2024 Defender Rally Series: Final round of UK Championship at the Scottish Borders Hill Rally

• Season finale: Upcoming Scottish Borders Hill Rally (15-17 November) will wrap up the Defender Rally Series 2024 as the seventh and final round of the UK Championship
• Podium competition: With only 54 points separating the top three in the Championship, intense racing will decide final podium positions as three crews compete for the number one spot
• Wide field: The Scottish Borders Hill Rally is the only self-contained hill rally in the UK, meaning a wider range of vehicles can enter – as non-road registered entries can drive between stages

The seventh and final round of the Defender Rally Series 2024 UK Championship, in partnership with Tata Elxsi, gets underway from Friday 15-17 November with the Scottish Borders Hill Rally. The rally will unite drivers and co-drivers across three days of intense off-road competition, defining the overall championships standings, with only 54 points currently separating the top three crews.

Seven Defender 90s, including current Championship leader Mark Thomas and co-driver Phil Mackay, will compete at the three-day event. The first day will allow drivers and co-drivers to adjust to their surroundings, with five miles of prologue racing. It provides teams with two opportunities to get the best seeding, before the main event gets underway.

A total of 161km will be covered across both day and night, with the inclusion of the night driving testing drivers’ skills to the maximum, as they race with diminished visibility across new stages and link roads, keeping even experienced crews on their toes.

The event takes place at the Forest Estate, near Castle Douglas, where smooth, fast forest roads and technical quarry sections will draw on driver’s skills across all terrains. The event is also the only self-contained UK hill rally, allowing non-road taxed vehicles to compete against road-registered vehicles like the Defender 90 across the same terrain.

Going into round seven, Thomas and Mackay sit 50 points ahead of Richard Kingsley-Smith and Adel Tyson in the UK Championship standings, with Dennis Ferry and Richard Mills just four points further behind, in third place. A total of 61 points are available for a combined event start and win.

Calum McKechnie, General Manager, Bowler Motors, said: “The Scottish Borders will be the culmination of everything our drivers have learned, including the addition of a thrilling night stage, and we’re looking forward to seeing how well they perform. The mixed terrain lends itself well to the Defender and we’re confident of witnessing another successful rally. With this being the final event of an incredible season, we’re proud of the dedication and friendly, competitive spirit our drivers and teams have shown throughout the year.”

Defender Rally Series – Provisional** UK Championship Standings