Beatson’s Mull Rally reaches capacity

• The Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally releases its bumper entry list for the 11 – 13 October event
• The event returns to a capacity entry, bursting with a huge range of cars and drivers from the UK and beyond
• Local heroes set to battle with returning regulars for the coveted victory
• 2023 winners Fergus and Craig Barlow return with a new steed
• Fight for Mull honours continues with the MacCrone and MacKinnon duel

The Beatson's Building Supplies Mull Rally has revealed its bumper entry list for the upcoming 11-13 October event. This highly anticipated rally is a huge part of the UK rallying season and features a capacity field of contenders, with each crew eager to take on the gruelling, newly revised format.

The 52nd edition of the Mull Rally will feature a diverse group of competitors, including local favourites and visitors from across the UK and beyond. All participants are vying for the prestigious Mull Rally trophy, but simply finishing this year's event could well feel like a win regardless of the overall position.

Sponsored once again by Beatson's Building Supplies, the event is set to return to its traditional format after experimenting with a new itinerary in 2023. Organisers have decided to reinstate classic elements that have been absent in recent years, and this has contributed to a full entry once again.

With a rich history dating back to 1969, the Mull Rally is renowned as one of Europe's most challenging closed-road events. To maintain its reputation as a gruelling test, organisers have reintroduced several classic stages to the route whilst reverting to its familiar three-leg format, offering competitors the ultimate Mull Rally experience.

The route will include the Ross of Mull for the first time since 2016, ensuring that the entire community can enjoy the thrilling spectacle of top-level rallying action on some of the most challenging public roads in the UK.

After a scintillating victory in 2023 behind the wheel of the latest specification Ford Fiesta Rally2, Fergus Barlow enjoys the honour of the coveted number one on the doors, however this time he and co-driving brother Craig will have a new challenge on their hands as they switch to a Ford Escort MKII. Star of the BBC programme Island Crossing, the Tobermory driver will have to work hard to repeat his feat of last year.

Fellow islander Paul MacKinnon returns after a sabbatical in 2023 and starts at car two. He and co-driver Paul Beaton are likely to step into four-wheel drive machinery once again. MacKinnon is a four-time winner of the event and grabbed a nail-biting win in 2022 so is well-versed on what it takes to secure the coveted Mull win.

Last year's outing on the event was a troublesome affair for 2021 winner Daniel Harper, but the Barley driver returns in his MINI JCW WRC for another attempt at victory and claims the marker as the only non-Mull resident in 25 years to stand on the top step of the podium.

Dervaig’s John MacCrone suffered a cruel exit from the rally last year but returns in a Fiesta Rally2 to make amends. He has two wins to his name and was on course to make it a hat trick last year before technical issues sidelined his Fiesta. He returns with Kirsty Riddick who makes her first start in the event since 2008.

Grabbing the runner-up sport in 2023, James Ford returns in his Citroen C3 Rally2 with Neil Shanks alongside. Ford was impressive here last time around so could well vie for the top spot once again. He will have stiff opposition from the likes of fellow podium sitter Neil Roskell who returns to Mull for the third time. He pilots his Fiesta Rally2 with Tobermory man Daniel Barritt on the notes.

Fan favourite David Bogie also returns to Mull in his Ford Escort MKII. The Scottish driver has been a regular sight on the island with the lure of the longer more challenging events suiting the multiple Scottish rally champion. John Rowan will co-drive.

Scott MacBeth steps into a Skoda Fabia R5, with Jonathan Mounsey [Fiesta], Ross Hunter [Mitsubishi Evo] and Stephen Thompson [Ford Escort MK2] rounding out the top ten. However, to pick a winner, you could easily scan the top 20 or more and the depth of entry this year is an encouraging sign for Clerk of the Course Richard Crozier.

“As organisers, we tend to put a real focus on the number of entries received for various reasons, so to see the Mull Rally back to capacity is a really fulfilling sign” he says.

“Not least because it shows that the changes we made to the route and format for 2024 inspired many drivers to come back to sample the rally again. They want to push their limits and challenge their comfort zones and we believe that what we have created this year will really do that for everyone, at the front and the back of the field.

“It’s a great breadth and depth of entry too which will undoubtedly ensure that we will have some scintillating battles across the weekend. Many come for the challenge, many come for the fun, the sights and the party atmosphere. But whatever the reason to head to Mull for the rally, we are confident it will be a weekend you won't forget in a hurry”.

Full entry list