Chinese team achieves breakthrough in European rally racing

The UCRC China Rally Team secured third place in the fourth round of the 2025 British Rally Championship, becoming the first Chinese rally team to break into the front ranks of a European rally series.

The fourth round, the Grampian Forest Rally, was held on Aug 8 and 9 near Aberdeen in Scotland. The gravel forest event featured a competitive route of around 200 kilometers.

A packed field of around 90 rally cars competed to see who could complete the total 10 stages of the fourth round the fastest, with the UCRC China Rally Team consistently among the front-runners throughout the stages.

"Every mile conquered is China's automotive industry telling the world: we have arrived, and we are here to stay," said Liu Tengyang, founder of the UCRC China Rally Team.

Aiming to break the long-standing dominance of European and competitors from the United States, the team has also launched a program to train young Chinese drivers in the United Kingdom.

The British Rally Championship, first run in 1958, is a rallying series run over the course of a year, that comprises six tarmac and gravel surface events. The 67th season of the event this year commenced in February and is due to conclude in October.