By Paul Evans
Osian Pryce will lead a star-studded field away at the start of this weekend’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion (2-3 September) as the reigning British rally champion contests the event in a Melvyn Evans Motorsport-prepared Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.
Pryce won the event in 2019 (when it ran for the first time as Wales’ first ever closed road stage rally) driving a Hyundai i20 R5 and finished second (to Hayden Paddon/Jared Hudson) last year in a Polo – and starts this year’s event as number one seed.
The 30-year-old Machynlleth born driver returns for a third attempt at the event this weekend, driving the sister car in which he won last year’s British title in – although the event, held on technical and twisty country roads in and around the Cambrian Mountains, will be Pryce’s first rally on asphalt since the 2022 Rali Ceredigion twelve months ago.
To reacquaint himself with the surface and the Polo, the Michelin Talent Factory driver completed a short pre-event test at the Bont Dolebolion Rally Stage. He was accompanied there by co-driver Stéphane Prévot, who had made the journey from his home in Belgium to mid-Wales by train.
Pryce will have plenty of competition on the event, not least from the likes of Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jackson and Kevin Davies/Owain Davies, who also drive Polo GTI R5s from the Melvyn Evans Motorsport stable.
Osian Pryce’s Melvyn Evans Motorsport-prepared Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.
James Williams/Dai Roberts will be looking for nothing less than a win in their Hyundai i20 Rally2 after finishing on the podium last year, while the event is also the final round of the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship, with last year’s champion and local driver Steve Wood contesting the event in his new Citroën C3 Rally2.
Others to look out for include former British rally champion Gwyndaf Evans, Elfyn Evans’ father, in his modified Ford Escort Mk2, multiple Asphalt and British Historic rally champion Jason Pritchard in his historic spec Escort and is former World Rally champion co-driver Phil Mills, who will be co-driven by his son Iwan in a Viking Motorsport-built replica of the Escort Mk1 in which Roger Clark took to victory on the 1974 Welsh Rally.
“I’m looking forward to this weekend’s Rali Ceredigion,” says Pryce.
“The build-up to the rally has been a lot more relaxing than it was last year, when the British Rally Championship title was at stake.
“I’ve won Rali Ceredigion once and finished second last year, so I’m under no pressure and I’m just going to make the most of the opportunity and go out and enjoy it.
“It’s also nice to be back driving the Volkswagen Polo. Our short pre-event test went well – I felt immediately back home and like I’d never been out of the car. The test road was very slippery, but it provided valuable seat time and hopefully there will be a lot more grip come the rally itself.
“We wouldn’t be starting in Aberystwyth this weekend if it wasn’t for the support of local individuals and companies who have stepped in to support us after our social media post the other day, and I was overwhelmed by the response.
“We’ve ended up with a great number of company logos on the car and it’s nice to engage with so many local businesses – many of whom will be out watching this weekend and supporting us from the spectator areas. I’ll certainly be out to put on a good show for them.”
JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion to Offset 100,000 kg CO2e https://t.co/sSXIvN5AnW | @Rali_Ceredigion | @MIAmotorsport | @ourmotorsportuk
— Carbon Positive Motorsport (@CarbonPositive4) August 31, 2023
This year’s two-day 100 stage mile Rali Ceredigion starts on Saturday 2 September with a loop of three stages in the morning, a lunchtime service halt, a repeat of the same three stages in the afternoon, service and two runs through an Aberystwyth street stage in the evening (totalling 55 stage miles).
Day two takes place on Sunday 3 September and contains a loop of three stages in the morning, a lunchtime service halt and a repeat of the three stages in the afternoon (totalling 45 stage miles), before the ceremonial finish on Aberystwyth Promenade.
Pryce is supported by Michelin Motorsport, as a part of the Talent Factory programme, Demon Tweeks, Bell Racing helmets, OMP race suits, Hills Automotive, MotoFit (performance training), Redkite Glass, Cwmni Diogel (Security and Event Management), Griffiths Graphics, Kitchen Door Changer, Kevin Williams Plant Hire, Bysiau Windy Corner Coaches, M Davies Plumbing & Heating, Jenkins Detailing, Speedy Sofas, VWTS Upgrades, Gorsaf Betrol Tymawr/Rheidol, and his own family-run specialist building firm G+M Pryce.