Two major rallies in the Welsh motorsport calendar have been cancelled following extensive damage caused by Storm Darragh. The affected events include the Dyfnant Forest rally in Powys, scheduled for 16 March, and the Hafren Forest rally near Llanidloes, set for 13 April.
The storm, which swept through Wales in December 2024, brought heavy rainfall and winds of up to 93mph (150km/h), leaving approximately 95,000 homes without power. It also resulted in thousands of tonnes of windblown timber blocking forest roads, severely limiting access to many areas.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which manages the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, has been leading the recovery efforts. However, January’s freezing weather has hampered progress, leading to uncertainty over whether rallies later in the year will also be affected.

Dave Liddy from NRW described the scale of the damage, stating that the clean-up operation would take “several months to complete” as the entire woodland estate had been impacted. He noted that mid and south-west Wales were particularly hard hit, leaving many areas inaccessible to forestry teams.
He explained: “We have therefore taken the decision to cancel the March and April events. Even roads which are passable pose a health and safety risk to both rally participants and spectators alike.”
NRW has had to prioritise dealing with incidents arising from the storm while ensuring minimal disruption to its harvesting operations. Liddy added: “We have been in contact with Motorsport UK and the Autocycle Union to inform them of our plans and give rally organisers as much notice as possible of the cancellations, as well as to discuss the prospects for rallies later in the year taking place.”
Hugh Chambers from Motorsport UK expressed disappointment over the cancellations but acknowledged NRW’s position. He said: “Whilst we are disappointed about the cancellations, we understand the position of NRW and have offered our assistance to them and their staff at this difficult time.”
As recovery efforts continue, rally organisers and participants await further updates on the status of events scheduled for later in the year.