NEWCASTLE Emlyn’s James Williams and Dai Roberts will be looking to right the wrongs of a torrid Jim Clark Rally, which saw them leave the road after fighting for the podium places, when the British Rally Championship heads to Belgium.

Williams missed out on a podium placing in the round 1 Malcolm Wilson Rally when he finished a solid fourth.

After two pulsating rounds of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship, the series heads into Europe for the Ardeca Ypres Rally (22-24 June) for the first time since 2019.

Piloting a Ford Fiesta Rally2, Williams’ last performance here saw him beat the locals in their backyard when in two-wheel-drive machinery and could well throw some surprises this time around.

The Belgian event is one of the most popular rallies in the world and the legendary closed-road asphalt lanes in the Flanders region offer up some of the most challenging and unforgiving stages seen in the BRC roster.

The world-class event has attracted a star-studded entry list with over 25 top-flight Rally2 contenders set to embark on the three-day showdown.

The historic Grote Markt in the heart of Ypres town centre hosts the rally with its now famous atmospheric service park a prominent feature of the event.

After the qualifying stage on Thursday evening determines the road order, contenders will be flagged away on Friday afternoon under the gaze of the impressive Cloth Hall in the eye of the town, with two action-packed days and over 137 miles of competitive action ahead, in both daylight and under the cover of darkness.

Iconic stages such as Westouter, Hollebeke and Kemmelberg lie in wait, as 18 special tests bring British Rally Championship protagonists head-to-head with some of the best drivers in the business.

Heading the over 100-strong field is reigning Belgian champion and former Citroën factory driver, Stéphane Lefebvre and co-driver Loris Pascaud who made a last-minute decision to sign up to the British Rally Championship for the event.

The French pairing will also give the Michelin-shod Citroën C3 Rally2 its debut in the series and Lefebvre knows exactly how to handle the Ypres roads, winning the WRC2 category on the event in 2022 when it was a World Rally Championship qualifying round.

However, he will have a very on-form fellow countryman to deal with in the shape of Adrian Fourmaux who has two BRC wins from two starts to his name already this season.

The Pirelli-supported Ford Fiesta Rally2 ace lives just a stone’s throw from the stages and he and co-driver Alexandre Coria are set to lock horns with their compatriot for the prestigious Ypres victory.

With four-time BRC champion Keith Cronin electing to skip the event, Fourmaux could well extend his championship lead further still.