Sponsorship Spotlight: Ioan's European Rally Journey

We’re racing into the second article in our Sponsorship Spotlight Series, where we introduce talented and inspiring individuals within our local community who are achieving remarkable goals.  

Friday 4 April to Sunday April 6 marks an exciting milestone for local rally driver Ioan Lloyd, as he gears up for one of the most competitive junior rally stages in the world – the prestigious FIA Junior European Rally Championship (JERC) at Rally Sierra Morena in Spain. At just 22 years old, Ioan, who is from Llandysul in West Wales has already been rallying for eight years. He’s now stepping into the international spotlight, and through our sponsorship programme we are honoured to be among the sponsors supporting Ioan all the way.  

Partnered alongside his talented co-driver, 23-year-old Sion Williams from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Ioan will be tackling six high profile events across Europe, starting with the all-asphalt stages of Rally Sierra Morena based in Cordoba. With over 71 miles of stage driving and 280 road miles ahead, this first rally is going to be a test of nerve, skill and endurance.  

Ioan and Sion will be contesting in a Peugeot 208 Rally4 from Tagai Racing Technology (TRT) based in Hungary and joining a competitive four car line-up that includes young Irishman Keelan Grogan, and Rally2 cars for Norwegian Mads Ostberg and Max McRae from Scotland. 

The full schedule for the FIA Junior European Rally Championship ERC continues with Rally Poland in June, Rally di Roma Capitale (Italy) in July, Barum Czech Rally Zlin (Czech Republic) in August and ends with the season finale in Croatia on October 3 – 5. 

From the quiet roads of West Wales to the fast lane of international motorsport, Ioan’s journey is proof that local passion can go the distance, and we have no doubt the up-and-coming young driver will continue to accelerate towards success. Supporting local talent with global dreams isn’t just a feel-good story – it’s an investment in inspiration and in putting Welsh excellence on the map.  

Good luck, Ioan and Sion – we’ll be cheering you along every twist and turn! 

From Podium Hopes to Rally Resilience

Since publishing last month’s spotlight, 22-year-old Ioan Lloyd from Llandysul and his co-driver Sion Williams have continued their fast-paced journey – recently tackling the fiercely challenging Tagai Racing Technology (TRT) Rally in Hungary (May 9-11).

After a stellar drive on Saturday that placed the pair in third place, hopes were high for a JERC podium finish. But motorsport has its share of twists and turns, and a broken wheel on Sunday forced them to stop, costing valuable time and their place on the podium. Undeterred, Ioan and Sion powered through to a commendable fifth place finish – no small feat on one of the toughest terrains in the calendar.

The team are now in joint fourth place in the JERC with three high stakes rounds still ahead. Their determination, resilience, composure and skill continue to impress – and we are proud to stand behind their journey.

The remaining schedule for the FIA Junior European Rally Championship is:

June 13-15    Rally Poland

Jul 4-6             Rally di Roma Capitale (Italy)

Aug 15-17     Barum Czech Rally Zin (Czech Republic)

Oct 3-5         Croatia Rally

Read on below for our original feature, and stay tuned as we follow Ioan’s next race towards rally glory.

For more details about Ioan Lloyd Rallying, visit: https://ioanlloydrallying.co.uk

Tribute and Triumph: Ioan’s Poignant Podium Finish in Poland

“What makes the Junior ERC so good is that there’s always strong competition”.

And while Ioan Lloyd and co-driver Sion Williams reminded themselves it is still their first-year rallying at this level, their determination paid off in spectacular style at last weekend’s Rally Poland. The rally, held in the town of Mikolajki in north-west Poland, began on Friday 13 June with the shakedown stage, the ceremonial start, and a super special stage, before two full days of competition on Saturday and Sunday – covering a challenging 120 competitive miles across 14 stages.

The pair, contesting the high-profile international series in a Peugeot 208 Rally4 from Tagai Racing Technology, based in Hungary, had shown a strong pace in the opening two rounds. After the disappointment of a wheel failure in Hungary, which left the team feeling their result didn’t really reflect their true performance, the focus shifted to Poland – and what a comeback it was! Ioan and Sion maximised every opportunity and clinched a superb second place finish – a fantastic achievement at this level and a testament to their resilience and growth.

A Moving Tribute

Before travelling to Poland, Ioan paid tribute to his former co-driver and friend, Dai Roberts, who tragically lost his life in an accident on the Jim Clarke Rally in late May. Recalling memories of rallying together, Ioan reflected,

“I owe so much of my early development in rallying to him. Dai was a world-class co-driver, but he was also a very good driver who had an exceptional understanding of what made a car work, and he had a rare gift for passing that knowledge on. So many good times, giggling and laughing, enjoying every minute – and boy I’m glad we had them. I know Dai would want us to head to Poland this week and give it everything. So that’s exactly what we’ll do – Give it our all and do our very best to make him proud.”

The Finish

Ioan’s impressive second place finish in Poland certainly honoured Dai’s memory with a drive he would have been proud of. Ioan and Sean have truly proven their place in this competition and their determination, resilience, and teamwork continue to be an inspiration as we follow their journey. We are incredibly proud to sponsor Ioan and to support his progress as he takes on the challenges – and the opportunities, each new round brings.

The remaining schedule for the FIA Junior Rally Championship

Jul 4-6                 Rally di Roma Capital (Italy)

Aug 15-17          Barum Czech Rally Zin (Czech Republic)

Oct 3-5               Croatia Rally

We are proud to sponsor Ioan and follow his progress, while we wish the pair all the very best of luck for the rest of the tour!

For more details about Ioan Lloyd Rallying, please visit  ioanlloydrallying.co.uk