Ingram beats Creighton to win British Rally Championship

Chris Ingram has become the first driver to win both the British and European Rally Championship titles after triumphing at the Cambrian Rally.

After winning the European title in 2019, the 30-year-old has now added the British Championship to his collection after defeating nearest rival William Creighton in Wales.

In what was effectively a winner-takes-all shootout between Ingram and Creighton, it was the English driver who held a slender margin of five seconds after four stages.

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Creighton stayed in touch but Ingram pulled clear over the final two stages to take top honours in both the rally and championship.

Ingram, who is targeting a return to the World Rally Championship, said lifting the British title was a "relief" after an "amazing season".

"Will has pushed so hard today and we have had to give it everything we had," the Manchester-born driver told the BRC.

"It's not been an easy season, but that really adds to the story for us. It's been amazing competition."

Oisin Pryce, who was an outside contender for the title, was third while Keith Cronin, who also had a slim shot at the championship, retired with a mechanical issue early in the rally.

"I tried," said Creighton, who was competing in his first full season in Rally2 machinery after winning the Junior WRC title in 2023.

"It's been a difficult year, stepping up into the Rally2 car has been amazing and to compete at the top of the British Rally Championship, we are very lucky."