REPORT / SEVERN VALLEY STAGES 2026

WORDS BY ANDY COOK | PHOTOGRAPY ANDREW SCOTT, HARRY GRADON, JAMIE MOONE, NIGEL PRATT AND ROB SAYER

The Severn Valley Stages rally returned to national rallying with a bang, or perhaps more fittingly with a clap of thunder, serving up a combination of challenging world-class Welsh gravel stages and brutal wintry conditions.

The Midland Manor Club organised event, which was forced to sit out last year due to the damage to the Welsh forests from Storm Darragh, made a welcome return to top-flight rallying, opening up the 2026 Motorsport UK British Rally Championship season.

Also in action at the event were the Welsh Rally Championship (Round 2) and the British Historic Rally Championship (Round 3).

From the Rally HQ in Builth Wells, 51 competitive miles across seven gravel tests were on offer, featuring stages in Coed Sarnau near Rhayader and the Myherin Complex west of Llangurig. More than one hundred crews from multiple national Championships signed up to tackle the event.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW SCOTT

BRC

The big news from the BRC was that our 2020 Champ, Osian Pryce, has returned to the series, once again joining Meirion Evans with the Melvyn Evans Motorsport team. However, this time around, Pryce is competing in the Castrol-backed Rally2 spec Toyota GR Yaris, with James Morgan alongside him in the silly seat and seeded car number one for the opening round.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW SCOTT

Max McRae & Cameron Fair followed Pryce on the road, lining up in the latest spec Skoda Fabia Rally2 machine aiming to challenge for the title this season. BRC Regular Garry Pearson also returns with Hanna McKillop in the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2, and they were also hoping to get in the mix this season.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW SCOTT

Multiple BTRDA Series Champions, Elliot Payne & Patrick Walsh, are another crew returning to the BRC1 field in their Ford Fiesta Rally2, along with Scottish Rally Championship contender Scott Macbeth with Ross Whittock, who join the BRC in their VW Polo R5. Reigning Asphalt Rally Champs, Sam Touzel and Max Freeman, showed up in the Ford Fiesta Rally2 looking to both have some fun and gain experience on the loose stuff.

On the Junior British Rally Championship front, Ben McFall & Richard Morton Crozier and Megan O’Kan & Nikki Addison would represent the blue oval badge in a pair of Ford Fiesta Rally4’s, facing a trio of Peugeot 208 Rally4’s driven by Riley Chester & Robbie Sandford, Sam Mason & James Seymour and Charlie Mathewson & Josh Carr. Whilst Luke Constantine & Ifan Devine bring the Opel name into the series, campaigning a Rally4 spec Corsa.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW SCOTT

Elsewhere and making their debut appearance, Junzhe Tang & Tsungyu Hsieh  made the trip from China to compete in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo, pitching themselves up against the likes of Aoife Raftery & Kyle McDaid.

There would be no Open title in the series this year, but James Giddings & Aled Davies (Mitsubishi EVO 9), Alfie Hammond & Harry Walsaw (Subaru Impreza), John Clayton & Ben Wild (Nissan Micra Kit Car), and Julian Fourquet & Emma Clarke (Ford Fiesta R2T) all line up at the opening round in the BRC National field.

MORNING LOOP //

Welshman Osian Pryce laid down the first marker on the opening 4.38-mile test in Coed Sarnau, stopping the clocks in his Toyota GR Yaris, 2.7 seconds quicker than Scotsman Garry Pearson in the Ford Fiesta Rally2.

PHOTO: OSIAN PRYCE & JAMES MORGAN – BY ROB SAYER

Pryce’s MEM teammate, Meirion Evans, was a further 3.5 seconds down in third, whilst Max McRae appeared to need that first stage to bed in with that brand new Skoda Fabia; he was some ten seconds off the pace on that opening test.

PHOTO: MEIRION EVANS & DALE FURNISS – BY HARRY GRADON

Pryce and Co-Driver James Morgan followed that up in the very next test (SS2 Roman Road 1) in the northern side of Myherin/Tarennig complex, but would pick up a slow puncture in the next one, leaving team mates Evans and Co-Driver Dale Furniss record the fastest time in Stage 3 (Myherin).

