Pryce sets out championship intent on Severn Valley Stages Rally

The Severn Valley Stages made a thrilling return to the British rally calendar this weekend (11 April), delivering a thrilling 51st edition of the rally and providing the season opener to the 2026 British Rally Championship.

Based in Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells, the popular gravel event, supported by Axon Commercial Catering Equipment, welcomed almost 120 crews and featured a stacked entry list across multiple championships, including the Fuchs British Historic Rally Championship, Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, HRCR Stage Masters and TCS Plant Rally Series.

Following a bustling ceremonial start in Llandrindod Wells on Friday night, crews faced over 50 miles of challenging stages, highlighted by the renowned Myherin complex. The seven tests was topped by a grueling 18-mile finale, providing a dramatic end to the day's events. The weather also played a significant role during the rally day. Periods of sunshine were mixed with fierce snow, hail, and rain, adding to the tough conditions and making the surface a challenge for the drivers.

Osian Pryce made a remarkable comeback to the British Rally Championship (BRC) by achieving a dominant win at the Severn Valley Stages on April 11, marking a strong start to his 2026 campaign on home ground.

Rejoining the MEM Rally Team, with whom he clinched the 2022 title, Pryce and co-driver James Morgan quickly reestablished their presence at the forefront of the BRC. Driving a Michelin-shod Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, the 2022 champion set the standard early and maintained his lead, winning five out of seven stages to finish 19 seconds ahead.

“Honestly, I’m very happy,” he expressed at the end.

“It’s so good to be back! It’s much easier returning here with the title already won; you can just relax and enjoy it! James and MEM have done an excellent job making me comfortable in this car. I think that’s been crucial, and you know, setting a fastest time on the first outing with the car, I’m more than pleased with that. From my side, I need to work on my driving to get used to the car, but no, I’m very happy.”

Team-mate Meirion Evans emerged as Pryce’s closest competitor throughout the day, securing second place after a steady and consistent performance in his Pirelli-equipped GR Yaris. Despite winning a stage himself, Evans couldn’t match Pryce’s relentless speed but showed clear progress compared to previous performances in the event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5tH5MCWAJU

Find out what the pair had to say about the event when they sat down with us on the podcast

Having been several minutes behind the lead in the same rally in past years, Evans’ 19-second gap this time highlights his development and growing confidence in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, positioning him as a strong contender for the 2026 title.

Garry Pearson finished third in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2, overcoming an early spin. The Scotsman with co-driver Hannah McKillop demonstrated strong pace throughout the stages and will carry valuable confidence into the next round on home turf.

Max McRae briefly appeared as a contender for victory, closing in on Pryce during the opening loop; however, the fourth test was pivotal for the Scot. A puncture necessitating a wheel change in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 cost him and co-driver Cameron Fair over two minutes. On stage 6 McRae briefly showed what may have been securing a stage win. He recovered to finish fourth after a determined afternoon effort.

Scott MacBeth and Ross Whittock brought their Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 home in fifth on MacBeth’s BRC1 debut after a solid performance in challenging conditions.

The BRC3 category witnessed an impressive display from Aoife Raftery, who made a stylish return to the championship with a commanding class victory in her Ford Fiesta Rally3, with Kyle McDaid alongside.

She secured victory by more than five minutes over BRC newcomer Junzhe Tang. The Chinese driver delivered a commendable performance on his BRC debut, quickly adapting to the unique challenges of UK forest stages with Tsungyu Hsieh alongside.

The Junior British Rally Championship once again offered close competition, with Ben McFall achieving an impressive victory on his series debut. Driving a Ford Fiesta Rally4, McFall dominated the event, setting the fastest time on six of the seven stages to secure a convincing win with Richard Crozier alongside.

“It was a great learning experience this weekend,” said McFall. “That was some tough competition; those boys weren’t far off the pace at home, so fair play. It was good racing all day.”

Riley Chester/Robbie Sandford and Sam Mason/James Seymour completed the podium, both finishing over a minute behind in their Peugeot 208 Rally4s.

The battle for second place took a dramatic turn on the final stage, where Charlie Mathewson and Josh Carr, who had been performing strongly and claimed a stage win, suffered an off in the closing miles. Damage to their Peugeot 208 Rally4 forced them to nurse the car to the finish, dropping them down the order.

The National Rally Title category delivered its usual mix of variety and drama. James Giddings/Aled Davies led the category for much of the rally before an off on the final stage dashed their hopes of victory in their Mitsubishi Evo.

Alfie Hammond/Harry Walshaw appeared set to inherit the lead but retired their Subaru on the penultimate test, leaving John Clayton and Ben Wild to claim victory in their distinctive Nissan Micra Kit Car, overcoming an early misfire to secure the win. Julian Fouquet and Emma Clarke completed the podium in their R2T entry.

The championship now moves to asphalt for round two, as the iconic Jim Clark Rally in the Scottish Borders hosts the next chapter of the 2026 British Rally Championship in May.