Elfyn Evans believes Rali Ceredigion has the potential to grow into a future World Rally Championship event following its debut on the European Rally Championship last weekend.
The Welsh asphalt event welcomed top-level international rallying back to Great Britain for the first time since the 2019 Wales Rally GB - the last time the World Rally Championship visited the UK.
Factory Toyota WRC driver, Evans, attended last weekend Rali Ceredigion which hosted the penultimate round of the ERC before heading to Greece for this weekend’s Acropolis Rally round of the WRC.
The Welshman has been impressed by the Aberystwyth rally’s rapid rise to ERC status which has been achieved in only its fourth edition thanks to a team led by event director Charlie Jukes, including 1250 volunteers.
Evans has long been pushing for the WRC to return to Britain since it dropped off the schedule in 2020 and believes Rali Ceredigion could expand further to accommodate rallying’s top tier.
When asked if he thought the event was a significant moment for British rallying, he told Autosport: "It gives us hope I think. There is no reason why this event can’t grow to even World Rally Championship status.
"Perhaps accommodation would be the biggest challenge here in Aberystwyth, but definitely the roads and the organisation are capable of it [hosting WRC].
"It is a credit to the organisers that have put in the effort since the launch of this rally back in 2019.
"To achieve this status of event so quickly is not easy and it is credit to them and it is nice to see an event like this in the UK."
There have been efforts to bring the WRC back to the UK since it dropped off the calendar.
A bid fronted by promoter Bobby Willis to bring the WRC to Northern Ireland on asphalt roads has made several attempts to join the calendar - in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 - but has so far been unable to secure the necessary funding, believed to be approximately £3 million.
In the past Rally GB has been synonymous with iconic Welsh forestry roads but Rali Ceredigion’s success has left Evans feeling that an asphalt rally could offer an alternative option for the future of Rally GB.
"I think it [an asphalt Rally GB] would be more than okay and I think it would add something quite unique to the championship," he added.
"But still deep down, I think everybody wants to see the classic Welsh forest back. That would be the ultimate [goal] but I think this would be a viable options for the future."
Last weekend’s Rali Ceredigion was won by former Hyundai WRC driver and reigning European rally champion Hayden Paddon.