PHOTO: MAX MCRAE & CAMERON FAIR – BY NIGEL PRATT

By now, Max McRae was getting up to speed in the Fabia, climbing to P3, but for McRae, the work would all be undone in the final stage of the morning loop (SS4 Tarennig), where the pair picked up a puncture. The time loss incurred would see him and Co-Driver Fair tumble back down the leaderboard to eighth. Elliot Payne was another to suffer from a puncture and would be languishing way down the order and effectively out of contention by halftime.

PHOTO: GARRY PEARSON & HANNAH MCKILLOP – BY ANDREW SCOTT

Garry Pearson & Hannah McKillop slotted back into third and were some 44 seconds adrift of Meirion Evans & Dale Furniss, who continued to hold second after the morning’s action. Although Evans and Furniss had one stage win under their belts, they just could not seem to topple teammates Pryce & Morgan, who ended the morning with a 3.4 second lead, having won three out of four stages.

“It’s been quiet a difficult morning, just trying to learn the new car. Its very slipy out there, its not been the best from my side, I’ve struggled a little bit. We had a slow puncture in Stage 3 but happy with how’s it gone, to win your first stage first time out in the car, it cant be that bad. We’ll keep doing what were doing, maybe make a few changes and go again.“

Osian Pryce

James Giddings & Aled Davies led the BRC National field in their Mitsubishi EVO 9, having been locked in a battle with Alfie Hammond & Harry Walshaw (Subaru Impreza) over the morning’s loop, 23 seconds separated them heading into the afternoon.

PHOTO: JAMES GIDDINGS & ALED DAVIES – BY ROB SAYER

Ben McFall & Richard Crozier were leading the way in the BRC Juniors; the pair would push their Ford Fiesta Rally4 hard and were 23.2 seconds ahead of Bangers n Cash TV star, Charlie Mathewson & Josh Carr in the Peugeot 208 Rally4. Holding P3 in the Juniors, Riley Chester & Robbie Sandford were a further 11 seconds behind the pace in their Peugeot 208.

PHOTO: BEN MCFALL & RICHARD CROZIER – BY NIGEL PRATT

AFTERNOON LOOP //

Rally leaders Osian Pryce & James Morgan headed back out into the stages after service with only one thing on their minds, and that was the top step of the BRC podium. Having delivered a stage win in the repeated Coed Sarnau test, Pryce and Morgan sealed the victory with the final stage win in the longest test of the event.

PHOTO: OSIAN PRYCE & JAMES MORGAN – BY ANDREW SCOTT

The Myherin and Tarennig stages from the morning were combined into a single 18-mile stage to end the event with, and Pryce & Morgan reached the stop line of the stage with a glow about them. The pair had just won their first rally together in a modern spec Rally2 machine, and for Pryce, this was his first national rally win in a modern car since this very rally when it last ran back in 2024.

PHOTO: MEIRION EVANS & DALE FURNISS – BY ROB SAYER

The final winning margin was nineteen seconds over teammates, Meirion Evans & Dale Furniss, who already had a season in the Yaris under their belts. It is clear already that Pryce and the Toyota GR Yaris is going to be a formidable combination in the BRC this season.

“I’m happy with my performance this weekend, first time working with James, first time in the car. Overall, happy with how the weekends gone. It’s good to be back, its much easy coming back here with a title in hand you can just relax and enjoy it. It’s just been a big whirlwind for the last two months really, A big thanks to Castrol, the whole team and all my sponsors as well. James has done a great job in getting me comfortable in this car, I think that’s been the key. To set a fastest time, first time out in the car, I’m more than happy with that. From my side, I’ve got a bit of work to do with my driving to get use to the car but we are all very happy.”

Osian Pryce

Scotsman Garry Pearson, with Hannah McKillop alongside (Ford Fiesta Rally2),  scored a decent result in Wales to kick start their 2026 BRC campaign, finishing third overall and grabbing that final BRC podium place.

PHOTO: GARRY PEARSON & HANNAH MCKILLOP – BY HARRY GRADON

Max McRae and Cameron Fair (Skoda Fabia Rally2) left Wales wondering what if! The puncture in the morning had cost them, as on every other stage, they were on the money. They managed to pick up another stage win in stage 6, which, together along with a bunch of great stage times, could have told a very different story for them… but that’s rallying. They would have to settle for a recovery drive, which earned them a fourth-place finish ahead of Scott Macbeth & Ross Whittock, who would round out the top five BRC crews in their VW Polo R5.

