Rali Ceredigion Delivers World-Class Action

A spectacular weekend of international rallying in West Wales brought the 2026 JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion to a close.

Kris Meeke and Noel O’Sullivan took victory as Teemu Suninen and Antti Haapala secured the FIA European Rally Championship title.

Five-time World Rally Championship event winner Kris Meeke took victory with Noel O’Sullivan co-driving.

The three-day event brought a record 149-car field from 18 nations to Ceredigion, combining the FIA European Rally Championship, Motorsport UK British Rally Championship and FIA European Historic Rally Championship with the National Rally across 16 demanding special stages.

Five-time World Rally Championship event winner Meeke produced a commanding performance to take his first FIA European Rally Championship victory as an ERC-registered driver and his first rally win in the UK since 2007.

Meeke produced a commanding performance for his first rally win in the UK since 2007

Meeke and O’Sullivan finished 38.6 seconds ahead of Suninen and Haapala, with Mikołaj Marczyk and Szymon Gospodarczyk completing the international podium. Second place was enough for Suninen to seal the 2026 FIA European Rally Championship title after a season-long campaign.

There was plenty of success closer to home too. The event hosted two rounds of the British Rally Championship, with Max McRae and Cameron Fair winning round four and Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss taking victory in round five.

The FIA European Historic Rally Championship produced a close battle of its own. Maciej Lubiak and Grzegorz Dachowski eventually took victory in their Porsche 911, 5.2 seconds ahead of Dyfrig James and Trystan Evans, with Andy Davies and Owain Davies completing the podium.

The National Rally was won by Rhys Wyn Davies and Gerwyn James in their Welsh-built Darrian GTR+, ahead of Dylan Davies and Mark Glennerster, with Ian Bainbridge and Ross Whittock third.

Rali Ceredigion European Historic Rally Championship winners Maciej Lubiak and Grzegorz Dachowski.

Alongside the sporting action, Rali Ceredigion continued the environmental programme which has developed alongside the event since Carbon Positive Motorsport first began working with the rally in 2022.

The approach combines practical measures to reduce emissions with action to mitigate part of the event’s unavoidable carbon footprint.

For 2026, Rali Ceredigion is mitigating 100 tCO2e through independently verified Carbon Reduction Units. Through Carbon Positive Motorsport, the rally is also supporting a further 100 tCO2e of future carbon capture through the Abergavenny Sequoia Project in Wales.

The project, managed by The Great Reserve, is creating a climate-safe haven for Giant Sequoias, which are endangered in their native habitat, while establishing new native woodland and supporting biodiversity. Rali Ceredigion’s support has contributed towards the planting of around 1,500 Giant Sequoias and 6,000 native broadleaf trees.

The National Rally was won by Rhys Wyn Davies and Gerwyn James in their Welsh-built Darrian GTR+

Reducing emissions remains an important part of the programme. Ten electrified Vauxhall Astra and Grandland models were supplied for use by the rally’s organising and safety teams during the 2026 event, helping to reduce emissions associated with travel between headquarters, service areas, stages and other key locations compared with conventional combustion-engined vehicles.

Steve Smith, Director of Carbon Positive Motorsport, said, “Rali Ceredigion continues to show that environmental responsibility can sit alongside a major international motorsport event without taking anything away from the sporting spectacle.

“This was a fantastic rally, with an incredible international entry, a hugely popular winner in Kris Meeke and the European Championship being decided on the stages in Ceredigion.

“At the same time, the organising team continue to look at where emissions can be reduced and to take responsibility for part of the carbon footprint which can't be avoided. That combination of reduction and credible mitigation is exactly the approach we want to encourage.

“We are very proud to have worked with Rali Ceredigion for five years and to see that commitment continue as the rally grows on the international stage.”

Rali Ceredigion was the first motorsport event in the UK to achieve FIA Environmental Accreditation and its 2026 edition once again demonstrated how an ambitious environmental programme can develop alongside a major international sporting event.

Carbon Positive Motorsport continues to work with events, competitors, teams and organisations across motorsport to measure, reduce and mitigate their carbon impact.