Prescott - Saturday 1st November 

Unique Cotswold rally event celebrates Colin McRae's 1995 world championship

Since first opened by the Bugatti Owners Club in 1938, Prescott Hill, overlooking the idyllic Vale of Evesham, has become one of the UK's premier speed hill climb venues. Its sinuous 1128-yard ribbon of tarmac has witnessed many titanic battles between the elite band of the specialist sports' premier drivers, striving to win the British Hillclimb Championship but on 1st November it hosted the fifth edition of Rallye Prescott, when rally cars dominate the entry list.

This year event theme marked the 30th anniversary of the first British duo to win the coveted World Rally Championship when Coilin McRae and Derek Ringer scooped the 1995 crown following a tough season of domination, drama and controversy in their iconic Subaru 555 Impreza, run by archetype British team, Prodrive. On Saturday Colin's 5-time British champion father Jimmy and daughter Holly drove the Impreza up the hill as a fitting tribute to much missed WRC champion Colin McRae.

Normally, Prescott's season is over by November, but this unique event invigorated a truly eclectic entry of rally cars to line up under Prescott's famous 'Start' banner to challenge the hill with three runs in daylight, followed by three runs in darkness, most cars suitably equipped with an impressive array of the latest LED lights to pick out the demanding track.

A full spectrum of cars representing rallying through the eras, spanned the Austin Healey 3000 of the 1950s to the latest Skoda R5 and Peugeot 208 with the Metro 6R4 of the mid 1980s Group B epoch somewhere in the middle! Another feature was Slowly Sideways UK, a group of rally enthusiasts addicted to old rally cars who providedemonstration runs at events such as Goodwood and Rallye Prescott. 

Other olde rally warhorses included the REPSOL Ford Escort Cosworth used on the East African Safari rally and charismatic BASTOS liveried Cosworth. Spectators voted for their 'paddock favorites' with the raucous red and white Healey 3000 from BMC's legendary Abingdon competitions workshop and Peter Baker's whispering 1955 Daimler Conquest Century - the performance version - popular choices!

With 'fastest time of day' bragging rights at stake, six-time British hill climb champion Scott Moran battled his own record of 43.17 set in 2024 aboard the family Skoda R5, double driven with his father Roger. But treacherous track conditions and mechanical maladies with the Skoda ensured Scott's best run was 49.19, set in Steve Moore's Mitsubishi EVO 6, which took the FTD award. Mark Gamble's Peugeot 208 R5 was second on 50.87 and third, Steve Moore in the shared Mitsubishi EVO 6, with 51.03. 

Under cover of darkness, spectators were treated to the sight of rally cars flashing through the trees, lights ablaze, perhaps a precursor of the Roger Albert Clark Rally later this month. For sure Rallye Prescott has carved itself a popular end of season niche on the calendar as well as providing an innovative end the hill climb season! For those who couldn't attend, the event was professionally livestreamed on YouTube. Next year's Rallye Prescott takes place Saturday 7th November 2026 and huge thanks to the efficient Prescott marshals, who worked tirelessly, and indarkness, to ensure that the event ran smoothly and safely. 

Ken Davies ©

Images Ken Davies