PHOTOS: MAX MCRAE & CAMERON FAIR – BY ANDREW SCOTT | SCOTT MACBETH & ROSS WHITTOCK – BY NIGEL PRATT

Over the afternoon’s loop of stages, James Giddings & Aled Davies (Mitsubishi EVO 9) continued to lead the BRC National contenders, however, drama would ensure in the final two stages of the event. Alfie Hammond & Harry Walshaw would first retire on the penultimate stage (SS6 Roman Road 2) and then disaster struck Giddings and Davies in the final stage of the event, resulting in a DNF. The unfortunate demise of both Giddings & Hammond would gift the BRC National win to John Clayton & Ben Wild in the Nissan Micra Kit Car.

PHOTOS: JAMES GIDDINGS & ALED DAVIES – BY HARRY GRADON | JOHN CLAYTON & BEN WILD – BY ROB SAYER

In the Junior British Rally Championship, Ben McFall & Richard Morton Crozier continued to dominate the field, posting two out of the three fastest times. The pair would cross the finish line with over a minute in hand to secure their maiden JBRC victory and maximum points at the first round of the season, plus BRC Rally4 points. Aoife Raftery & Kyle McDaid picked up the BRC Rally3 points

PHOTO: BEN MCFALL & RICHARD CROZIER – BY JAMIE MOONE

Up until the final stage, Charlie Mathewson & Josh Carr would hold second; however, a few miles into the 18-mile Myherin Main stage, the pair slid off the road and into a ditch. They did manage to get going again and finish the event, but the podium place was lost. Both Riley Chester & Robbie Sandford and Sam Mason & James Seymour would benefit from Mathewson’s misdemeanour, rounding out the JBRC podium in second and third, respectively.

PHOTO: CHARLIE MATHEWSON & JOSH CARR – BY JAMIE MOONE

BHRC

Ahead of the event, George Lepley would sadly pull the entry for the Mitsubishi Galant (Cat4) following the DNF at Rally North Wales. However, Martin McCormack would once again grace the Welsh stages in the fan-favourite screaming BMW E30 M3 (Cat4), following the previous win last time out at Rally North Wales.

The normal contingent of contenders in a mix of Ford Escort MKII’s and a couple of Fiat Abarth 131’s would also fight it out at the Severn Valley in the ultra-competitive Cat3, but Ben Smith would arrive in Builth Wells leading the standings in his Porsche 911 RS (Cat2), having bagged his second maximum points haul at Round 2.

MORNING LOOP //

PHOTO: DAMIEN TOURISH & KEVIN DUGGEN – BY ROB SAYER

Irishman Damien Tourish & Kevin Duggan would be the quickest out of the blocks in their MKII Escort; they would stop the clocks just 2.2 seconds quicker than Ben Friend & Osian Owen (MKII Escort), on the opening test in Coed Sarnau. McCormack & Co-Driver Barney Mitchell would ease themselves into the rally; they would follow in the BMW M3, just 0.2 of a second behind Friend & Owen.

PHOTO: MARTY MCCORMACK & BRNEY MITCHEL BY JAMIE MOONE

McCormack would take things up a gear and pick up his first stage win in SS2 Roman Road, beating the MKII Escort of Paul Thompson & Josh Davison by a little over four seconds to take over the lead of the rally from Tourish & Duggen. McCormack & Mitchell would press on in the following two tests in the Myherin/Tarennig complex, adding a further two-stage wins to the tally, reaching the midday service halt back in Builth Wells, leading the way by more than 54 seconds.

PHOTOS: | MARTY MCCORMACK & BRNEY MITCHEL – BY ANDREW SCOTT | DAMIEN TOURISH & KEVIN DUGGEN – BY NIGEL PRATT

Although Tourish and Duggen would continue to record good stage times, only beaten by McCormack in Stages 3 and 4, the pair were handed a one-minute penalty for checking in early to TC-4. This blunder would allow Paul Thompson & Davison to assume second position, with Ben & Steven Smith in the Porsche 911 moving into P3 a further 4.7 seconds behind.

