Riponian Stages Rally

There was a bumper entry on the Riponian as it welcomed the BHRC for it’s opening round of the championship. Oliver Mellors & Max Freeman (Iriz R5) took victory by 31s and 4 fastest stage times ahead of Elliot Payne & Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2), who picked up the other two fastest stage times. David Henderson & Chris Lees (Fiesta R5) were a solid 3rd overall. In the Historics, Matthew Robinson & Sam Collis (Escort MkII) took victory by 47s from Nick Elliott & Dave Price (Escort MkII). Roger Chilman & Gwynfor Jones (Escort MkII) completed the Historic podium in 8th overall.

Three Shires Stages

The 2^nd running of the Three Shires Stages saw a grandstand finish as Meirion Evans & Jonathan Jackson (Polo R5) took victory by 4s, following a stunning time through the final stage. They had been 4s behind Ollie Mellors & Max Freeman (Iriz R5) going in to that final stage but 7 fastest stage times, plus 2 joint fastest stage times, saw the Welsh crew take the win they gave up on stage 2, to Mellors. The final step on the podium saw an even tighter battle as Melvyn Evans & Mark Glennerster (Fabia R5) took 3^rd on countback, after finishing equal with Mark Kelly & Neil Colman (Fiesta R5). 5^th place went Robert Swann & Darren Garrod (Impreza WRC) with the time gaps growing down the rest of the top ten. The first 2WD crew home were James Ford & Matthew Daniels (Escort MkII) in 10^th place overall.

Proton back for British Rally Championship title bid

The Proton brand will once again be a sight on the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship tour as the Malaysian car manufacturer returns to the series with Ollie Mellors and Mellors Elliot Motorsport [MEM].

Driving the firms Iriz R5, Mellors and co-driver Max Freeman will make a bid for the prestigious British title just 12 months after Proton made its return to the series after a four-year sabbatical.

Proton Iriz R5 set for West Cork Rally assault

A brace of four Proton Iriz R5’s will tackle this weekend’s Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally with Ollie Mellors leading the way at the second round of the British Rally Championship in Ireland (14/15 March).

After taking the Iriz to its first-ever Irish podium at the Birr Stages Rally a fortnight ago, Mellors and co-driver Max Freeman will be aiming for a solid BRC result, adding to Mellors’ fourth place at the series opener in Wales as the Proton brand returned to the BRC for the first time since 2016.

Mellors gives Proton Iriz R5 maiden Irish podium at Birr Stages

The Proton Iriz R5 took its first Irish podium result at the weekend as Ollie Mellors secured a confidence-boosting third overall at the Birr Stages Rally (23 February) against top Irish Tarmac Rally Championship regulars.

Mellors, who was competing on asphalt for the first time in four years, overcame several hold-ups to set a string of top three times in the Thornbridge Brewery, Reliable Vehicle Logistics and Michelin backed Iriz R5 to take the final podium place across the treacherously wet Irish lanes.

Proton secure confidence-boosting British Rally Championship start

Making its return to the British Rally Championship for the first time since 2016, Ollie Mellors and Ian Windress gave the Proton Iriz R5 a successful series debut, narrowly missing out on a podium to take fourth overall at the season-opening Cambrian Rally (8th February).

Mellors secured a solid points haul for the Thornbridge Brewery, Reliable Vehicle Logistics and Michelin backed Iriz R5 to kick start their maiden championship assault in the newly homologated example.

Mellors and Proton have their sights set on British Rally Championship podium

The Proton Iriz R5 will aim for its first ever British Rally Championship podium this weekend as Ollie Mellors embarks on a season-long campaign which starts with the Cambrian Rally (8th February).

After a successful 2019 season which saw four gravel rally wins for the Iriz, Mellors is aiming to secure his first ever BRC podium for both himself and the newly FIA Homologated Proton which will be run by the Mellors Elliot Motorsport outfit and is backed by Thornbridge Brewery, Reliable Vehicle Logistics and Michelin this season.

Proton return to the British Rally Championship with Iriz R5

Proton will return to the British Rally Championship this season for the first time since 2016 as Mellors Elliot Motorsport and Ollie Mellors mount a full assault on the series behind the wheel of the newly homologated Iriz R5.

Backed by Thornbridge Brewery, Reliable Vehicle Logistics and Michelin, Mellors and co-driver Ian Windress will tackle the six-round series in the machine which has seen recent development work from a string of high-profile drivers both in the UK and Ireland, including two-time World Rally Champion Marcus Gronholm.

Grizedale Stages Rally

Wet and windy conditions gripped Grizedale forest as Ollie Mellors & Ian Windress (Iriz R5) took a 45s victory from Jock Armstrong & Cameron Fair (Impreza) but it has been far as simple as that. On the openong stage Mellors was the only competitor under 10 minutes some 23s faster than his nearest rival but 40s dropped on the following stage saw Armstrong leading from Thomas Preston & Carl Williamson (Fiesta WRC). Mellors had slipped down to 3rd place before the crews tackled the two runs of Dunnerdale with Preston closing in to just 7s of Armstrong, whilst Stephen Petch & Michael Wilkinson (Fiesta WRC) had closed in on Mellors for 3rd, just 3s behind.

Proton Iriz R5 takes hattrick of UK wins with Malton Rally victory

The newest homologated R5 specification rally car on the market, the Proton Iriz R5, took its third gravel rally win in a row last weekend, as Ollie Mellors stormed to victory at the Malton Forest Rally (3rd November).

Mellors and co-driver Ian Windress, were fastest on each of the events six stages in the Yorkshire forests to take the Thornbridge Brewery backed Proton to a hattrick of wins in the latter half of the season, adding to the Woodpecker Stages and Trackrod Forest Rally triumphs.