MID Wales dominates the 2018 calendar of the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship.

Five of the nine rallies will take place in Mid Wales with organisers confirming the inclusion of the popular Mid Wales Stages stages following a 12 month absence.

The championship begins with the Cambrian Rally in Llandudno on February 19 before the return of the Newtown based Grooms Garage Mid Wales Stages on March 4

The Dolgellau based Rally North Wales forms the third round on March 28 before the championship heads to Builth Wells for the Rallynuts Stages on April 14.

Welshpool’s Plains Rally will be held on May 12 before the New Red Kite Stages in Neath on June 24.

The Builth Wells based Nicky Grist Stages revert to their popular one day format on July 14 before the penultimate round, the Ludlow based Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages Rally.

The season will be rounded off with the Wyedean Stages, the only opportunity of the year for crews to experience the stages in the Forest of Dean.

Organiser Dave Evison said: “I know that  all our championship contenders will be delighted to see the Mid Wales Stages back in, while the revamped Red Kite will give them the chance to tackle a great new set of stages.

“The championship will take crews to many of the finest forest stages in the country.

“All the forest stages belonging to Natural Resources Wales will have been prepared by Rally4Wales so I am confident that competitors will find the roads in prime condition.”