PHOTO: NICK ELLIOTT & DAVE PRICE – BY ANDREW SCOTT

Elsewhere, Nick Elliott & Dave Price were having a solid morning in their Fiat 131 Abarth, holding P4 overall and second in Cat3; they were in a good place, with around an eight second gap to Simon Webster & Jez Rogers (MKII Escort) behind them.

PHOTO: BENM & STEVEN SMITH – BY HARRY GRADON

Despite loosing third gear in Stage 3, Ben Smith was way down the road in the Porsche 911 and leading Cat2, Mark Holmes & Mark Broadbent were the best of the rest in their MK1 Ford Escort; they had around 15 seconds in hand to Jeremy Easson & Mike Reynolds in the stunning Datsun 240z. Sadly for the returning BMW 2002ti of Terry Cree, any hope of a result would disappear in just the second stage of the day; he and Co-Driver Graham Wild would, however, get going again and get back out on the stages under super rally.

PHOTOS: MARK HOLMES & MARK BROADBENT – BY ROB SAYER | JERMEY EASSON & MIKE REYNOLDS – BY NIGEL PRATT

AFTERNOON LOOP //

Back out after service, Ben Friend was recovering from an alternator failure from the mornings loop and was being heavy on the right foot, taking the stage win in the second pass of the Sarnau, 2.2 was the margin over Richard Hill & Patrick Cooper here. Clearly, this stage suited the MKII Escorts as McCormack was off the pace in this stage by more than eight seconds.

Tourish & Duggan were on a bit of a recovery drive to try and undo the damage from the morning’s time penalty. They got the hammer down and picked up two stage wins in SS6 Roman Road 2 and again in the final stage of the event, the big 18-mile Myherin Main test, which Toursish describes as “The Biggest stage of my life”. This mega performance over the afternoon’s stage would see them get back onto the podium and where they rightfully belonged. This mega comeback would also secure them the Cat3 win, which would go somewhat towards making up for their DNF last time out at Rally North Wales.

PHOTO: DAMIEN TOURISH AND KEVIN DUGGEN – BY ANDREW SCOTT

Marty McCormack and Barney Mitchell would cross the finish line back in Llandrindod Wells in their BMW E30 M3 with one minute and fourteen seconds in their back pockets. The Severn Valley was McCormack’s second BHRC victory and second maximum Cat4 points haul thus far; this in itself is a huge positive both for the reliability of the car and its performance, and if things carry on this way, we may have a contender for the title this year.

PHOTO: MARTY MCCORMACK & BARNEY MITCHELL – BY ROB SAYER

“Very Happy, I’ve no idea if we were the fastest in there (SS7), it was spectacular, my goodness there was some aquaplaning in there!, A good day rallying, its just brilliant”

Marty McCormack

But that won’t come without a big fright from the likes of Ben & Steven Smith in the Porsche 911 RS, who, for the third consecutive time, picked up the Cat2 win, adding another maximum point haul to their Championship title bid. The father-son duo was holding fourth overall heading into the final stage of the rally, but dropped a little time, which would see them finish the rally in P7, this wasn’t too much of a problem as they got the result that they needed.

“We’ve had a bit of strange day really, because we’ve just sort of been driving around. We’ve not had third gear since stage 3. I’ve never enjoyed seeing a finish line but I did today, but we’re glad to be here and that was the goal“

Ben Smith

PHOTO: BEN & STEVEN SMITH – BY NIGEL PRATT

Paul Thompson & Josh Davison would take the final podium place in their MKII Escort, edging out Nick Elliott & Dave Price in the Fiat Abarth 131 by 4.7 seconds. Simon Webster & Jez Rogers would round out the top 5 overall in their MKII Escort.

PHOTOS: PAUL THOMPSON & JOSH DAVISON – BY ROB SAYER | NICK ELLIOTT & DAVE PRICE – BY HARRY GRADON | SIMON WEBSTER & JEZ ROGERS – BY JAMIE MOONE

Mark Holmes & Mark Broadbent would take P2 in Cat2 (+ Class3 win) in their MK1 Escort, and Jeremy Easson & Mike Reynolds would take P3 in their Datsun 240Z.

