Robbie Boyle

The Grampian Forest Rally in Banchory will provide World Rally Championship drivers and organisers with an early sense of the stages planned for WRC Rally Scotland, which will return to the UK in 2027 after nearly a decade. The three-year event will be headquartered in Aberdeen and take place across forests in Aberdeenshire and Moray, although its route and date have not yet been finalised. Motorsport UK event director Colin Clark said drivers including current WRC points leader Elfyn Evans would familiarise themselves with the region, while organisers continue reconnaissance and planning. The rally is expected to cost £1m annually but could generate tens of millions of pounds for the regional economy.