After a difficult 2018 with three cancelled events and only two that ran as scheduled, the Manx Rally Championship sees a revised calendar for the coming season.

Given last year, it is highly encouraging that Motor Mall (IoM) is reportedly set to continue its long-term sponsorship of the series, stretching back to 2007 under the Eurocars name.

The championship begins with next month’s Manx Auto Sport OrmCo Jurby Stages, one of two visits to the northern motordrome that has not featured on the calendar in recent years.

May’s Bet on Aces Manx National Rally will expand to become a full two-day event as a double-header round of the 2019 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship for the first time.

This will involve running stages throughout Friday daytime and evening, concluding as usual on the Saturday to create an even split of mileage. It is intended that it will also be a double-scoring round of the local series.

The title chase will then return to Jurby for the Druidale Motor Club Summer Stages in July.

There is on-going uncertainty regarding whether Rally Isle of Man will return this year, with confirmation of a possible date up in the air after the British Rally Championship finale, the Galloway Hills Rally (which effectively replaces Rally IoM in the series) has moved dates to September 14.

This is the weekend that the Manx event traditionally runs on, in what is another blow to the event from the BRC organisers.

Regardless, the title hunt will again come down to November’s PokerStars Rally decider, hoping for better weather than last autumn brought!

After the cancellation of two rounds last year, because of a lack of entries, no loose surface events are planned.

2019 Motor Mall (IoM) Manx Rally Championship calendar: Round one, February 9, OrmCo Jurby Stages; Rounds two and three, May 10-11, Bet on Aces Manx National Rally; Round four, July 27, Druidale MC Summer Stages (Jurby); Rounds five and six, TBC, Rally Isle of Man; Round seven, November 8-9,PokerStars Rally.