Revitalised British Rally Championship reveals Probite as title partner for 2024
The Motorsport UK British Rally Championship has unveiled [10 October] a revamped calendar of events for 2024 along with an exciting new headline partnership with performance braking manufacturer, Probite.
As one of the fastest emerging performance brake manufacturers in the UK, the British brand blasted into the market in 2023 and became an Official Partner of the BRC in March.
Now, the exciting Probite brand, which offers motorsport competitors, car enthusiasts and performance car owners a brand-new line of OEM upgrades for their vehicle, will become title sponsor of the UK’s premier rally series, known as the Probite British Rally Championship.
And their elevation to title sponsors of the series for 2024, coincides with the announcement of a brand-new calendar for the season ahead, as well as several show-stopping initiatives which will be rolled out for the forthcoming term.
In a bid to reduce costs at all levels of the championship, Britain’s top-tier rallying series is set to feature six rounds, with seven points scoring opportunities and will remain on the UK mainland.
In its 66th season, the BRC will focus on high-profile, longer, and more challenging rallies and will also feature two brand new events, as well as welcoming back many fan and driver favourites.
The new-look calendar will once again offer crews a challenging, action-packed campaign with an equal split of asphalt and gravel rallies, encompassing some of the best stages in the UK each with its own unique challenges.
The Legend Fires North West Stages is an exciting all-new addition to the series providing the perfect curtain raiser for the new look BRC season. After its move to a closed road event in 2019, it remains one of the most popular asphalt events in the country and offers flat-out action in the Lancashire countryside. Its spectacular presence in the local community is also the perfect start, drawing huge crowds to the now traditional ceremonial events in Garstang High Street.
Another newcomer to the BRC is the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages which marks the first of two gravel trips to Wales. Using classic stages from the Wales Rally GB archives, the Builth Wells-based event has been re-named for its 50th anniversary and will offer a dynamic twist on its traditional format next year, offering up a longer and more challenging route which uses some of the best forest stages in the world.
In May, the series sees a return to the Scottish Borders and the highly regarded Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally. The legendary closed-road event will offer increased mileage for 2024, including a longer opening leg on Friday night before the daylight blast the following day; the perfect opportunity for a BRC duel.
After the summer break, the start of August sees the return of another Scottish favourite, the Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally. Hailed as some of the most exciting forest stages in the country, the Grampian is based just outside of Aberdeen and will shift to a longer, two-day format with some exciting plans from rally organisers due to be revealed in the coming months.
Arguably the flagship event in the UK, JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion has won over the hearts and souls of rally fans, competitors, and locals during last year’s event and returns to the BRC roster once again. The Aberystwyth-based closed-road encounter provides the toughest encounter of them across the two days in West Wales with contenders set to go toe-to-toe with some of the best local and national drivers in the business. The rally will also count as two-point scoring opportunities with the opening day counting as one score and the final day as the second.
Another excursion into Wales for the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally sees the popular Llandudno event once again host the championship finale in October. With stages steeped in history, the region provides the perfect venue to bring the curtain down on the season, with breathtaking forests likely to hold the key to the eager BRC contenders fighting it out for title honours.
Coupled with the fresh look roster and Probite sponsorship, the championship will also introduce a raft of new measures to assist in competitive costs, including the reduction of championship registration fees. Costs will be reduced by up to 66% to enter the British Rally Championship, with the National categories being slashed by a staggering 86%.
The structure of the BRC will still see BRC1 top-flight Rally2 cars and Rally3 cars fight it out for overall supremacy, with all other homologated classes catered for, including the Junior BRC in Rally4 and Rally5 machinery. The National Rally Title category also returns, offering the opportunity for non-homologated machinery to compete toe-to-toe with the BRC contenders, enjoy recce and a host of benefits associated with a top-line championship.
Further initiatives regarding next season will be announced in due course, but in the meantime, the 2023 championship continues with the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally (28 October), the final encounter of the year.
2024 Probite British Rally Championship calendar
Round 1 – Legend Fires North West Stages – Garstang – 22/23 March
Round 2 – Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages – Builth Wells – 13 April
Round 3 – Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally – Duns – 24/25 May
Round 4 – Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally – Banchory – 9/10 August
Round 5 – JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion – Aberystwyth – 31 August/1 September
Round 6 – Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally – Llandudno – 26 October
BRC Championship Manager, Reece Tarren:
“The calendar is the hardest part of the role as BRC Championship Manager, but I am very excited by the prospect of the 2024 series and the measures we have put in place to elevate the competition for drivers, fans and events alike.
“Fitting in events has always been a challenge and we are sad to lose some staples from the championship this year. Ensuring we don’t have two high-cost rounds in close proximity has been a stringent consideration and we have listened to feedback from both existing and prospective competitors about the dynamics of the BRC calendar. I truly believe this is an exciting new chapter of rallies which offers our competitors an unrivalled challenge in 2024.
“I`d like to thank the Malcolm Wilson Rally, Modern Tyres Ulster Rally and Trackrod Rally Yorkshire for their support in 2023 and we are sad not to be returning this time around.
“Our focus has been on larger, longer, and more challenging events, each with its own characteristics to keep everyone on their toes. At the same time of course, we have been rigorously looking at budgets to ensure the BRC is attainable for all, and introducing several new measures ensures it is one of the most cost-effective calendars in recent times. We are also working hard on a new media offering for next year which will also elevate the championship once again.
“I`m also delighted to welcome Probite as title sponsor to the series in 2024. Having collaborated with them as Partners this season, their passion and enthusiasm for motorsport and the BRC is unrivalled and it’s a fantastic addition to the championship. I really can’t wait to start our new chapter at the Autosport Show in January.”
Marketing Manager for Probite, Tom Taylor:
“The Probite brand was born from our love of motorsport and over 60 years of experience in braking and friction components. Proud to be a British manufacturer, we are run by a team of car enthusiasts who want to help UK drivers improve their cars for less.
“As official partners and title sponsors of the Probite British Rally Championship, we will be working alongside Motorsport UK and BRC crews in the continued development of our braking products, ensuring we offer the best enhancements and innovations from professional motorsport to the thousands of fans and enthusiasts driving on Britain’s roads. Plus, there will be discounts and giveaways throughout the season to reward the thousands of fans who dedicate their time to supporting this great event.
“We are immensely proud to be part of the BRC legacy and hope that the 2024 Probite British Rally Championship will be the best yet.”
