Rally Northern Ireland is "opportunity of a lifetime", says MP

Crunch talks with government ministers are scheduled for this month and North Antrim MP Ian Paisley – who has fronted the idea with Belfast businessman and former Circuit of Ireland Rally boss Bobby Willis – admits time is not a commodity interested parties and stakeholders have if they hope to pull the move off.

The UK has been absent from the World Rally Championship calendar since 2020 when the COVID pandemic put the brakes on it. 12 months later it lost its slot to Ypres Rally in Belgium after an agreement in principle with Motorsport UK and the Northern Ireland Executive failed to materialise.

Plans to run the proposed closed-road event out of Belfast for 2023 were also deemed unviable, thus giving Paisley, Willis and others the time – and space – to work on plans for 2024.

Momentum appears to be building and a united front galvanizing – something that has been missing in recent months. To that end, talks were held earlier this week between All-Party Parliamentary Group for Motorsport members, Motorsport UK, Tourism Northern Ireland and also WRC officials.

While it is now widely accepted resurrecting the British leg of the sport is doable and needed for a whole host of economic reasons, the sticking point over public sector support remains. Those close to the idea put the cost of putting on a show for fans of the sport in the province somewhere between £2m and £2.5m.

2009 was the last time the competition ventured into the country when it was part of the cross-border Rally Ireland – an event won on that occasion by some margin by nine-time champion, Sebastien Loeb.

“It was abundantly clear from the meeting earlier this week that all parties involved want the WRC to return to the UK, Northern Ireland in particular,” said Paisley – the All-Party Parliamentary Group Vice-Chair.

As well as the well-documented financial shortcomings, another sticking point is the absence of a devolved government in Belfast right now due to concerns the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has over the Irish Sea border, and the trading arrangements that currently exist between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

All is not lost however, as the Secretary of State does have the power to make an executive decision to get the proverbial wheels turning. “Northern Ireland could host the thrill of a lifetime if the National government gets its finger out and works with the World Rally Championship,” said Paisley.

“The opportunity of a lifetime is only available for the lifetime of the opportunity.

“It is without doubt that a WRC rally in Northern Ireland was such an opportunity but that time and patience is running out. All of the key players are united in wanting such an event and agree Northern Ireland’s tarmac roads and conditions offer a thrilling prospect for competitors and spectators alike – but goodwill alone will not make this happen.

“We need a strategic investment by government that will open up sponsor and business opportunities for the event to proceed. Our meeting has focused minds across the sector on what is really required. The next step will be a decisive meeting with Ministers to see if they are up for keeping the UK as king of motorsport,” he added.