The prospect of top-level international rallying returning to the UK has increased following the news last month that Rali Ceredigion is in discussions to join the ERC.
The asphalt event located around the seaside town of Aberystwyth has been growing in stature since its inaugural edition in 2019. This year it will host the fifth round of the British Rally Championship and a round of the FIA European Rally Trophy.
Event organisers have been working closely with regional stakeholders, including Ceredigion County Council, and commercial partners to secure the resources and infrastructure to help secure ERC status.
Rali Ceredigion representatives attended the Royal Rally of Scandinavia ERC round in Sweden last month, where they met with the championship promoter to discuss the event’s future.
Autosport understands the rally is likely to be included in the 2024 ERC schedule, with the series in the process of finalising its eight-round calendar.
“We are working very hard to absolutely bring Wales into the ERC in 2024,” said Simon Larkin from ERC organisers, WRC Promoter, when asked about Rally Ceredigion’s future.
Aberystwyth event has featured on the BRC calendar in recent years
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Should Rali Ceredigion be successful in securing a slot on the 2024 ERC schedule, it would bring international rallying back to Britain for the first time since the 2019 Wales Rally GB – the last time the World Rally Championship visited these shores.
Wales hosted a WRC round from 2000-2019 until a loss of funding resulted in Britain losing its round of the world championship.
Efforts to bring the WRC to Northern Ireland since have so far been thwarted by a lack of government funding, resulting in the UK being set to miss out on a spot in the 2024 WRC schedule.
As previously reported, the WRC is set to finalise a 13-round 2024 calendar with plans to visit Saudi Arabia and the USA shelved until 2025.
The championship will visit Latvia for the first time following confirmation that the Baltic nation’s Rally Liepaja event will be promoted from the ERC to replace Estonia.