The title says it all: Richard Pex and Anouck Preda win the FIRC without opposition and also take the overall victory home. A rarity in the Challenge: only Campling/Ducker in Chevrotines and Ellis/Fowler in Salamandre ever managed this before, and that was quite some time ago.
Hemicuda was a highly emotional event, not least because of the heavy rain thrown at the competitors. Summer is over, and just before the rally weekend the Indian Summer collapsed as well: the first real rain rally of the season, with all the consequences that come with it.
The opening stages on Saturday evening immediately took their toll. Allfrey/Fellowes had to park their Peugeot 205 on SS2 with irreparable electrical issues. Richards/Butler limped back to service with a blocked gearbox.
The first stage on Sunday produced more casualties, this time unfortunately in the literal sense. Gawaine and Loïs Clark hit a bank at 140 km/h, by far the most severe crash ever seen in FIRC, even making national news. The tracking system did its job however: minutes after the emergency signal, ambulance and fire brigade were already on site. It still took an hour and a half to free the crew from the wreck before they were airlifted to the nearest hospital. Loïs escaped with minor injuries; Gawaine suffered several fractures. We wish him a swift recovery.
Back to the rally or rather, the mud bath. Pex/Preda were quickly relieved of their only rival for overall victory after bad luck struck Syx/Vanrobaeys. Weatherley/Layland, returning after three missed events due to engine problems, chose the safe option and focused on rebuilding rhythm. A smart strategy that earned them sixth overall and second FIRC.
Anyone hoping for a duel with the Quigleys was disappointed. A puncture on SS2 dropped the Irish duo far back, and on Sunday their pace remained surprisingly modest. Asked what was wrong, their answer was as simple as it was honest: “We absolutely can’t find our rhythm. Zero confidence. The car is fine, rain is no issue, but we didn’t expect roads this slippery. And we’ve never seen cuts this deep.” Yes, the first rain rally of the season demands a completely different driving style. Still, the Quigleys will be in Kortrijk, where conditions will likely be similar. Brave, and it will probably go better there.
The Quigleys narrowly kept Smith/Vincent behind them, who took the FIRC Historic win after leaders Anderson/Martin retired on SS9 with a broken gearbox. A real shame, as a top‑20 overall was within reach. Smith/Vincent in turn held off Wood/Chambers, who saw a first Historic win slip away due to a broken wheel that had to be changed on stage, more than three minutes lost.
Also noteworthy: strong times from Brown/Stringer, returning after a sabbatical and making their Belgian debut in the 208 R4, with barely any competitive kilometres on the clock. A car that demands a completely different driving style than their famous Micra Kit Car, but that 25th place overall and fourth FIRC promise a lot for the future. Newcomers Tony and Reece Racey also made an excellent debut: first time in Belgium, first time making their own pace notes, the toughest possible conditions… and still sixth FIRC. That clearly tastes like more, and the team agrees.
Packer/Davies, also debuting in Koekelare, guided their Fiesta safely to the finish, just like father and son Smith in the modest C2. Both teams kept plenty of faster cars behind them in the midfield. Unfortunately, this did not apply to Smith/Purdy, who after various adventures ended up closing the order, both in FIRC and overall. It had to happen once, but the team took it in stride.
Two performances stood out: the impressive comeback from Richards/Butler, who despite heavy early time loss still reached the midfield, likely thanks to Rob’s vast gravel experience. And of course the phenomenal third FIRC place for regulars Freeman/Williams, winners in 2WD and an excellent sixteenth overall. They themselves didn’t quite know why they scored so high: “No idea, we just drove our usual rhythm, avoided risks, didn’t make mistakes, and this is what you get. Pretty cool.”
A dramatic event, one that also settles the Challenge ’26. Pex/Preda are certain of their second title. Anderson/Martin can no longer be threatened and are FIRC Historic champions for the first time. In 2WD, the final word has not yet been spoken, we’ll see in Kortrijk in a month. Until then!
