Creighton keeps title fight alive with BRC podium at Rali Ceredigion
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton kept his title ambitions firmly on track last weekend [5–7 September], after a controlled and consistent performance at the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion netted him fourth overall and a third-place podium in the British Rally Championship (BRC) battle.
The Aberystwyth-based event was the biggest of the season, attracting a high-class FIA European Rally Championship entry and offering crews some of the most demanding tarmac stages in Europe. With 1.5x points on offer in the BRC standings, the stakes were higher than ever, but Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan rose to the challenge, keeping their championship lead intact as the fight now heads to the final round in October.
The weekend began on Friday night with the fan-packed Aberystwyth Street Stage, where thousands lined the seafront to witness the cars blast around the short 1.25km super-special. Creighton immediately put down a marker, hurling his Castrol-backed Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to second place in BRC. Though only a curtain-raiser, the stage set the tone for what would be a fierce contest across the Welsh moorlands.
Saturday brought the first full day of competition, and with it, a true test. The 33km Y Diafol stage, regarded as the jewel in the crown of the rally, provided exactly the kind of high-speed, technical challenge Ceredigion is famed for. With heavy cutting across corners and inconsistent grip levels from stage to stage, conditions were unforgiving, particularly for those running further down the order.
Creighton focused on clean, consistent times rather than chasing outright pace against the ERC regulars. By the end of the day, he had climbed into fourth overall and third in the BRC classification, a position he would hold firm until the finish.
Sunday turned into a completely different battle as torrential rain swept across the stages, making an already treacherous event even more unpredictable. Creighton’s maturity once again shone through, carrying his Yaris safely to the finish, a strategy that paid dividends in the championship race.
“It’s been a consistent weekend, and a BRC podium is a good result on a rally like this,” said Creighton.
“I said at the end of the last stage, it’s difficult because we can’t afford not to score British Championship points this weekend. We were trying at times, but it’s clear we have some work to do to match the times of the guys here this weekend".
“The team have done a great job again, both they and the MI Rally Academy have been looking after us. It’s good to get another strong finish now for the championship. We now have time to prepare for the Cambrian and make sure we are as ready as we can be. The aim wasn’t to come here to win the championship, there was a lot required to make that happen, so I’m happy to come away with strong points.”
With the Probite British Rally Championship crown still undecided, attention now turns to the Cambrian Rally where the season will be decided on the fast, flowing gravel roads of North Wales.
