Barbados’ homegrown motorsport prodigy Zane Maloney is set for a highly anticipated homecoming, with organizers officially confirming the 22-year-old Formula E competitor will line up for the 2025 edition of BCIC Rally Barbados, one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious annual motor racing events. This year’s tournament will run from May 29 to 31, spread across 19 challenging special stages, and features a stacked provisional entry list of 123 competing crews that already matches or is on track to surpass last year’s record participation.
Rally Director Neil Barnard made the announcement of Maloney’s return during a press briefing hosted at Bushy Park Circuit, noting that the young driver — currently competing full-time in the FIA Formula E World Championship for ABT Yamaha Lola — will pilot a Porsche 992 Rally GT for his home rally, alongside co-driver Luke Staffner. Maloney’s return marks a full-circle moment for the local racing star, who claimed his place in Barbadian rally history in 2022 when he became the youngest ever winner of the First Citizens King of the Hill, the tournament’s official seeding event, at just 18 years old behind the wheel of a Skoda Fabia Rally 2.
Maloney’s last appearance at Rally Barbados came in 2023, where he notched an early win by taking top honors at the opening Friday night Sol Super Special held at Bushy Park, but was forced to retire from the main race after a crash on the event’s second day. This year, Maloney will compete in both the King of the Hill seeding event — scheduled for May 24 at Stewart’s Hill in St. Philip — and the full three-day main rally, with backing from sponsors Rock Hard Cement, Bushy Park Barbados, MJT FBO, Stone Atelier, Flo and Maloney Racing.
The young Barbadian star will enter the race as one of the top contenders to dethrone the 2024 defending champions: Jamaican driver Kyle Gregg and Barbadian co-driver Kreigg Yearwood, who will return to defend their title in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Barnard highlighted that the 2025 iteration of Rally Barbados is shaping up to be one of the largest in the event’s decades-long history. Of the 123 registered crews, 29 are first-time competitors and 74 are based locally, putting the 2025 entry count on track to equal or even surpass 2024’s record of 126 entered teams. For spectators, Barnard promised a packed, action-packed schedule of racing, kicking off with the fan-favorite floodlit Ridara Super Special on opening Friday night, which will see two drivers compete side-by-side in reverse seeding order on a 2.5-kilometer purpose-built racing course.
Beyond the on-track action, event stakeholders emphasized the major economic and tourism impact of BCIC Rally Barbados for the island nation. Kamal Springer, Sports Manager at the Barbados Tourism Management Inc (BTMI), noted that the tournament has become a cornerstone of the country’s sports tourism strategy, helping to boost visitor numbers during the normally slower off-peak travel season that begins in late May.
“Last year, the event drew more than 600 international visitors to the island, and we’re on track to break that record this year,” Springer explained. “To see consistent, year-over-year growth for any event is remarkable, and we couldn’t ask for a better way to kick off the off-peak tourism season than this iconic local race.”
Alexandra Leacock, Branch Manager of title sponsor BCIC Barbados, echoed that sentiment, noting that the company’s backing of the event goes far beyond a standard corporate sponsorship. “For us, this is a long-term partnership with one of the Caribbean’s most legendary sporting events. Rally Barbados is deeply woven into Barbadian cultural identity: it brings entire communities together, generates excitement across the whole island, and showcases the energy, passion and national pride that Barbados is known for around the world,” Leacock said. “That connection means everything to us, and we are proud to continue supporting an event that means so much to so many Barbadians.”
Rodney Mayers, Area Manager at First Citizens Bank, sponsor of the King of the Hill seeding event, added that the race has evolved into a premier showcase of driving talent in the region. “King of the Hill has grown into a premier test of driver skill, discipline and resilience, which is exactly why our partnership with the event has endured for so long. We are proud to align ourselves with excellence, and to support an event that performs at the highest level year after year,” Mayers said.