RAC Rally of the Tests 2025 Concludes with King and Vokes Winning against all Odds

The 2025 RAC Rally of the Tests (RoTT) concluded after the three and a half gruelling days covering 720 miles, 30 tests and 22 regularities in Llandudno. In the dramatic turn of events, John King and Matthew Vokes emerged as winners against all odds in their Lotus Elan Plus Two. This was their first major win and a remarkable achievement in one of the toughest classic rallying events of the season. At the start of the rally, the Lotus wasn’t seen as a strong contender because of its lightweight and fragile build, which seemed a bad choice for the demanding tracks, forest stages, and rough tarmac ahead.

King and Vokes both showed great composure throughout the event and maintained a gap of more than a minute with the eventual runners-up, Paul Dyas and Martyn Taylor. They finished in second place in their number 27 Lotus-engined Ford Cortina. It was a very tough competition with the Belgian crew of Kurt Vanderspinnen and Bjorn Vanoverschelde for the runner-up spot. They were also sitting in another Lotus Cortina and finished in the close third position. At one point on the final day, they had a difference of only one second, razor-thin margins, and very tough competition. 

A Win Against the Odds

Speaking of the winner, John King, he looked very emotional and visibly overwhelmed while celebrating his win on the Llandudno Promenade. He explained that he and Vokes had bought the Lotus specifically for this event and made some refinements to it throughout the year. Many people doubted the durability of the car, but it stood firm through every pounding mile. King credited his navigator, Matthew Vokes, for his precision and calm under pressure. Also mentioning that the competition in this class demands very much consistency and focus, and winning this rally felt surreal to him.

Vokes was also greatly overwhelmed by the win after finishing in second place twice in the previous years with another driver. He described victory as “the one everyone wants to win,” and he is yet to process his victory. He praised both his driver’s performance and the quality of the competition, particularly the sportsmanship among rival crews.

Speaking of the future plans, he said that he is planning to compete in the Flying Scotsman next year and prepare for the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge in 2028 with an 89-year-old Dodge.

The Runners-Up: Close But Not Quite

Paul Dyas and Martyn Taylor got second place after finishing runner-up to three-time winners Dan Willan and Niall Frost in previous editions. They described their final day’s “nip and tuck” battle with the Belgians as exhilarating. They pushed harder than ever and took calculated risks during runs to shave seconds off their times.

Taylor said that the rally requires a mix of endurance, skill, and adaptability, and praised Clerk of the Course Guy Woodcock for creating a route that combines every kind of surface and condition imaginable—mountain passes, gravel tracks, narrow farm lanes, and slick tarmac. It was both punishing and rewarding at the same time. Their Cortina performed flawlessly with minimal oil top-ups during the rally. While joking, he said that he had bet against King’s Lotus surviving the event and called the victory a fairytale ending” for his rivals. 

Third Place with Honour

Kurt Vanderspinnen and Bjorn Vanoverschelde secured third place in their iconic green-striped Lotus Cortina. This car carries the rallying heritage of Colin Chapman’s designs of the 1960s Lotus. They narrowly missed second place due to an unfortunate time loss when they were delayed behind a van during a regularity section. According to Bjorn, this 15-second time loss costed them dearly, and praised the atmosphere and camaraderie of the event.

Rising Stars and Special Awards

Miles Fieldhouse, recipient of the Bob Rutherford Scholarship, showed an amazing performance and won the Best Newcomer Driver Award. He was navigating for Martyn Payton in his Volvo PV544 and finished fourth overall in the rally. His co-driver, Payton, also praised him for his maturity and precision. 

Preserving the Spirit of Classic Rallying

The Woodcock, the Competition Director at HERO-ERA, and the HERO-ERA team together are contributing to uphold the ethos of classic rallying by using real roads for the race track and emphasizing on teamwork in place of technology, and celebrating history together.
He praised the team’s dedication and the community’s enthusiasm for completing 13 rallies at over 100 plus rally days. In the end, he concluded by stating that the 2025 RoTT’s success has set the stage for the upcoming 2026, when Llandudno will host the start

Legacy of the 2025 Rally of the Tests

The 2025 edition of the RAC Rally of the Tests will be remembered for its tradition, competition, and unpredictability among rally enthusiasts. It gave us the chance to celebrate the resilience of classic cars, the skill of navigators, and the passion of those keeping rally history alive. The race was a great achievement for the Lotus brand too, when its three cars stood firm on the podium, reflecting the essence of the 1960s.

It was a dream come true for John King and Matthew Vokes, who fought very hard for the victory and turned skeptics into believers. This race showed us why the RAC Rally of the Tests is the crown jewel of historic rallying.