Highlights of RAC Rally of the Tests 2026 revealed
*35 tests, 22 Regularities and 3 Time control sections
Whilst the planning for the 2026 RAC Rally of the Tests is continuing apace, the ground made so far, through the efforts of the HERO-ERA Competition team, means they can now share some of the highlights for competitors to look forward to in November.
With the ethos of Rally of Tests starting from whence it finished the previous year in the historic rally resort town of Llandudno, there are two nights in the same location with Leg One taking a loop around north west Wales and Anglesey before heading south through the remainder of Wales, the beating heart of rallying in the UK.
The team have identified all the venues and they are exciting, but as expected at this building stage, some are subject to final sign off by the Ministry of Defence, circuits and other private organisations. There is a strong confidence that most will grant access, but with ongoing operational requirements, particularly MOD use remains subject to change.
This year’s running of the event will still be as challenging as expected of the UK’s most exacting and relentless road rally, it will offer regularities, tough tests and the ever popular Time Control Sections. The 2026 iteration of the RAC Rally of the Tests will be as demanding as any over the past two decades.
The event begins with a dramatic evening Prologue. As darkness falls, crews tackle regularities and a test around the iconic Great Orme and the twisting lanes surrounding Llandudno, providing an atmospheric introduction before returning to Rally HQ for the Welcome Dinner.
Leg One explores the roads and coastline of North Wales and Anglesey. After an opening run west, competitors face a succession of tests before reaching Trac Môn, where specially designed chicanes will demand absolute precision. Between visits to the circuit, crews venture into Anglesey's narrow lanes, tackling regularities before crossing back to the mainland for an evening of increasingly demanding navigation. As daylight fades over the Llŷn Peninsula, the final sections lead competitors through the intricate roads around the Conwy Valley, delivering a fittingly challenging finish to the opening day.
Both the Prologue and the first day will be enjoyable for crews as they take on the challenging roads of the area with tests at various venues, including a number new to Tests on Anglesey. The last time the Rally of the Tests was on Anglesey was for the 10th anniversary event in xxxx which ran over 6 days. The first three days were in Ireland then a restart from Anglesey until the rally finished in Blackpool.
After a brief rest, Saturday the second day will need an early start due to venue requirements, so it promises a long and demanding day for entrants with a number of tests and regularities as the rally heads south through rallying heartland.
The tension and excitement will build before the adventurous night section on the Epynt Ranges, an event highlight, before driving to the overnight halt with heads still buzzing around 20:30. The rally will stay at the iconic Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells , home of rallying in Wales for over 70 years.
Hopefully refreshed from the overnight stop, crews will be set up for a final “sting in the tail” in Wales returning to the Epynt ranges in daylight before the final push south to finish in Newport where the celebrations will take place.
To put more detail in than the outline, the rally begins with a one-and-a-half-hour Prologue will ease crews into the swing of things with a couple of regularities and a test using the Great Orme as darkness falls. Then more action in the lanes surrounding Llandudno, which will warm up both crew members before returning to Rally HQ and the Welcome Dinner.
The morning of the first leg starts with quite a long run down the A55 to a brace of tests then onto a regularity, the first on Anglesey of four, followed by a visit to Trac Mon for three tests and the morning coffee halt in the circuit café. A stage rally is taking place at Trac Monthe next day so the tests will have some chicane elements included which cars shouldn’t hit as they don’t move!
Refreshed by the track coffee stop teams head out into the lanes of Anglesey for a couple more sections and test before returning to the circuit for a near repeat of the tests, then head to lunch in the nearby Rhosneigr.
After lunch a final test and regularity are tackled before leaving the island and heading onto the Lleyn peninsular. That last test will bring the tally to 11 tests completed already before three challenging regularities split with a supper halt near Porthmadog. The last three sections will be tackled in the dark.
The Lite crews will be stepping out after the first of these and heading back to the finish while the main crews have the challenges of navigating the complex but great lanes which skirt the Conwy valley as they head back to the overnight halt in Llandudno.
Leg Two is an early morning start and begins with a bang right into several tests close to Llandudno! Before cars start the journey south to Mid Wales, the two regularities take teams into territory used in 2025 but in the opposite direction before two tests and a coffee halt will give crews a break.
The pressure continues after a road section with two regularities and an awesome test before a relatively early lunch on the shores of Lake Tal-y- llyn. After lunch there are two challenging regularities, one of which was the highlight of the 2012 route, the Clerk of the Course’s first edition of ROTT.
After a short breather, the rally travels deeper into WRC rally land with two tests in the Sweet Lamb rally complex and one final regularity and two tests before the supper halt at Builth Wells. The Lite crews will step out here and head for the Metropole Hotel, but the main field will brace themselves for the challenges that now ramp up in the darkness with three tests with three exhilarating Time Control Sections on the Ranges over some 60 miles in total! Crews will arrive at the overnight halt tired but buzzing.
Leg three, the final day starts with two tests back in Builth Wells and two on the Ranges, this time in the daylight. Then teams tackle an off road regularity and two more tests on the Ranges before finally leaving the historic rally territory - but not before starting a long regularity on this private land that HERO-ERA and it’s competitors are so privileged to use.
Brecon cattle market will be the coffee halt where the crews will no doubt have plenty of stories to tell of the morning activities! Now though, the rally is on the home stretch with a quick blast around the market site then three more regularities before the cars arrive a lunch in Usk. It’s nearly time for the navigators to relax, but not before three tests for the crews to enjoy after which they head to the conclusion of the 2026 Rott event at the finish in Newport.
*Attached is the unseeded list of entrants so far received, which can also be found on our website. Please contact the HERO-ERA Rally Office to advise of any changes, missing or incorrect information as soon as possible.