OSIAN Pryce will return to rallying on this weekend’s Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 12 July) – as he starts his preparations for a crack at the Roger Albert Clark Rally at the end of the year, driving a Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2 built and supplied by Wales Motorsport.

This will be the 2022 British rally champion’s first forestry rally since the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally in October last year, although the intervening ninth months have been particularly busy, with Osian establishing The Leading Edge – an in-demand professional rally driver tuition operation.

Not only is the Nicky Grist Stages perfect timing to start to prepare for the 36 stage / 360 stage mile RAC Rally, which begins in Carmarthen on 19 November and ends in Carlisle five days later, but it’s an event that Osian won in 2022, when he celebrated his 100th rally start.

The 32-year old Machynlleth-born driver tested the Wales Motorsport built and supplied car earlier this week and felt immediately at home in it.

And of course the aim is to try to win the RAC Rally.

Osian led the event after the opening day in Wales in 2023 but was forced to retire the car in Scotland.

This time Osian’s returning to the bi-annual event – Britain’s longest and toughest rally – with a new car, a new team and an ambition to join the prestigious list of modern-day RAC Rally winners which include Malcolm Wilson OBE, Gwyndaf Evans, Mark Higgins and Marty McCormack.

“I’m excited to be returning to competition on this weekend’s Nicky Grist Stages, driving a brand-new Wales Motorsport Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2,” said Osian.

“We’ve completed a short shakedown with the car and straight from the first few corners it felt so comfortable and a dream to drive.

“They don’t come much nicer than this. I must give a big thanks to Meirion Evans and the team for supplying me with a fabulous car.

“I can’t wait to get going, as we build up to the much-anticipated RAC Rally at the end of the year.

“I’m looking forward to working with like-minded people as we tackle some smaller events in preparation for the big five-day event in November.

“Co-driving for me on the Nicky Grist Stages will be Phil Pugh, with Dale Furniss back in the hot seat for the other events.

“Thanks to my personal sponsors for sticking with me whilst I took a short sabbatical from competition, and I look forward to welcoming them all back for another season.”

“Both personally and as a company we have been looking forward for quite some time to have the opportunity to work with Osian,” says Meirion Evans, director of Wales Motorsport.

“His vast experience and knowledge will be very valuable moving forward for us a company, so we are extremely excited by what the future holds.”

Osian is supported by The Leading Edge, Demon Tweeks, Hills Ford, Bell, Haddo Energy, Superfast Properties, Red Kite Glass, Diogel Events, Gorsaf Betrol TyMawr, and his own family-run specialist building firm G+M Pryce.