OSIAN Pryce has secured his second British Rally Championship title after winning the Cambrian Rally in his Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

Pryce delivered when it mattered most, holding his nerve through nine demanding tests to secure the championship in spectacular fashion.

His triumph on Saturday, October 24 came just a week after he secured the 2026 FIA European Historic Rally Category 3 title in a Wales Motorsport-built Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2 on the Sanremo Rally.

Storm Boelo left deep standing water and extremely muddy and slippery sections, making conditions considerably more challenging in the North Wales forests than they had been in Italy.

Osian Pryce and James Morgan’s car kicking up mud on the Cambrian Rally
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. (BRC)

The 2022 British Rally Champion adopted a cautious approach and was surprised to arrive at the midday service halt in the lead.

Meirion Evans clipped a rock on the opening stage (Crafnant), which upset his rhythm and cost him time. Despite fighting back, 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.

Co-driven by James Morgan, Osian set out on the afternoon’s final four stages aiming to manage a 14.9-second lead. With conditions worsening, that was easier said than done. Yet the 33-year old Machynlleth-born driver used all his experience to set the second-fastest time on each stage in his Michelin-shod Toyota. He held off Max McRae to win by just 1.2 seconds and secure his second British Rally Championship title.

“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,” said Osian.

“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.”

Meirion said: “Many congratulations to Osian and James on winning the title.

“The speed was there on the Cambrian. We were fighting Osian and Max and we were up to second, just five seconds behind – and the way the weather was, five seconds was next to nothing.

“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.”