Did the WRC crews learn anything from this years BRC Grampian Rally? | Ep27

https://youtu.be/VO9A06Gmaw0

The Voly Grampian Forest Rally has always been one of the standout forest rallies in Scotland, but the 2026 event carried considerably more significance than usual.

Held around Banchory in Aberdeenshire on 7 and 8 August, Grampian was round four of the 2026 British Rally Championship and also served as the FIA candidate event for Rally Scotland’s expected return to the World Rally Championship in 2027. That combination brought an unusually strong international field to Scotland. WRC championship leader Elfyn Evans was there with Scott Martin in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, while M-Sport Ford brought Jon Armstrong and Romet Jürgenson. Lancia also sent its factory WRC2 crews Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin in the Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2. For the British Rally Championship regulars, it meant competing against drivers and teams using the event as an important opportunity to learn about Scottish gravel ahead of Rally Scotland 2027.

The result was one of the most interesting weekends of British rallying this year. Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne came away with the overall Grampian Forest Rally victory in their Ford Fiesta Rally2. Armstrong overturned Jürgenson’s advantage from Friday evening and eventually finished 9.3 seconds ahead of his M-Sport team-mate. Nikolay Gryazin completed the overall podium for Lancia, with Yohan Rossel finishing fifth.

For Armstrong, the result was particularly significant. It was his first ever gravel rally victory, adding another dimension to the reputation he has built during his move into the World Rally Championship. The win also showed that the pace he has demonstrated in Rally1 machinery can translate into a Rally2 car on unfamiliar Scottish gravel.

Armstrong was open about the importance of the weekend. With Rally Scotland 2027 on the horizon, the Grampian Forest Rally was not simply another national event. It was an opportunity to learn the roads, understand the character of the stages and demonstrate his ability on a surface where he has previously been less established. The WRC's own post-event assessment described the Grampian as a fact-finding mission for the drivers preparing for next year's Rally Scotland.

Romet Jürgenson had a different challenge. Running first on the road meant sweeping loose gravel away from the racing line and potentially giving the crews behind him a cleaner surface. Despite that disadvantage, the Estonian remained firmly in the fight and delivered another reminder of why he is regarded as one of the most promising young drivers in the M-Sport system.

The bigger story, however, may have been what the visiting WRC and WRC2 crews learned about the proposed Rally Scotland stages. Elfyn Evans completed the Grampian in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 as the event's course car, so his times were not part of the official competitive classification. For the current WRC championship leader, the objective was to gather information rather than chase the overall result. Evans and Toyota were able to evaluate the Scottish gravel, tyre wear and the characteristics of the roads that could form part of Rally Scotland in 2027.

That gave the weekend a fascinating extra dimension. Evans was able to talk about the experience without the pressure normally associated with a World Rally Championship weekend, and his comments about the difference between a Rally2 car and the more powerful Rally1 machinery provided plenty for rally fans to discuss.The stages themselves appear to have left a strong impression. Evans described them as fast, challenging and somewhat similar to Wales, although with a different surface and more camber. Armstrong was equally enthusiastic, highlighting the combination of fast sections, flowing roads, cambers and cuts. Jürgenson felt the stages had a character of their own, while Lancia's drivers saw the weekend as an important opportunity to develop the Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2 on gravel.

That is important because Rally Scotland 2027 is still some way from being a finished product. The route has not yet been finalised, so the Grampian Forest Rally was not simply a preview of an identical World Rally Championship route. It was an opportunity for the drivers, teams and organisers to understand the terrain and establish what could work for the future event. Away from the international entries, there was a serious British Rally Championship battle taking place.

Osian Pryce and James Morgan took the BRC victory in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, continuing a strong campaign and extending their advantage in the championship. Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss completed the BRC podium, while Max McRae and Cameron Fair remained one of the talking points of the weekend.

McRae's result was particularly interesting because his pace was good enough to take an outright stage win against the visiting international drivers.

As Drew and Chris discuss in The Motorsport Files, that is an important detail when assessing McRae's development. The punctures that cost him time were frustrating, but the raw speed was clearly there. The transcript notes that McRae was the only driver outside the Ford WRC-linked crews to take an outright stage win, with Armstrong taking seven stage victories and Jürgenson two. That combination of speed and inconsistency is likely to remain one of the most interesting aspects of McRae's career. The Grampian showed that he can beat world-class opposition on a stage, but it also demonstrated how quickly a rally can change when reliability, punctures or small mistakes become a factor.

