After a successful debut season, Race & Rally are delighted to announce the continuation of the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup IRE & UK, a manufacturer-supported series designed to offer top-drawer competition and a career pathway for aspiring drivers in Ireland and the UK.
Revealing its provisional calendar [subject to Motorsport Ireland ratification] recently, the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup will see crews in Peugeot 208 Rally4 or Opel Corsa Rally4 examples battle it out for €75,000 and a supported drive in the 2025 FIA European Rally Championship.
In a change to 2024, the all-new Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally4, also from the Stellantis stable will be eligible for the championship. Also new for next season, will be the option for the champion to select support for the FIA Junior ERC or ERC4 category in 2026, opening the prize to all ages and offering all-comers one of the biggest prizes in domestic rallying.
Once again, the Cup will follow the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and Probite British Rally Championship, tackling four rounds of each series on gravel and asphalt surfaces. The calendar has been constructed to offer the most challenging events on both sides of the Irish Sea, ensuring the greatest competition for all contenders.
Open to all ages, the Cup will offer €5,500 of prize money in each round, with €3,000 going to the highest-placed competitor in every event. Second place receives €1,500 and the final podium position €1000.
Support for the season continues from Michelin Motorsport, distributors Protyre Motorsport Ireland and LP Tent France.
The winner will receive registration to the 2026 FIA Junior or ERC4 European Rally Championship, entry fees to five rounds of the events on the Junior ERC calendar and 12 tyres per round contested in the series, worth almost €40,000.
Contenders must use Michelin Motorsport tyres throughout the season, technical and parts support will be available at every round of the series, provided by Peugeot Sport, Opel Motorsport and Stellantis Motorsport distributors Race & Rally.
The Cup will kick off in Ireland, with the highly anticipated West Cork Rally in March, before heading onto the gravel for the Severn Valley Stages in April. Killarney Rally of the Lakes marks back-to-back asphalt events, with the Donegal International Rally following in June. The Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally takes crews into Scotland in August, before the Cup joins the European Rally Championship and British Rally Championship crews at Rali Ceredigion in September.
Cork 20 marks the final asphalt round before the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally brings the curtain down on the season in October as crews face the famous Wales Rally GB stages to potentially decide the title. Seven rounds from eight will count towards the final score.
Raymond Moore, Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup IRE & UK Registrar, is delighted to finally confirm the continuation of the series.
“I’m very excited to be able to continue the series for another season, after we witnessed a fascinating battle for the FIA European Rally Championship support in 2024” he says.
“It’s great to see champion Ioan Lloyd taking up his opportunity for 2025, and we are sure that the grounding and experience he built up in the Stellantis Motorsport Cup IRE & UK this year will be of great help when he heads for the Junior ERC. It will be a proud moment to see him kick off his ERC campaign.
“Once again it’s taken a lot of hard work to make this happen, but thanks to the support of Race & Rally, Stellantis Motorsport, Michelin Motorsport, Protyre Motorsport Ireland and we have been able to continue the series.”
“The events selected worked very well in 2024, so we have elected to continue to offer both them and us some stability. The only real change we have made is to open the overall prize up to competitors of all ages, meaning a 2026 ERC package is available to everyone, either in Junior ERC or ERC4 which we hope will encourage additional crews to the series.
“Of course, we welcome anyone interested in taking part and we can always assist in locating Peugeot 208, Corsa or Ypsilon Rally4’s for the series.”
Regulations and Cup Registration will be available in the coming weeks.
