WRC star Armstrong wins a world-class edition of the Grampian Forest Rally

The Voly Grampian Forest Rally [7/8 August] delivered a spectacular showcase for Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire and British rallying, as thousands of fans descended on Banchory and the surrounding forests to witness some of the biggest names in world rallying tackle one of Britain’s finest gravel events.

Organised by Stonehaven & District Motor Club, the 2026 event provided a spectacular demonstration of the quality of the region’s roads and the passion of its rallying community, with FIA World Rally Championship stars joining Britain’s leading domestic competitors for a memorable weekend of action.

From the packed Rally Zone at King George V Park in Banchory to the thousands of spectators lining the forest stages, the event created an atmosphere befitting an international-standard rally and provided a powerful showcase for the region to a global rallying audience.

At the centre of the action was M-Sport World Rally Team driver Jon Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne, who produced a blistering performance to claim victory in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Currently competing at the highest level of the sport in Rally1 machinery, Armstrong was another driver using the Grampian to gain valuable experience ahead of the return of the World Rally Championship to Scotland in 2027.

And the Irishman made the most of the opportunity.

Armstrong was locked in a fascinating battle with Romet Jürgenson from the opening stages. The Estonian took the early advantage by setting the fastest time through Friday night’s opening test, but Armstrong steadily hunted down his rival.

By the end of the opening loop on Saturday morning, the M-Sport driver had taken control of the rally lead.

Jürgenson, running first on the road, faced the unfamiliar challenge of sweeping the loose gravel away for the crews behind him. The Estonian fought hard to stay with Armstrong, but the pace of the M-Sport Fiesta behind was relentless.

Armstrong ultimately claimed seven of the rally’s ten stage wins to secure a memorable victory, his first-ever win on gravel.

“It’s pretty crazy, first win for me on gravel!” he said.

“To come here with such a strong entry, we really didn’t know what to expect”.

“When you’re competing against the guys in Rally1, you’re levelling up all the time and I think that’s just a credit to who we’re competing against. Coming back and dropping back into Rally2 we’re right there on pace, it’s emotional and nice.

“When you’re searching for results and you end up getting a win like this, it’s so cool, so thanks to the team, M-Sport, Seacon, MI Rally Academy and Shane on the notes, we’ll be celebrating tonight!”

Jürgenson and Siim Oja secured second place to complete an M-Sport 1-2, with the Estonian able to draw upon his previous Grampian experience after competing on the event as part of the British Rally Championship in 2025.

Despite the additional knowledge of the stages, Jürgenson was unable to match Armstrong’s pace once the M-Sport driver found his rhythm, but second place represented another impressive result for the WRC2 contender.

Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov completed the podium in third aboard the new Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2.

The Lancia crews faced a steep learning curve on the loose Scottish gravel, with both Gryazin and Yohan Rossel adapting to the new Rally2 machinery and struggling to match the pace of the leading Fords.

Arguably the biggest draw for spectators throughout the weekend was FIA World Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing pairing brought their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to the event to sample the stages and gather valuable data for Toyota ahead of Scotland’s return to the WRC calendar in 2027.

With Evans currently leading the FIA World Rally Championship outright, his presence created huge excitement among fans, who turned out in force to see one of the biggest names in world rallying tackle the famous Scottish forests.

Evans and Martin were not recorded on the official timesheets as they used the event primarily as a test and data-gathering exercise, but their appearance highlighted the importance of the Grampian as a proving ground ahead of the return of the World Rally Championship to Scotland.

The leading British Rally Championship contenders were not overshadowed by the international stars, with Osian Pryce and James Morgan producing another impressive performance to finish fourth overall and take maximum BRC points.

The Castrol MEM Rally Team pairing delivered a consistent drive in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, overcoming pop-off valve issues during the event while carefully balancing their desire to mix it with the WRC stars against the need to protect their championship position.

Pryce’s result further strengthens his position at the head of the British Rally Championship standings as the title battle heads towards its decisive stages of the season.

The Asset Alliance Group Scottish Rally Championship also reached a dramatic conclusion in Banchory, with Garry Pearson crowned champion after a composed performance aboard his M-Sport Fiesta Rally2.

Pearson finished ninth overall to secure the championship, keeping his head after title rival Mark McCulloch suffered a small fire on the opening night.

The result capped an impressive season for Pearson and Hannah McKillop, who combined outright pace with consistency throughout the campaign to secure Pearson the Scottish title.

For Pearson, the Grampian provided the perfect setting for a championship triumph, with the epic forests delivering another demanding test before the celebrations began in Banchory.

Away from the competition itself, the 2026 Voly Grampian Forest Rally will be remembered as a landmark weekend for Stonehaven & District Motor Club and everyone involved in organising the event.

Thousands of fans travelled to the region to watch the action, with the Rally Zone in Banchory proving a huge success as spectators took the opportunity to get close to the cars and crews, meet some of the biggest names in rallying and soak up the atmosphere throughout the weekend.

The combination of world championship stars, British and Scottish championship battles and spectacular Scottish forest stages created an event that showcased the very best of British rallying.

For many spectators, the chance to see the current leader of the FIA World Rally Championship competing alongside drivers currently contesting the world championship was a unique opportunity and one they could well see again in 2027.

“This was undoubtedly the best edition yet” said Clerk of the Course Graham Provest.

“The success of the 2026 Voly Grampian Forest Rally was a collective achievement involving hundreds of volunteers, officials, marshals, partners, landowners, local communities and supporters all helping to deliver a spectacular weekend that put Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire firmly in the international rallying spotlight”.

“We can’t thank everyone enough for all their support, and we hope that they enjoyed the spectacle. The Grampian Rally has always been one of the most highly regarded events in the country, and this year we took it up a notch again. A fabulous weekend for us all”. Images courtesy of Spacesuit Media