Garry Pearson and Hannah McKillop had their own reason to celebrate. Their result secured the Scottish Rally Championship title, adding another major achievement to Pearson's career and giving the Scottish pairing a memorable home event.

For the British Rally Championship itself, though, the weekend raised questions as much as it answered them.

The arrival of the WRC crews gave the event an international profile that the BRC has struggled to generate consistently this season. The Grampian entry was exceptional because of the Rally Scotland connection, rather than because it reflected the normal size and depth of the British championship field. The official BRC preview had already highlighted the importance of the event as the championship returned from its summer break and headed into the second half of the season. That makes the discussion around coverage particularly important.

Following the rally from home was difficult. There was some YouTube coverage and a number of stage-end interviews, but in a sport where fans increasingly expect to follow a rally as it happens, that makes it harder for the British Rally Championship to maintain attention between events. The issue becomes even more obvious when compared with the interest generated by Grampian. Suddenly the British Rally Championship was sharing a forest with current and future World Rally Championship stars, a factory Lancia WRC2 operation and one of the most talked-about young drivers in the M-Sport system. The challenge now is to turn that interest into something sustainable.

Rali Ceredigion is next on the British Rally Championship calendar in September, followed by the Cambrian Rally in October. Pryce heads into the closing stages of the championship with a strong advantage, while the fight behind him will determine who can challenge for the remaining podium positions.

There is also the bigger question of what happens in 2027. The return of Rally Scotland to the World Rally Championship is already beginning to shape the British rallying landscape. The Grampian Forest Rally provided the first real opportunity for several of the drivers and manufacturers expected to be involved to experience the roads. Armstrong and Jürgenson gained valuable knowledge for M-Sport, Evans and Toyota gathered data, and Lancia used the weekend to develop its Rally2 package on Scottish gravel.

The implications go beyond one rally.

If Rally Scotland delivers the fast, challenging forest stages that the drivers experienced at Grampian, it could become one of the most interesting additions to the 2027 WRC calendar. It could also create opportunities for Rally2 drivers who already understand the Scottish roads and have experience of the British championship.

That is where the Grampian Forest Rally becomes particularly relevant to the future of British rallying. What looked on the surface like a British Rally Championship round in Aberdeenshire was actually a meeting point between the present and the future. Osian Pryce was fighting for BRC points. Max McRae was trying to establish himself against international opposition. Jon Armstrong was proving his gravel credentials. Romet Jürgenson was continuing his development. Lancia was developing a new Rally2 car. Toyota was gathering data. And Elfyn Evans was getting his first competitive taste of Scottish roads in six years.

For rally fans, that makes the 2026 Grampian Forest Rally more than just another result sheet. It was an early glimpse of Rally Scotland 2027 and a reminder of what Scottish forest rallying can offer at the highest level.

The question now is whether the British Rally Championship can build on that attention and carry some of the momentum into the rest of 2026.

Voly Grampian Forest Rally 2026: Top 10 Overall

Pos	Crew	Car	Time	Gap
1	Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne	Ford Fiesta Rally2	52:07.5
2	Romet Jürgenson / Siim Oja	Ford Fiesta Rally2	52:16.8	+9.3s
3	Nikolay Gryazin / Konstantin Aleksandrov	Lancia Ypsilon	52:47.1	+39.6s
4	Osian Pryce / James Morgan	Toyota GR Yaris Rally2	52:59.2	+51.7s
5	Yohan Rossel / Arnaud Dunand	Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2	53:12.9	+1:05.4
6	Brandon Semenuk / Ross Whittock	Škoda Fabia RS	53:18.5	+1:11.0
7	Max McRae / Cameron Fair	Škoda Fabia Rally2	53:25.3	+1:17.8
8	Meirion Evans / Dale Furniss	Toyota GR Yaris Rally2	53:26.6	+1:19.1
9	Garry Pearson / Hannah McKillop	Ford Fiesta Rally2	54:17.9	+2:10.4
10	Alexander Vassallo / Chris Lees	Ford Fiesta Rally2	56:09.8	+4:02.3

Source: rallies.info final classification. The results were declared final at 18:50 BST on 8 August 2026.

2026 British Rally Championship Standings After Grampian

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Osian Pryce	65
2	Max McRae	55
3	Meirion Evans	51
4	Garry Pearson	37