Irish dominate winning two big British Rally Championships
Irishman William Creighton and Liam Regan secured the 2025 Probite British Rally Championship title at the Cambrian Rally. Creighton and Regan have now added the BRC crown to their Junior BRC and FIA Junior WRC titles.
Another great Irish success was crowned in the Junior British Rally Championship reached an equally dramatic conclusion, with Donegal’s Kyle McBride and co-driver Darragh Mullen taking the title after a season-long battle with fellow Irishmen Joseph Kelly/ Killian McArdle.
Creighton and Regan have now added the Probite British Rally Championship to their impressive list of titles, claiming the coveted crown at the Lewis and Hunter Cambrian Rally [25 October] after a tense final-round battle on the world-famous gravel stages of North Wales.
It was Max McRae and co-driver Cammy Fair, that claimed the rally win in spectacular fashion, adding the family name to the top step of a British Rally Championship event for the first time in 27 years, making it three generations of the family to claim the BRC spoils after grandfather Jimmy and dad Alister.
After a closely fought season, the fight for British rallying’s top honour went right down to the wire, and it was Creighton, in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, who emerged victorious after a composed, calculated drive through unrelenting stages in the Brenig, Clocaenog and Alwen complexes.
Creighton, who narrowly missed out on the title last year, went into the finale with a slender championship lead and knew that a solid result would be enough. But on the notoriously tricky Cambrian stages, nothing could be taken for granted.
He would need to put his experience to full use, drawing on all his knowledge from his Junior BRC and FIA Junior WRC campaigns, both of which netted respective championship crowns.
The Irishman managed the pressure superbly. After settling into second place over the opening loop of stages, he would simply need to stay clear of trouble over the final three tests whilst keeping his rivals in check.
Battling with both championship rivals Romet Jürgenson and Castrol MEM teammate Meirion Evans, Creighton managed the afternoon impeccably with a measured drive, to finish fourth; enough to seal the title and etch his and Regan’s name alongside legends such as Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Ari Vatanen on the BRC trophy.
“What an amazing year”, said an emotional Creighton at the finish.
“This season has been the first with the Yaris, first time with Melvyn Evans Motorsport, in this iconic Castrol livery, it’s been fantastic. It’s taken a lot of work to get here, and I have to say a huge thanks to everyone who helps us, especially Liam, who’s done a great job all year”.
“You know, the journey we’ve been on, Junior BRC, Junior WRC and now this, it’s very special. I’m just so happy, even with missing a round, we’ve been able to win the championship. Yeah, it feels good”.
Local hero Meirion Evans, co-driven by Dale Furniss, gave it everything on home soil in his Yaris, once again standing on the BRC podium but falling just short in the championship race. Evans needed a non-finish from Creighton to keep his title hopes alive, but could take pride in signing off the year with an impressive performance in front of his home fans.
Donegal-men take the Junior British Rally Championship
Another great Irish success was crowned in the Junior British Rally Championship reached an equally dramatic conclusion, with Donegal’s Kyle McBride and co-driver Darragh Mullen taking the title after a season-long battle with fellow Irishmen Joseph Kelly/ Killian McArdle.
Driving their Peugeot 208 Rally4, McBride and Mullen had played second fiddle to Kelly for much of the day, but when Kelly was held up in the Clocaenog test by a slower car, McBride moved ahead to secure the championship crown and the 2026 BRC free-entry prize package, worth over £6,000.
“Yeah, it’s good to get it, it’s not been an easy year”, remarked McBride.
“Winning the Junior BRC has been the main priority this year, and we’ve done it. Huge thanks go to Darragh on the notes; he’s done an amazing job all year. This really hasn’t sunk in yet. Fair play to Joe, too. It’s been a great battle pushing each other again.
A huge thanks to everyone who got me here, my family, my sponsors & the MI Rally Academy; it’s been a huge team effort”.
Their victory also secures them the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup prize drive in the FIA European Rally Championship in 2026.
Championship, attention turns to 2026 with next year’s calendar being released in the coming weeks.