TENDRING’S popular Corbeau Seats Rally will return for the third time next year… and will be included as part of the prestigious British Rally Championship.

The event, organised by the Chelmsford Motor Club, was the first to make use of a new legislation allowing closed road motorsport in England when it launched in 2018.

Organisers have now been told their event will be included as the only round of the British Rally Championship to be held in England in 2020.

Britain’s premier rallying series will feature six rounds next year, with events also visiting Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland together with Belgium and Ireland.

The club’s Tony Clements, event director, said “Our first closed road event received a great response from the rally crews and most strikingly from the people of Tending who enjoyed a family friendly day out in the sunshine.

“We’re building on this to bring the headline British Rally Championship to the area as well as catering for our clubman competitors.

“The response from our partners and local communities has been fantastic and we’re delighted to bring a round of the prestigious British Rally Championship to the area.”

Mr Clements added that next year’s rally in Tendring will feature a new spectator stage in Clacton on the Saturday evening.

On the Sunday there will then be three loops of four stages, which will again feature a number of spectator viewing areas.

Leading British Rally Championship driver Tom Cave welcomed the events inclusion on the calendar.

He added: “2020 has a good mix of events across the year and this will be a brand-new unique challenge.

“As it will be the first time in the calendar, it will create new stages to compete on and new opportunities to take the BRC to a different part of the country.”

Chelmsford Motor Club said it is working with Tendring Council on its plans for next year’s rally.

It is expected that further details about the rally will be released early next year.

Last year the event included viewing areas in Little Bromley and Bradfield and one stage ran from Tendring through Wix and Bradfield before ending in Mistley.