In brief: The 2026 Jersey Rally gets under way this weekend with more than 70 teams competing across roughly 90 competitive miles of the Island’s country lanes and coastal routes. Two-time champion Ross Le Noa enters as favourite, chasing a rare triple-crown of rally victories. Wet autumnal conditions are expected to add an extra edge to proceedings.
The Island’s Biggest Motorsport Weekend Is Here
Jersey’s premier competitive motorsport event, the 2026 Jersey Rally, launched with a ceremonial start at Trinity’s Royal Jersey Showground (RJA&HS) today at noon. Over 70 teams drawn from Jersey, Guernsey and the UK will tackle approximately 90 competitive miles of the Island’s winding country lanes and coastal routes across Friday and Saturday, with wet autumnal weather promising to make every stage a genuine test of nerve and skill.
Friday’s action opens with stages at Maufant, sponsored by Ruellans Garage, and Grouville, sponsored by Hop Hire, before the field races into the night through the Rozel and ArchiRondel stages. Saturday morning shifts west, with two technical areas at Grève De Lecq and St Ouen tackling both tight, twisty lanes and wide open roads. Trinity and St Saviour stages then set the stage for a dramatic finale, before the ceremonial finish returns to the RJA&HS.
The Jersey Evening Post reports that the event is supported by over 600 volunteers, with Roberts Garages and a range of stage sponsors providing crucial backing. The Jersey Motorcycle and Light Car Club (JMC & LCC) has extended its thanks to Island authorities, officials and all those involved in making the event possible.
Le Noa Chases the Triple-Crown
Two-time Jersey Rally champion Ross Le Noa enters alongside co-driver Derek Le Bailly as the odds-on favourite. Le Noa has already claimed victories at both the Guernsey and L’Etacq rally events this year, meaning a win this weekend would complete a remarkable triple-crown. His last Jersey Rally title came in 2021, and he will be keen to add a third.
Standing in his way are two other former champions. Stevie Leonard, partnering Ben Andre, and Jeremy Baudains, racing alongside Kieran Gregory, both sit inside the top ten and will be pushing their powerful Escorts to the limit. The presence of three former champions in the leading pack makes for a compelling narrative at the top of the leaderboard.
Four-Wheel Drive Threat and Wet Weather Specialists
Pundits have identified four-wheel drive machinery as a strong favourite given the conditions. Fourth-seed Darryl Morris and Steve Gully lead that charge in their Skoda Fabia R5, fresh from a season that has taken them as far as Barbados. Many observers believe Morris is on the verge of a break-out performance. Close behind will be Ed Fossey and Will Rutherford in the Proton Satria Millington. Fossey finished second in the Guernsey Rally and won the Cornish TSH rally earlier in the summer, so he arrives in fine form.
Yet the wet weather is no guarantee of four-wheel drive dominance. The Escort Mk2 remains enormously popular, with eleven examples featured in the top 20, and there are plenty of seasoned rear-wheel drive wet weather specialists ready to capitalise. Dave Oliveira and Victor Nobrega are tipped as ones to watch, as are Paul and Jamie Trebert, who will be competing for the title of Guernsey’s fastest crew.
Among the compelling sub-plots, young Jersey talent Ollie Le Bailly, seeded 11th, arrives on the back of a standout season: he broke the Bouley Bay hill climb record and won the Jersey Summer Stages in his Escort Mk2. He will be co-driven by his father, Dean Le Bailly. Meanwhile, Dave and Andrew Truscott have completed what can only be described as a heroic build project, constructing their Mazda MX5 in just five weeks ahead of the event. Mel Romeril also deserves a mention as the sole lady driver, competing alongside Nathan Hewlett, with numerous female co-drivers also making their presence felt across the field.
Source: Jersey Evening Post
