Who better to predict the potential big movers and shakers in the 2025 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship than the man with the Special Stage TV live streaming mic – roving reporter, rally nut, petrol head and all ‘round good guy, Paul Woodford?
As the BTRDA sealed-surface series springs into spectacular action this Sunday (23 February) on the East Riding Stages, here Paul casts an eagle eye over the contenders – and leaves us in little doubt that we’re in for a cracking championship!
The stars are shining brightly ahead of the 2025 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, and I couldn’t be more excited to be back to tell the story of the season.
I’m very particular when it comes to the ingredients which I think go into making a classic season of rallying and if you ask me, 2025 has all of them; returning champions, new challengers, incredible roads and plenty of variety on the entry list to keep all our inner rally nerds content.
All great sporting stories need a benchmark, or two. In fact, we have five in the shape of former champions all returning to do battle!
One of those is our reigning champion, Callum Black who secured his second crown despite a turbulent and uncharacteristically dramatic start to his 2024 campaign. Alongside him, Jack Morton is on three titles, making this one of the most proven partnerships in British rallying.
Few sports allow us to pitch the best-of-the-best from different eras against each other in quite the way rallying does. Steve Wood, Jason Pritchard, Steve Simpson and Damian Cole are back, and bring with them this thrilling prospect.
Mark Kelly could very easily throw himself into the championship mix if he repeats his East Riding Stages victory next weekend, but he and Will Atkins know it isn’t that simple. This year sees the highest quality entry the event has ever attracted, so Kelly will need to bring his ‘A game’, and hope that he can avoid the costly mistakes and bad luck that have often combined to deprive him of a title charge.
Some crews bring more than just a competitive element to proceedings. John Stone and Laura Marshall clearly understand that they’re here to entertain as much as drive the car, but their competitors would be well-advised not to let the colourful Legend Fires team lure them into a false sense of security. I have a feeling we’ll see John back to his best – just a hunch.
Neil Roskell has proven he has what it takes to challenge for the title, taking the runner-up spot three seasons on the trot. Although not (yet?) committed to a full championship campaign, Roskell is visibly fed up of being the ‘nearly man’, and is determined to crack that nut.
I love that determination Roskell brings, along with his raw emotion. Whether or not he’ll play a part in the full story, I have a spoiler for you; he’ll have his elbows out for chapter one!
In this sport, what happens on the other side of the car is just as important as who’s steering of course, and with an all-star cast of co-drivers to contend with, Neil is aiming high. He swaps one highly respected codriver for another of similar acclaim; Rob Fagg taking the place of Dai Roberts for the opening round next weekend.
With all of that said, I’m equally curious to see where our heady crop of up-and-coming drivers, all keen to prove they have what it takes to fight for the UK’s top asphalt rally crown, set their sights.
I can’t wait to see how young guns, Brad Cole and Sam Touzel approach their season – they really need to be on the attack from the very first stage in East Yorkshire this weekend to earn their place in the fight. From talking to them, I expect very different approaches.
When I first put that microphone through the window in Beverley next Sunday, Brad will tell me he’s taking his time to get used to the car without rushing the learning process, meanwhile I expect fighting talk from Touzel who has tasted overall rally victory on his home lanes and will be on a mission.
Then there’s last year’s Manx Rally winner, James Williams who will be hoping to turn the results screens as orange as the spectator areas. The question of a title-winning performance by the man from Teifi Valley is second only to the big question on everyone’s lips – how do we get our hands on a pair of those James Williams Rallying sunglasses?!
The battle for two-wheel drive honours in 2025 already looks equally interesting. If the prospect of a Renault Clio 197 and Citroen C2 R2 going up against an AE86 Toyota Corolla, with a host of ballistic Mk2 Escorts in the mix doesn’t get you going, you and I are not on the same page.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Luke Constantine fairs in his Opel Adam R2, and I’m just hoping his confidence isn’t as dented as his roof after a rather unfortunate skirmish on the Riponian.
Stepping up from his trusty MG3, and a vocal advocate for affordable one-make rallying, Luke is climbing a rung on the rally ladder into R2 machinery. He will have plenty of competition as well, including Protyre BTRDA gravel regular Colin Minton, who is swapping his Fiesta R5 for an R2T at the opening round.
Another important ingredient for this year’s championship is the calendar of events. The Manx and Jim Clark always bring fever, but after my first visit to Argyll last season I genuinely can’t wait for my return to the Scottish Peninsula.
Equally, I loved my first experience of the Northern Irish lanes in 2023, and for me the Down Rally was particularly notable by its absence last season – I can’t wait to be back!
The Hills Ford Stages has cemented its place on the UK rally calendar, the sheer passion and creativity of the organisers translating into a suitably exciting challenge on the stages.
Epynt was often the scene of a title showdown when I first presented coverage of this series 15 years ago. With some specialists on the books for 2025, if the title goes down to the wire as it has in previous seasons, we could well see a late upset.
And, need I say anything more about the championship kicking off on my home roads in East Yorkshire?
I can’t wait – see you at the first round!
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