PHOTOS: MARK HOLMES & MARK BROADBENT – BY JAMIE MOONE | JEREMY EASSON & MIKE REYNOLDS – BY HARRY GRADON

WELSH

Last time out at Rally North Wales, Meirion Evans claimed the Welsh Championship victory, coming out on top ahead of five times Welsh Champ, Matthew Hirst. However, Evans would not be scoring points at the Severn Valley and Hirst opted to sit this one out. Liam Clark & Michael Gilbey (Ford Fiesta Rally2), and James Wilson & Craig Nelson (Skoda Fabia Rally2) would therefore both arrive in Builth Wells as the ones to watch for Round 2 of the Welsh Rally Championship.

MORNING LOOP //

PHOTO: LIAM CLARK & MICHAEL GILBEY – BY ROB SAYER

Clark and Gilbey would set off on the right foot in the morning, grabbing the opening stage win in Coed Sarnau, beating Wilson and Nelson by 5.9 seconds, but Wilson & Nelson would retaliate in the very next test, SS2 Roman Road. That alone wasn’t going to be enough for Wilson to challenge Clark for the lead of the rally; Clark & Gilbey netted stage wins in stage three and four to reach half time with a lead of almost twenty seconds.

PHOTO: JAMES WILSON & CRAIG NELSON – BY HARRY GRADON | DAN O’BRIEN & ROB FAGG – BY ANDREW SCOTT

Best of the rest, Dan O’Brien & Rob Fagg (Ford Fiesta Rally2), would hold P3 after the morning’s loop of three, a further 15.8 seconds down on Wilson & Nelson. Patrick Naylor & Tom Bishop (Mitsubishi EVO 9) and Ben & Stephen Smith (Porsche 911 RS), also the leading Welsh two-wheel drive crew, would round out the top five of the Welsh-registered crews after the morning loops of four stages.

PHOTOS: PATRICK NAYLOR & TOM BISHOP | BEN & STEVEN SMITH – BY ROB SAYER

AFTERNOON LOOP //

PHOTO: JAMES WILSON & CRAIG NELSON – BY JAMIE MOONE

The game plan in the afternoon for James Wilson & Craig Nelson was to somehow catch and overhaul Liam Clark & Michael Gilbey and go for the win. And they went the right way about it, coming back out after the midday service, winning the repeated runs through Sarnau and  Roman Road to reduce the gap down to 14.6 seconds heading into the final stage of the rally.

PHOTO: LIAM CLARK & MICHAEL GILBEY – BY NIGEL PRATT

Although that final stage in Myherin was a biggie at 18 miles, to somehow find 14.6 seconds was a big ask and was only likely to happen if something untoward would happen to the rally leaders, Clark and Gilbey. Sadly, for Wilson and Nelson, any chances, no matter how small they may have been, were firmly thrown out the window, and they failed to make it through that final stage of the event. Leaving Clark & Gilbey free to romp home for the win and maximum Welsh Championship points.

PHOTO: DAN O’BRIEN & ROB FAGG – BY ROB SAYER | PATRICK NAYLOR & TOM BISHOP – BY JAMIE MOONE

Dan O’Brien & Rob Fagg would inherit the second step on the Welsh podium, bringing their Ford Fiesta Rally2 home some 40 seconds behind winners Clark & Gilbey and Patrick Naylor & Tom Bishop would round out the Welsh podium. Ben & Steven Smith would take the Welsh two-wheel drive & Welsh Challenge honours in their Porsche 911 RS. Dylan Fowler-Bishop in the Nissan Micra would scoop the Welsh Junior Award.

PHOTO: BEN & STEVEN SMITH – BY ANDREW SCOTT

FINAL RESULTS (COMBINED)

VIDEO

NEXT TIME

The BRC switches to tarmac spec for Round 2, moving to the Scottish borders for the Jim Clark Rally at the end of May (22nd). The BHRC will also make the switch to Asphalt in May and head to the infamous Isle of Man for the Manx Rally (8/9 May). The Welsh rally remains in Mid-Wales for Round 3 but will have a short break in proceedings before moving slightly north to Bala for the Plains Rally in June (13th).

CLOSING SHOT BY JAMIE MOONE