IT’S a rally that Osian Pryce has won twice and scored maximum Probite British Rally Championship points on three times, so it’s no surprise that he’ll start this weekend’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion (30 August – 1 September) as one of the favourites – as the event also plays host to a round of the FIA European Rally Championship.

The 2022 British rally champion is the most successful driver in the history of Rali Ceredigion. He won the inaugural Aberystwyth-based event, which was Wales’ first closed public road stage rally, in 2019 (driving a Hyundai i20 R5). He then won the BRC section and finished second overall in 2022 (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) and won the event outright for a second time in 2023 in a Polo to become TER - Tour European champion.

This time Osian will drive a Ford Fiesta Rally2, prepared by Dom Buckley RSC. It’s a car that the 31-year old Machynlleth-born driver has very little experience of on asphalt, but he and co-driver Rhodri Evans are certainly up for the challenge.

As the event is a double header, with full BRC points awarded after Legs 1 and 2, there will be no margin for error on this year’s Rali Ceredigion – especially as Osian has already dropped two scores from the mandatory five scores from seven rounds end-of-season tally. 

In addition to his regular and much appreciated partners, Osian is thrilled to announce Virtus Fleet as a sponsor for Rali Ceredigion. Virtus Fleet has been providing fleet management and safety solutions for 20 years with powerful, intuitive fleet tracking software packed with benefits such as reducing fuel costs, improving operational efficiency and enabling organisations to remain compliant.

The car’s design will also be new, thanks to talented 12-year old Rhys Mleczek from Ysgol Penweddig in Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth who won the Rali Engage Rally Car Livery Competition.

Osian's car in the livery designed 12-year-old Ysgol Penweddig pupil Rhys Mleczek who won the Rali Engage Rally Car Livery Competition
Osian's car in the livery designed 12-year-old Ysgol Penweddig pupil Rhys Mleczek who won the Rali Engage Rally Car Livery Competition (Supplied)

“Whilst Rali Ceredigion is a rally I’d love to win for a third time and show my true pace against the leading ERC drivers, we’ll be going there focused on scoring as many British Rally Championship points as possible,” says Osian.

“We’ve already dropped two scores and the event is a double header with full BRC points awarded on Saturday and Sunday, so there is no margin for error. 

“I was in a battle for victory on Rali Ceredigion in 2022 and the best thing I did was let Hayden Paddon go and concentrate on BRC points, because finishing runner-up on the event and taking home maximum BRC points helped me become British rally champion that year. We’ll just have to see how the first loop of stages on Saturday goes and take it from there. 

“That said, the pace at the front is going to be ferocious and whoever scores the most BRC points will have a very good chance of winning the event overall.

Osian's Ford Fiesta Rally2, prepared by Dom Buckley RSC
Osian's Ford Fiesta Rally2, prepared by Dom Buckley RSC (Supplied)

“I’m certainly looking forward to driving the Fiesta Rally2 on asphalt, which is something I haven’t done much of at all. The event looks fantastic with some very tricky and technical sections, and with so much of the route new or run in a different configuration, it’s a level playing field.”

This year’s Rali Ceredigion route is 90% new, with stages in Carmarthenshire and Powys as well as the host county. The three day, 14 stage, 113.7 stage mile event starts on Friday 30 August with two early evening runs over the 0.83 mile Aberystwyth town stage. Leg 1 continues the next day (Saturday 31 August) with 77.25 stage miles featuring two runs over the Brechfa, Llyn Brianne (at 16.5 miles, the longest stage of the rally) and Nany y Moch stages, before ending with another two runs over the Aberystwyth town stage. Leg 2 is on Sunday 1 September, with two runs over the Bethania and Hafod stages (equalling 34.81 miles) before the finish on Aberystwyth Promenade.

Competitors from 14 different countries will take part.

Osian is supported by The Leading Edge, Michelin, Demon Tweeks, Bell Racing helmets, OMP race suits, Hills Ford, DL Jones Pontrobert Ltd (coach and taxi hire), MotoFit (performance training), Redkite Glass, Cwmni Diogel (Security and Event Management), Speedy Sofas, Gorsaf Betrol Tymawr/Rheidol, and his own family-run specialist building firm G+M Pryce – plus new partners Virtus Fleet, Dyfi Kitchens, Daltec Virtus Fleet, SMART Bodyshop Solutions, Glampo Ger y Gors Glamping, LAS Recyling and 3A’s Leisure.