Where can spectators view the Circuit of Ireland Rally?
Approximate times shown below are for the first car due. The convoy then takes around 2½ hours, with cars passing roughly every minute.
Thursday 2nd April
11.00 – 12.30 Free Practice of ERC priority Drivers at Croft Hill, Holywood
12.00 – 13.25 Assembly of ERC priority drivers and invited drivers in Ballycultra Village, Folk & Transport Museum, Holywood
14.00 – 15.00 Qualifying Stage for ERC Priority drivers, Croft Hill, Holywood
15.00 – 16.15 Optional Shakedown for remaining for non-priority cars at Croft Hill, Holywood
17.30 – 19.00 Autograph session, start order selection, pre-event Press Conference at City Hall, Belfast
19.00 – 21.00 Ceremonial start at City Hall, Belfast
Friday 3rd April
09.20 Service out – Cars leave Titanic Belfast
10.35 Downpatrick podium as cars leave for competitive stages
13.20 Service Area at Titanic Belfast (Cars here for 30 minutes)
15.10 Downpatrick Regroup (Cars here for 15 minutes)
18.17 Newtownards TT Stage starts
19.15 Service Area at Titanic (Cars here for 45 minutes)
Saturday 4th April
08.15 Service out – Cars leave Titanic Belfast
12.00 Hillsborough Castle Regroup (Cars here for 15 minutes)
12.55 Service Area at Titanic Belfast (Cars here for 30 minutes)
13.55 Lisburn Power Stage Starts
16.30 Banbridge Regroup (Cars here for 15 minutes)
18.25 Service Area at Titanic (Cars here for 10 Minutes)
18.45 Finish ceremony and champagne spraying at Titanic Belfast
Circuit of Ireland Rally – Key Facts
- 2-4 April 2015
- Involves up to 600 volunteers
- One of 10 rallies in the FIA European Rally Championship Calendar and will be the only round of the FIA ERC to be based in the UK and Ireland
- Will be broadcast by Eurosport – expected to attract over 14 million viewers
- First held in 1931 and is one of world’s oldest rallies after Rallye Monte-Carlo
- For up to date details visit www.circuitofireland.net <http://www.circuitofireland.net>
- Entries close 17 March
- Over 130 cars anticipated to start the rally
- The Circuit features the FIA ERC International Rally as well as the National Rally
- Manufacturers represented will include Peugeot, Ford, Skoda, Citroen, Renault teams plus privateer entries
- Qualifying Stage takes place in Ballycultra Village, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum on Thursday 2nd April
- Ceremonial Start at Belfast City Hall – Thursday 2nd April 6pm onwards
- Spectator Stages in Newtownards (Friday 3rd April) and Lisburn (Saturday 4th April)
- Regroup areas:
- Friday: Downpatrick
- Saturday: Banbridge and Hillsborough Castle
- Service Park located in Titanic Quarter
The FIA European Rally Championship calendar for 2015 is as follows:
Round 1: Jännerrallye (Austria, asphalt/ice/snow): 4-6 January 2015
Round 2: Rally Liepāja (Latvia, gravel/ice/snow): 6-8 February 2015 (J)
Round 3: Circuit of Ireland Rally (Northern Ireland, asphalt): 2-4 April 2015 (J)
Round 4: SATA Rallye Açores (Portugal, gravel): 4-6 June 2015 (J)
Round 5: Geko Ypres Rally (Belgium, asphalt): 25-27 June 2015 (J)
Round 6: auto24 Rally Estonia (gravel): 17-19 July 2015 (J)*
Round 7: Barum Czech Rally Zlín (Czech Republic, asphalt): 28-30 August 2015 (J)
Round 8: Cyprus Rally (gravel): 25-27 September 2015
Round 9; Rally of Greece (gravel): 9-11 October 2015*
Round 10: Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse (France, asphalt): 5-7 November 2015
(J) Indicates FIA ERC Junior Championship round
*Subject to signing of ERC Promoter agreement
