After two highly successful seasons, Race & Rally are proud to unveil an exciting new-look Stellantis Rally Cup for 2026, offering a refreshed and more accessible format that continues to offer one of the most lucrative and career-defining prizes in Irish and UK rallying.
Open to crews in Michelin-shod Peugeot 208 Rally4, Opel Corsa Rally4 or Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally4 examples, the Cup will undergo significant changes in 2026 whilst continuing to provide aspiring drivers with a clear and competitive pathway towards international success.
With a total prize fund of more than €95,000, the Stellantis Rally Cup will now split into two standalone championships, one in Ireland and one in the UK, creating two opportunities to secure a sensational end-of-season prize.
The Stellantis Rally Cup Ireland will focus on a cost-effective, all-asphalt calendar comprising six events and seven scoring opportunities, delivering competitive rallying without the expense of overseas travel.
The season kicks off with the Birr Stages in March and culminates in October’s Donegal Harvest Rally. The Carlow Stages, Stonethrowers Rally, Galway Summer Rally and the Wexford Rally double-header will form the season’s calendar.
Designed to provide maximum value while retaining a high level of competition, the Irish Cup offers a streamlined yet challenging environment for Stellantis Rally4 competitors.
The Stellantis Rally Trophy UK will align with the British Rally Championship – BRC4 category calendar, delivering a mix of high-profile asphalt and gravel rounds across the country, including the UK round of the FIA European Rally Championship.
The season commences in April with the Severn Valley Stages, followed by the Jim Clark Rally, Carlisle Stages, Grampian Forest Rally, a double header at Rali Ceredigion, and concludes with the Cambrian Rally.
This format ensures UK-based competitors compete on some of the country’s most demanding and prestigious stages, offering invaluable experience at national and international level.
In a major change for 2026, the winner of each of the UK and Ireland series will receive a funded drive in the final round of the Hungarian Rally Championship, the Zemplén Rally, competing in a Stellantis Motorsport Rally4 car run by factory-supported team TRT.
The prize package includes a pre-event test, entry fees, fuel, Michelin Tyres and full event support.
In addition, each champion will secure an exclusive post-event test in the all-new Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2, offering a major step towards Rally2 machinery and international progression.
Alongside the headline prize, over €40,000 in parts vouchers will be distributed across both championships during the season, bringing the total prize fund to over €95,000.
The Cup has already demonstrated its effectiveness as a development platform. First champion Ioan Lloyd went on to finish second in the Junior FIA European Rally Championship, while 2025 champion Kyle McBride prepares to embark on his international campaign in the months ahead.
Support from Michelin continues into 2026, ensuring competitors benefit from top-level tyre performance and technical backing.
Raymond Moore, Stellantis Rally Cup Registrar, is enthusiastic about the new direction:
“We are delighted to launch the 2026 Stellantis Rally Cup offering in both the UK and Ireland this season, giving our progressive young drivers the opportunity to compete for one of the best prizes in rallying at the moment.”
“After the success of Ioan Lloyd in the Junior FIA ERC and with Kyle McBride’s upcoming season, we have worked hard over the winter to develop a format that is more inclusive and, importantly, more cost-effective.”
“We knew we could not continue with just a few cars, so splitting the Cup into two championships gives Stellantis drivers on both sides of the Irish Sea a real opportunity to chase this excellent prize drive and the Lancia Rally2 test.”
“The aim remains the same to create a genuine pathway for ambitious young drivers.”
Further information, regulations and registration details for both the Stellantis Rally Cup Ireland and Stellantis Rally Challenge UK will be published shortly on the series website.
Backed by Race & Rally the series enjoys support from Michelin Motorsport. For more information on the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup IRE & UK visit: https://stellantismotorsportcup.com/
