Wrc stars get first taste of rally scotland at grampian forest rally

Now, this is what you call a proper reconnaissance mission. A heavy-hitting crew of championship contenders and factory talents headed up to the 10-stage Grampian Forest Rally across Friday and Saturday, treating the British Rally Championship event as an official FIA candidate rally for Rally Scotland ahead of its anticipated inclusion on the 2027 WRC calendar. That means serious machines hitting these beautiful Scottish gravel roads to gather crucial data on what could feature on next year's route.

ampionship leader Elfyn Evans rolled in behind the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to gather vital data on the gravel roads that could feature on next year’s route. The Welshman did not compete competitively, instead running as the event’s course car. Even so, he was suitably impressed by the roads, noting they will provide a significant challenge when the rally takes up an anticipated autumn slot on the 2027 schedule. “Overall, the stages are nice. They're pretty fast, probably even a bit on the fast side in some stage sections, but fine,” Evans remarked. He added that the character isn't entirely dissimilar to Wales, though noting the surface is a bit different, faster, less flowing, and featuring more camber.

Meanwhile, M-Sport Ford’s Jon Armstrong put on a stunning masterclass, taking an impressive overall victory aboard a Ford Fiesta Rally2. This brilliant drive marked his first-ever gravel rally triumph after beating M-Sport team-mate Romet Jürgenson by 9.3sec. “To come out and win and get my first win on gravel is great. We have always been put in the Tarmac specialist box, so it just goes to show how good the pace in Rally1 in the WRC is that we can take a step back and be right on the pace in a Rally2 car,” said Armstrong.

The factory Lancia squad was also right in the mix, using the outing to further develop its Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2 on gravel while securing strong finishes. Nikolay Gryazin powered his way to a third-place finish, while his team-mate Yohan Rossel rounded out the top five. Gryazin noted that the stages remind him a bit of Wales and Chile, while Rossel admitted the day served as a tough but valuable opportunity to adjust the car and find grip on the blindingly fast roads. With organizers yet to finalize the route for next year, the machine work and learning have only just begun.