Organizers have officially locked in dates for the 37th edition of Rally Barbados, one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious and economically impactful annual motorsport events, confirming the main rally will run from June 4 to 8, 2025. Ahead of the main competition, the Barbados Rally Club has also scheduled preliminary events: the popular Auto & Rally Show and the traditional King of the Hill seeding and shakedown test will take place May 29 to 30, 2025, pending final formal approval from the Barbados Motoring Federation.
Competitor registration for the BCIC-sponsored 2025 Rally Barbados will open online Monday, October 14, 2024, and the entry window will close at midnight on March 1, 2025. Over its first three years of title sponsorship from BCIC, the event has shattered multiple participation and engagement records. In 2024 alone, a historic 121 competing cars lined up at the starting line, marking the largest field in event history. That year also brought measurable growth across every key metric: increased spectator turnout, higher international visitor numbers, and expanded global media coverage compared to previous editions.
Event director Neil Barnard emphasized that the consistent growth in competitor entries is not just a reflection of rising international interest in the event, but also signals a strong evolution of Barbados’ domestic motorsport scene. “Island rallying is in astonishingly good health,” Barnard explained. “Entry numbers for our national championships are at all-time record levels, and we’ve seen steady improvements in both driving standards and vehicle preparation. That has translated to a far higher percentage of starting crews successfully finishing the rally than in years past.”
The 2024 Rally Barbados delivered no shortage of dramatic on-track action for fans. Local Barbadian crew Stuart Maloney and co-driver Kristian Yearwood claimed their second event victory in three years behind the wheel of a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. Second place went to Jamaica’s Kyle Gregg and co-driver Kreigg Yearwood, Kristian’s brother, who piloted a Ford Fiesta Rally2 to the runner-up spot. Rounding out the overall podium was Maloney’s brother Mark and nephew Justin, also driving a Skoda Fabia. In the two-wheel-drive classification, local racer Barry Mayers extended his own all-time record to seven class victories, finishing 11th overall alongside co-driver Moishe Steinbok in their rear-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta.
Rally Barbados traces its origins back to the 1990 International All-Stage Rally, and over more than three decades has grown from a small regional competition into the largest annual international motorsport event in the entire Caribbean. Beyond its on-track excitement, the event delivers substantial long-term economic benefits to Barbados. According to official event press materials, Rally Barbados consistently generates more than BDS$4 million in direct economic activity each year, much of it in the form of valuable foreign exchange. The event also fills a key gap in Barbados’ tourism calendar, accounting for nearly 5,000 visitor nights during a period that is traditionally slow for the island’s tourism sector.
To date, Rally Barbados has hosted almost 650 competing drivers from 32 countries around the world, with these participants making roughly 1,600 total visits to the island. Many competitors bring with them friends, family members, and support crews, multiplying the event’s positive impact on local hospitality and tourism businesses. While most international participants still hail from the United Kingdom and Ireland, the event has increasingly drawn competitors from far-flung corners of the globe, including Japan, Kenya, and New Zealand, cementing its reputation as a truly international motorsport destination.