Osian Pryce is the 2026 British Rally Champion after winning the Cambrian Rally last Saturday in his Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
It marks the third consecutive British Rally Championship drivers’ title for the Castrol MEM Rally Team.
Strong winds, torrential rain and deep standing water courtesy of Storm Boelo made conditions in the North Wales forests even more challenging. Yet Osian held his nerve to secure his second BRC title, having previously been champion in 2022, while co-driver James Morgan wins the BRC for the first time.
Knowing that only victory would guarantee him the title, Osian took the lead after setting the fastest time on SS4 (Clocaenog). Another fastest time on SS5 (Hiraethog) saw him arrive at the midday service halt with a 14.9-second advantage.
Conditions worsened over the final four stages, but the 33-year old Machynlleth-born driver used all his experience to set the second-fastest time on each in his Michelin-shod Toyota. He went on to secure victory over Max McRae by 1.2 seconds and, with it, the British Rally Championship title.
Having finished on the podium on every previous round of the 2026 BRC, Meirion Evans arrived at the Cambrian Rally with a genuine chance of lifting the title.
He clipped a rock on the opening stage (Crafnant), which upset his rhythm and cost him time. He and co-driver Dale Furniss fought back, setting the fastest time on SS3 (Brenig) to move up to second and start SS5 just 5.4 seconds behind Osian.
Unfortunately, the 31-year old Lampeter driver’s title challenge came to an end on the stage before midday service, when his Pirelli-shod Toyota slid backwards off the road on a particularly wet and muddy section. Despite the disappointment, Meirion ended the season having finished on the podium on every previous round and having mounted a serious challenge for his first BRC title.
Osian Pryce said, “I’m over the moon to win the British Rally Championship title for a second time, especially in such seriously challenging conditions as we had on the Cambrian Rally.
“We didn’t have the best of starts, with what we think was a wiring issue with the car before the first stage. That meant we couldn’t see what gear we were in, and we couldn’t engage neutral or, more importantly, reverse. If we’d spun or had an overshoot, we’d have been in big trouble!
“We therefore had to be very careful through the morning’s loop of stages and I was very surprised to be leading at midday service. I know Max [McRae] made a few mistakes in the morning, but all in all it wasn’t the best of starts for us either.
“We went into the afternoon with a fifteen-second lead, which we tried to manage. It was a little closer than I’d have liked, especially as the weather was deteriorating and visibility on the final stage was particularly compromised, but it all came good in the end. It’s been a fantastic year-long battle with Meirion and Max and it’s been a tough title to win – as the British Rally Championship should be.
“A huge ‘thank you’ to the Castrol MEM Rally Team. It’s been a big effort, especially in a short, sharp season spread over seven months, and I cannot thank everyone in the team enough. James has also been a tremendous help – not just with his co-driving skills, but also with his knowledge of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, which has helped me enormously.”
Meirion Evans said: “I felt that we finally had the speed on gravel to go and do the job, and both the rally win, and the British title, really felt within reach, which is the most disappointing thing about what happened.
“All three of the title contenders were pushing hard as expected and the gap behind us was big. It was nice to be in the mix from the start of the rally and set a fastest time on stage three. It was a frustrating end to our event, however. We ran a bit wide on the corner before and when I braked the car locked up and we couldn’t scrub off enough speed for the next tight and slippery left-hander. We slid backwards into a ditch and couldn’t get out. It was just one of those places where there wasn’t any grip.
“The speed was there on the Cambrian. We were fighting Osian and Max [McRae] and we were up to second, just five seconds behind – and the way the weather was, five seconds was next to nothing. It’s a shame what happened. I’m obviously disappointed. Not just for myself, but for the team and all the work they’ve put in.
“Overall, it’s been a very positive year. Personally, I’ve made some good steps forward with myself and the car and I feel that I’m just as competitive now on gravel as I am on asphalt.
“Many congratulations to Osian and James on winning the title. Up until halfway through the final round, both Castrol MEM Rally Team crews had a chance of lifting the title, so huge credit to everyone who has been involved.”
