Global interest in BCIC Rally Barbados on the rise

The record-breaking performance of BCIC Rally Barbados last year further consolidated the reputation of the region’s biggest motor sport international as a “must-do” event for rally teams the world over. This was the message from Event Director Neil Barnard at today’s (Friday) BCIC RB26 Media Briefing at Bushy Park Barbados.
  Barnard said: “This time last year, I told you that the overseas response had been astonishing. Alongside solid growth in local rallying, international interest resulted in 147 entries being posted on-line, the first 100 within four months of the opening date on October 1. This year, the first 100 were posted within 17 days. I say again 17 days.”
  The 36th edition of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) premier event, BCIC RB26 will be settled over 19 special stages from Friday to Sunday, May 29-31. The Auto & Rally Show and First Citizens King of the Hill (KotH), the shakedown event to establish the seeding for RB26, will be staged the previous weekend (May 23/24).
  Among the headline stories Barnard outlined to the media:
• Zane Maloney has entered both KotH and RB26 in a Porsche 992 Rally GT – now a professional driver for Lola Yamaha in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, ‘The Boy from Barbados’ was the youngest winner of KotH at age 18 in 2022. His car was revealed in the Pit Lane immediately after the Media Briefing
• a provisional entry list of 123 cars (from 147 posted on-line) includes 99 individual overseas participants (equalling last year’s record) with 29 newcomers, and some new records: 74 local crews (70 started last year), 41 cars in the 4wd classes (37 started last year), 24 female competitors (equalling record of the past two years), with three female drivers for the first time
• the arrival of the first GR Yaris Rally2 in the island for local Toyota dealer Roger Hill, so examples of Rally2 cars from all six manufacturers will compete here for the first time
• a second consecutive record shipment of rally cars left the UK on Monday – 38 (35 last year); of 16 cars new to the event, five were built specifically to compete in BCIC RB26
• the introduction of a Central Service Park at Bushy Park for the entire weekend, along with rules restricting on-route servicing for each three-stage loop
  Barnard thanked the many organisations, corporate and governmental, who support the event, including the island’s governing body, the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) and the Rally Club’s 200 volunteers, without whom it would not be possible. Joined at the top table by representatives of BCIC, First Citizens and the BTMI, Barnard said: “A huge thanks to our title sponsor BCIC, who joined us three years ago, and First Citizens for sponsoring King of The Hill for the fifth time and I must mention Bushy Park Barbados, whose commitment to the event is greatly increased this year, and offer special thanks again to Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.”
  Friday night’s floodlit Riddara Bushy Park SuperSpecial will provide an adrenaline-pumping start to BCIC RB26, with more than 120 cars run in reverse order of seeding, two cars side-by-side on the 2.5-kilometre Race Of Champions course. The compact route remains in the south-east of the island for both days: a later-than-usual start on Saturday brings a return of night stages for the last loop of three venues, while a further nine will run on Sunday, the last being the 1.1km FLOW Bushy Park SuperSpecial, after which crews will head up to The Hill for the Rally Finish and provisional podium.
  Alexandra Leacock, Branch Manager, BCIC Barbados, said: “In the first two years of our title sponsorship, the event continued breaking records. That says a great deal about what BCIC Rally Barbados has become, not just for motorsport, but for Barbados as a whole. The event brings international visibility to the island and creates an energy across Barbados that people look forward to year after year. The Barbados Rally Club has built something truly special and BCIC is honoured to continue being part of that journey.”
  Rodney Mayers, Area Manager, First Citizens, said: “Motorsport in Barbados is more than competition, it’s part of our culture. It brings together communities, fuels ambition, and creates moments that people talk about long after the engines cool. King of the Hill has evolved into a premier showcase of skill, discipline and resilience, and that is exactly why this partnership continues to make sense for us. It is about aligning with excellence and contributing to something that performs at the highest level.”
  For the BTMI, Sports Manager Kamal Springer added: “Our primary goals in sports tourism are to help fill off-peak tourism periods and BCIC Rally Barbados helps us boost visitation at the start of this period. The domestic impact of the event is incredible and creates the kind of atmosphere that we can promote globally for international motor sports fans to get excited about it. Visitors love interacting with our people and this event provides one of the best opportunities to do so.”
  Barnard added: “Thanks in advance to the residents and travelling public for their patience and understanding, and the spectators, competitors and visitors - local, regional or international - who are such a large part of making this event what it is.”

BCIC Rally Barbados (May 29-31, 2026) is a tarmac rally with around 20 special stages run on the island’s intricate network of public roads, under road closure orders granted by the Ministry of Transport, Works & Water Resources; First Citizens King of the Hill (May 24), run under a similar arrangement, features four timed runs on a roughly four-kilometre stage, with the results used to seed the running order for the main event.