Osian Pryce is back in contention for a second title in the British Rally Championship Probite with a remarkable victory at the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages, the second round of the season. Pryce, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally2 with co-driver Rhodri Evans, dominated the rally and secured his co-driver’s first overall victory. He overtook early leader Chris Ingram and finished 20 seconds ahead of William Creighton in another Ford Fiesta Rally2. Ingram completed the podium with his Volkswagen Polo GTi, leaving the championship battle open with two different winners in two rounds.
Ingram and his co-driver Alex Kihurani took the lead early on, but Pryce quickly took control by winning all the remaining morning stages. He entered service with a comfortable lead of almost 12 seconds over Ingram. However, changes to the setup during service caused Ingram’s Polo to fall behind Creighton and Liam Regan in their Pirelli-supported Fiesta Rally2 during the afternoon loop. Despite their efforts, Pryce maintained his lead and secured his first BRC victory since the Rally Yorkshire in 2022.
Pryce expressed his relief and happiness with the victory, acknowledging the challenging conditions and the support of his team. He also praised his co-driver Rhodri for his excellent performance and first victory. Creighton, in his debut on gravel with the Fiesta, was pleased with his second place, while Ingram struggled with the Polo on gravel and in the rainy conditions of the afternoon. However, his third place allowed him to maintain the championship lead and keep hopes of driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in the next round.
Jos Verstappen, father of Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen, made his debut in British rally in a Skoda Fabia R2 Rally2 at the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages. Despite the difficult conditions, Verstappen enjoyed his participation and appreciated the challenge of racing on dirt, which was different from his previous experiences. He and his co-driver Renaud Jamoul had to rely on their notes and adapt to the new course, but they embraced the challenge and had a lot of fun.
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