ERC
Lloyd returns with Junior ERC title chase finely balanced
Ioan Lloyd makes his eagerly anticipated return to the FIA European Rally Championship in his native Wales this week with the race for the 2026 Junior ERC title finely balanced.
After four action-packed rounds, Tom Heindrichs holds the advantage following back-to-back wins in Poland and Czech Republic. But the Belgian faces strong opposition in his pursuit of championship glory, including from ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team stablemate Timo Schulz.
Tom Heindrichs
© ERC
Schulz, the winner of the season opener in Sweden, is 16 points behind Heindrichs – WRC star Thierry Neuville’s younger brother – and still in title contention with two rounds left. Lancia Corse HF’s Davide Pesavento also remains in the fight, despite the Rome winner’s non-finish in Zlín last month. However, the Italian must overcome a 29-point deficit to get back on terms.
Having finished runner-up in Junior ERC last season, Lloyd has made the all-electric ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup his focus in 2026 after he was recruited by Vauxhall Motorsport to leads its challenge in the series. With three rounds remaining, the Welshman is two points behind current leader Tom Dufour.
Ioan Lloyd
© ERC
But with JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, which runs from 4 - 6 September, not clashing with his ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup commitments, 23-year-old Lloyd returns to ERC duty in an expanded ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team line-up that also includes Germany’s Claire Schönborn.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to represent Vauxhall on my home rally so enjoying it all and doing the best job possible will be my only target, anything else is a bonus,” Lloyd said. “The competition in the ERC this season is different to no other, absolute top quality with some of the very best competing across each category, making it the most exciting championship I’ve contested to date.”
The competition in the ERC this season is different to no other, absolute top quality
Davide Pesavento
© ERC
Other drivers chasing Junior ERC points in Wales include Francesco Dei Ceci – team-mate to Pesavento at Lancia Corse HF – German privateer Colin Dünker, Italian Sebastian Dallapiccola, and Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy-backed Kyle McBride.
After scoring his first Junior ERC points on 82nd Rally Poland, McBride, the winner of the Stellantis Cup IRE/UK and Billy Coleman Award in 2025 claimed a season-best fourth in class on Barum Czech Rally Zlín after a solid and focused drive. McBride can also count on the luxury of experience gained from four previous Ceredigion starts, including in 2024, his ERC debut, and last season, when he completed the event as a class winner in 15th overall.
Kyle McBride
© ERC
Meanwhile, Ioan Lloyd’s main backer, Vauxhall, is the Official Vehicle Partner to this year’s Aberystwyth-based JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion.
How to watch?
Fans across the globe can experience the excitement and drama of the ERC with every stage of every rally broadcast Rally.TV platform. In addition, the ERC is broadcast in a number of countries around the world and fans are advised to check local listings for details.
JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion: the key numbers
Stages: 16
Competitive distance: 196.58 kilometres
Total distance: 617.49 kilometres
Click HERE for more on JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion.
