Creighton or Ingram? Who will make BRC history?

William Creighton and Chris Ingram are the leading two contenders in the British Rally Championship

Just seven stages and 60 miles separate William Creighton and Chris Ingram from British Rally Championship glory.

Both Creighton and Ingram are bidding to win the biggest prize in British rallying for the first time at the Cambrian Rally.

Ingram won the European Championship in 2019 and, after stints competing in the World Rally Championship, is in his first full season back in the UK.

Creighton is the reigning Junior WRC champion and is a previous winner of the Junior BRC. Now his eyes are on the main prize.

Both men have tested themselves in the WRC, which is the pinnacle of the sport with the most advanced cars and best drivers, but are now looking for the biggest prize in British rallying.

BBC Sport takes a look at the leading two contenders.

The story of the season

William Creighton leads the standings with one round to go

It was a perfect start to the season for Briton Ingram and co-driver Alex Kihurani, who won the North West Stages Rally, and that was followed up by a third place at the Severn Valley Stages, which was won by Oisin Pryce.

In what would become a common theme in the season, Northern Ireland's Creighton was on hand to finish second on both occasions.

Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan were second again at the Jim Clark Rally in May, which was won by Keith Cronin, as Ingram crashed out while fighting at the front.

Ingram bounced back at the Grampian Forest Rally in August to win, capitalising on two punctures for Creighton.

The BRC merged with the European Championship at Rali Ceredigion in Wales, with the event split into two rounds. Ingram won the first leg, but crashed out early in the second run.

It was a role reversal for Creighton, who failed to score on the first leg before some teamwork with M-Sport's Jon Armstrong saw him take top honours and keep his hopes alive heading into the final round.

The best five results from the seven rounds of the season count towards the championship, which means although Creighton holds a one-point lead heading into the final round, Ingram knows a strong result will be enough to win the title.

Pryce and Cronin are also both still in contention but will need both Creighton and Ingram to hit trouble if they are to take top honours.

William Creighton - The unexpecting challenger

Consistency has been key for William Creighton in his title bid

Creighton won the Junior BRC title in 2021 and followed that up with a dramatic title in the Junior WRC in 2023.

After prior sporadic outings in WRC2 machinery (now Rally 2), Creighton finds himself fighting for a title in his first full season since stepping up to M-Sport Ford's more powerful machine.

He has dovetailed his commitments in the World Rally Championship, but it is on British soil where he has had the most success.

"It wasn't really the aim at the start of the year, this year was about learning the car and what it is like to compete with the drivers who have a lot more experience," said Creighton, who is also trying to secure the teams' championship for M-Sport.

"But now we're in this position and there is a chance to win a title, all of that is kind of forgotten about."

With dropped scores to be taken into consideration, Creighton's aims for the Cambrian Rally are clear: "We have to win the rally.

"Sometimes it's easier to know you have to go flat out.

"Chris is a quality driver. We've been fighting him all year so we know what we are up against.

"We are just focusing on our own rally, that's what we have been doing all year."

Creighton says he has not dreamt about winning the title but admits it would be "really special".

"When you are in the moment you are focused on doing the best job and trying to make it a reality," said the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy.

"We're not underestimating the challenge that lies ahead. To go and win any one of these rallies is very difficult, but we're well prepared."

Chris Ingram - The comeback king

Chris Ingram won the European Rally Championship in 2019

Ingram has the chance to make history as he looks to become the first man to win both the European and British Rally Championship titles.

Ingram was very much the underdog when he won the European Championship in 2019, as he competed against drivers with more finances and resources.

The 30-year-old has hit a financial roadblock on numerous occasions in the years since as he tried to progress in the World Rally Championship.

His 2024 British Rally Championship bid has highlighted what he can do when given a full season in competitive machinery, in which he has driven both a Volkswagen Polo and Toyota GR Yaris.

"We've had a really strong year, probably one of the strongest of my career. We've either won or been leading every rally," Ingram said.

"I've got nothing to lose. I've got to go for it. It would have been horrific if I had just needed to finish in the top three.

"It's easier going for the win than trying to manage your pace for a podium. It will probably be the same mindset for both of us."

After the stop-start nature of his career due to a limited budget, Ingram, who adds he now has a strong team around him, feels a British title would "mean more" than his European success.

"It would be very special. I've been on a fight back after my career was on hold for 18 months," he said.

"This year my performances have been so much stronger than when I was in the ERC when I was under so much pressure to just finish events.

"I couldn't afford to crash. This year I've been able to show world class speed."

Ingram has not hidden his desire to return to the world stage and says winning the British title "would be a very important step for me".

"Look at Adrien Fourmaux, he won the BRC last year and he's now at the very top of the WRC," said Ingram, who added his "ambitions are high".

"I know I can be there. It would be a big affirmation to me that we could go even further."