Scotland's first international rally in 14 years hosted in Dundee

06 August, 2025 | Dundee Electric

Event Overview

Between 25 and 27 July, Dundee proudly hosted Scotland’s first international rally since 2011 - the Bridgestone FIA ecoRally Cup. This event marked the eighth stage of the 14-round international FIA Championship, which will conclude in Italy this November.

Organised by the Scottish Motor Racing Club (SMRC), in collaboration with Motorsport UK, the governing body for four-wheeled motorsport in the UK, ecoRally Scotland encourages electric vehicle (EV) owners to participate in motorsport using their everyday cars. The event showcases the future of cleaner motorsport and aligns with Scotland’s Net Zero goals.

Unlike traditional rallies, the ecoRally is held on public roads and focuses on regularity rather than speed. Participants maintain a precise average speed throughout the route. Corners, junctions and oncoming vehicles on narrow roads present a unique challenge, which requires competitors to adjust their speed strategically. Precision, problem solving and teamwork are essential. The rally also judges competitors on efficient driving, which is taken into consideration in determining final results.

Ceremonial Start

The rally officially began on 25 July at John Clark Motor Group’s Broomhill Road branch, which served as the scrutineering point and Parc Fermé for the day.

The ceremonial start was attended by Dundee City Council’s Councillors Steven Rome and Siobhan Tolland.

Cllr Rome, convener of Fair Work, Infrastructure and Economic Growth, said: “We are delighted that Dundee is hosting this year’s ecoRally Scotland.

“This prestigious event will give us the opportunity to showcase Dundee’s potential as an EV city.

“Dundee’s pioneering efforts in electrifying our transportation infrastructure and embracing innovative technologies have firmly positioned the city as a leader in the EV space.

Through strategic partnerships, cutting-edge projects, and a strong commitment to sustainability, Dundee continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible for urban mobility.”

Cllr Tolland, depute convener of Fair Work, Infrastructure and Economic Growth, added: “We have accomplished much on our Net Zero Journey – with fleet electrification, an extensive local network of charging points, industry leading charging hubs, the Low Emission Zone, and energy decarbonisation.

“I hope that the contestants in the ecoRally have a chance to see why Dundee is leading the field.”

The Rally

The Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) served as the Rally Headquarters on 26 and 27 of July, where 21 teams of two (driver and navigator) and their EV set off. Starting in Dundee, the route navigated teams through picturesque scenery of Tayside.

Day 1 saw contestants conquer the ‘Dragon Stage’ of the rally – which refers to the most challenging section of the rally due to particularly winding roads. A mid-route stop at Knockhill provided a brief but well-needed break before continuing.

Leg 2 on Sunday took teams on a more northerly loop, passing Loch Tay and heading up through Queen’s View overlooking Loch Tummel near Pitlochry before the teams returned to Dundee for the prizegiving ceremony and closing dinner.

Prizegiving Ceremony

Day two concluded with a prizegiving ceremony at MSIP in Dundee. The overall winners of the ecoRally were the team from the Czech Republic - Michal Z’Darsky and Jakub Nabelek, who continue to hold the title of reigning world champions, having won the FIA ecoRally Cup for three consecutive years.

Securing silver, were Vice-Champions Guido Guerrini from San Marino and Artur Prusak from Poland, while this year’s furthest-travelled team, Kalin Dedikov and Antoaneta Dedikova from Bulgaria, placed third on the podium.

Congratulations to all the winners and participants for their outstanding dedication and skill throughout the rally.

Looking Ahead

This July’s ecoRally Scotland marked a significant milestone—the return of international rallying to Scotland after 14 years. We are proud to have played part in this exciting and landmark event and are looking forward to seeing ecoRally Scotland become an annual event in the motorsport calendar.

Testimonials

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Lorraine Kelly

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Dundee Taxis

"For over a decade, Dundee City Council has been committed to transforming transportation. Today, Dundee is one of the UK's leading EV cities, with 34% of fleet vehicles being electric. This is facilitated by an extensive network of electric vehicle charging hubs and infrastructure covering the city, and more recently, the incorporation of renewable energy solutions into city projects."

Dundee City Council

“The excellent charging infrastructure in Dundee makes running an electric car very easy. I often plug in to one of the chargers in town, pop to the shops and my Nissan Leaf is fully charged by the time I’m done. I can’t wait to use the charging hubs that are planned across the city.”

Elinor, Dundee

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“EVs have only 1% of the moving components, so they’re really reliable. There are EVs that have clocked up over 174,000 miles in three years and only needed a ball bearing replaced. Switching to an EV from a 70mpg hybrid and charging it at home has saved me £500 per year on fuel and maintenance alone.”

Euan, Dundee University graduate

“Our two electric vans have completely transformed our business. Not only have they helped reduced our running costs, but they are much better for the environment and work well with the stop start style of driving that we do on our free pick-up and delivery service. The move over to electric vehicles has been extremely easy due to the excellent facilities for charging in the local Dundee area. We are even considering adding a third electric vehicle to our fleet.”

Laundry On-Line

“Using the EVs with Co Wheels has been a game changer for me. I’m a new driver and it’s been amazing to have access to a range of EVs that I can hire on the spot. It’s also really good knowing that I’m being kind on the environment and that I’m not polluting the air. Using these vehicles has persuaded me to look into purchasing my own EV in the future."

Chloe, Co Wheels user

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From pioneering charging infrastructure to supporting community and council EV adoption, the city is setting a powerful example for others to follow."

Sustainable Dundee Network

“Dundee City Council shows time and time again its commitment to low carbon innovation.

Connected Energy has worked with the Council since 2016 to provide battery energy storage for the City’s charging hubs. The low carbon team at the Council push the boundaries and continuously strives to bring innovative thinking to its charging infrastructure.”

Matthew Lumsden, Connected Energy

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