Reis English Rally Championship heads for Battle in the Borders

After an enforced break due to ongoing issues in the Welsh forests, the Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship roars back into action on 10 May at the Border Counties Rally – and with it, the fight for the 2025 title truly begins.

With a strong 90-car entry – up 30% from 2024 – the Scottish Borders will host a key early turning point in this year’s championship. The opening round at the Malcolm Wilson Rally saw multiple drivers take maximum scores in their respective classes, leaving the championship table tightly packed and wide open heading into Round 2.

Among the joint leaders are Matthew Hirst (Fabia Rally2), Dylan Fowler-Bishop (Micra), David Henderson (Escort MkII), and Russ Thompson (Lancer EVO9). Each has a target on their back as they prepare to defend their early advantage.

But the pressure is far from one-sided. Lurking just two points behind are a quartet of highly capable challengers, including reigning 2024 Champion Elliot Payne in his Fiesta Rally2. Payne’s title defence is already gathering momentum, and another strong result in Jedburgh could quickly shift the balance.

With the championship still in its infancy, the Border Counties Rally offers the perfect platform to separate the front-runners from the rest. A second maximum score here could prove pivotal – but with such fierce competition across the classes, consistency may become just as crucial as outright pace.

One thing’s for certain: as the English Rally Championship returns to the stages, the battle for supremacy is only just getting started.