THE familiar sight and sound of high-octane rally cars in the forests of Wales will be absent this year following the cancellation of Wales Rally GB.

The popular event, which in recent years visited Cholmondeley Castle, was once again due to be run from the staging area at Deeside Industrial Park, but with the stages themselves still to be confirmed, organisers have gone to the step of cancelling the event over coronavirus fears.

This year would have been the 76th staging of the historic event and had been due to run from October 29 to November 1 as the penultimate round on the 2020 World Rally Championship (WRC) schedule.

However, with continuing concerns over the evolution of Covid-19 and the safety restrictions it has imposed on large-scale gatherings and international travel, event organisers believe there are too many unknown factors to make the organisation of such a sizeable sporting fixture a realistic or sensible option.

David Richards CBE, chairman of Motorsport UK, governing body of UK motorsport and organiser of Wales Rally GB, said the decision was a difficult one.

“This is not a decision that we have taken lightly but, in close consultation with our chief funding partner the Welsh Government," said Mr Richards. "It is sadly one we are obliged to make in light of the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.

“In recent years, the huge appeal of the latest generation of World Rally Cars plus the presence of local star Elfyn Evans – a winner in 2017 – have drawn record crowds to the wonderful Welsh forests, but this is not the appropriate time for us to be planning for and promoting an event that brings tens of thousands of visitors, many from outside the country, into rural Welsh communities.

“As the governing body of UK motorsport, our overriding responsibility and absolute priority is always the safety of all involved whether they be competitors, officials, spectators or the many thousands of volunteers who share our passion for this sport, and we thank them all for their ongoing support and enthusiasm in these difficult times.

"While significant progress is being made to combat the virus, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding mass gatherings, social distancing and travel restrictions, plus the possibility of a resurgence of viral transmission later in the year.

“We have been closely monitoring the guidance issued by government and it is becoming increasingly clear that it is impossible to make plans with any certainty for such major events in the autumn.

"We therefore have to accept, with an incredibly heavy heart, that cancelling this year’s event is the only responsible and prudent option.

"We will instead start focusing our attentions on creating an even bigger and better world-class showcase for 2021.”