rallies of the year, the Riponian Rally did exactly what it needed to do - set the benchmark, shake off winter rust, and remind everyone how fine the margins are at the sharp end of British rallying.
Forty-four miles. Frozen forest roads. Less than half a minute between the top three.
If this is how 2026 starts, we are in for a seriously tight championship fight.
Pitlane News will be watching closely.
