Rally organiser confirms plans for post-pandemic events

Both rallies will include a range of special tests and regularity sections for period cars and are being planned for a time when international events may still be unworkable due to travel restrictions.

Subject to government rules and Motorsport UK approval, the new Highland Thistle Rally (October 4-9) will tackle challenging highland roads, starting and finishing at St Andrews. The five-day route is open to all pre-1977 cars and will take competitors to the Isle of Skye and the mountains north of Inverness.

The second new event will break fresh ground by being the first such event to be run for family pairings in pre-1986 cars. The Generations Rally will be based in the Lake District in late March and is aimed at family crews in a bid to encourage younger people to sample historic rallying.

Rally the Globe has recognised that international events may take longer to return to the calendar and many of the club's forthcoming events, including the Round the World circumnavigation, have had to be cancelled.

"Clearly there are still lots of uncertainties ahead but we wanted to provide our supporters with some light at the end of the tunnel," said organiser and former World Rally Championship co-driver Fred Gallagher. "The prospect of getting back into such wonderful events will certainly help to lift spirits."

"We are very much hoping the Highland Thistle will be a big celebration of our freedom but clearly it is entirely dependent on what the Scottish government allows at the time - that's why we are offering entrants a full refund should such gatherings not be permitted come the autumn," added Graham Goodwin, Rally the Globe's chairman.

"We have taken a pragmatic approach to our revised calendar and focused on events we believe our members will feel both safe and excited to enter post coronavirus."