The 2025 UK rallying season reached its climax in emphatic style as the Tegiwa Donington Rally returned to the historic Donington Park circuit on Sunday 30 November. Organised by the experienced and highly regarded Dukeries Motor Club, the event once again showcased the unique spectacle of full-blooded stage rallying on one of Britain’s most versatile race circuits.
With 50 competitive miles spread across six stages — including infield gravel sections, service access roads and the rare novelty of running the iconic GP loop in reverse — the rally has become a firm favourite on the Circuit Rally Championship calendar. This year’s edition was no exception, attracting a full-capacity entry of 100 cars ranging from flame-spitting Escorts to state-of-the-art Rally2 machinery.
From the opening of the paddock gates, spectators were treated to an immersive rally festival atmosphere. Crews wrenched, refuelled and re-prepped in full view of the public, who were free to wander among the machinery, chat to drivers and witness the buzz, stress and adrenaline of a live rally environment. For many fans, Donington remains one of the few places where the professional and grassroots ends of the sport rub shoulders so closely.
O’Donovan Opens With Force
Under crisp blue skies, but on a surface still damp from overnight moisture, the opening stage promised drama — and Patrick O’Donovan delivered it first. The three-time British Rallycross Champion, paired initially with Owen Paterson, attacked the course immediately, using the Hyundai i20 R5’s agility to dance through tyre chicanes and blast across the slippery infield.
His reward: a blistering benchmark eight seconds faster than the Skoda Fabia R5 of John Griffiths and Emma Morrison, with Darbyshire/Kendall’s Fiesta R5 a further nine seconds behind. It was the kind of commanding early performance that suggested O’Donovan intended to dominate the day.
But behind him, chaos was already brewing among Griffiths’ championship rivals.
Both Michael Igoe/Will Atkins and John Stone/Harry Walshaw fell foul of the tightening chicanes, earning 30-second penalties after minor but costly contact. Even an experienced competitor like Stone wasn’t immune to the conditions.
“We just slid past it, barely touching it,” Stone said afterwards. “It was so greasy though — just no grip.”
With early mistakes reshuffling the contenders, the Quigley brothers, Mark Gellatly, and Alfie Threlfall all seized the opportunity to climb up the order, setting the stage for an unpredictable day.
Dramatic Turn: O’Donovan Crashes, Griffiths Takes Command
The rally’s turning point came swiftly and brutally. Despite his early dominance, O’Donovan’s charge unravelled when the Hyundai left the road, bringing his leading run to an abrupt halt. Although he and new co-driver James Constantine were able to continue, the time and momentum lost proved fatal to his victory hopes.
Griffiths, seizing the initiative, drove with a blend of calmness and calculation that set him apart from the field. While others slid wide or clipped markers, his Fabia R5 seemed almost glued to the circuit — fast where necessary, measured where wise. Over the final stages, he steadily built a winning buffer that would prove unassailable.
The Quigley brothers delivered one of their strongest performances of the season to secure a well-earned podium, while Darbyshire, Stone and Threlfall staged spirited fights of their own behind the leading trio.
By the time the final stage closed, just 82 of the 100 starters remained — a testament to Donington’s deceptive difficulty.
Tegiwa Donington Rally 2025 — Top 10 Results
| Position | Driver / Co-Driver | Car | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Griffiths / Emma Morrison | Skoda Fabia R5 | 48m52s | — |
| 2 | Patrick O'Donovan / James Constantine | Hyundai i20 R5 | 48m59s | +7s |
| 3 | Sean Quigley / Colin Quigley | Ford Fiesta Rally2 | 49m55s | +1m03s |
| 4 | Jack Darbyshire / Matthew Kendall | Ford Fiesta R5 | 49m56s | +1m04s |
| 5 | John Stone / Harry Walshaw | VW Polo GTI R5 | 50m15s | +1m23s |
| 6 | Alfie Threlfall / Patrick Cross | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X | 51m12s | +2m20s |
| 7 | Mark Gellatly / Harriet Worth | Citroën C3 Rally2 | 51m20s | +2m28s |
| 8 | Ollie O’Donovan / Ashleigh Morris | Hyundai i20 R5 | 52m54s | +4m02s |
| 9 | Bradley Carroll / Gareth Short | Ford Escort Mk2 | 53m01s | +4m09s |
| 10 | Steve Hill / Hal Ridge | Mitsubishi Lancer E6 | 53m20s | +4m28s |
A Perfect End to the Rallying Year
With the paddock still buzzing as daylight faded, the 2025 Tegiwa Donington Rally once again proved why it’s considered one of the crown jewels of the winter rally calendar. It offered high stakes, high skill, and high drama — everything fans could want from a season finale.
For Griffiths and Morrison, it was a day of seizing the moment.
For O’Donovan, a reminder that raw speed can be both a gift and a gamble.
For the crowd, a full day of sideways artistry from some of Britain’s best.
A fitting conclusion to another unforgettable year of UK rallying.
