Ready to take your car off-road?
Register your interest and our team will be in touch to
match you with a club.
What is a Car Trial?
Taking place on private land, Car Trials usually cover challenging terrain, with steep hills, mud, or other obstacles. The courses are marked out with coloured markers, cones, or pylons, and the aim is to get from the start line to the finish line without stopping.
Speeds are low and there is no time limit, but momentum must be maintained in a forward motion in the direction of the course.
Planning your approach to each section is key, as is technique, but some Car Trials allow support from a bouncer – a passenger who can bounce the car up and down to help the car gain traction.
How to take part in a Car Trial
There are a number of clubs across the UK organising regular Car Trials that are open to newcomers. Events are run by local volunteers, with rules and regulations determined by Motorsport UK, the governing body, to provide safe, fair and fun competition.
To find a club or an event near you, or to volunteer to support your local Rallying events, register here and a member of our team will be in touch to match you with a StreetCar-accredited club.
Checklists
For a Car Trial, no special equipment or training is needed, though there are some regulations for the car that is entered.
You do not need a driving licence, provided someone else is driving the car to and from the event, as such drivers can be as young as 14. If the driver does not have a licence, they must be accompanied by a passenger who holds a full driver’s licence and has experience in Car Trials or Sporting Trials.
The car must have:
- Two-wheel drive only unless the Supplementary Regulations (rules for the specific event) allow four-wheel drive
- A non-torque biasing differential (i.e., limited slip differential is not allowed), unless the vehicle is restricted to running in a nominated class or formula
For diesel and petrol engines under 1500cc forced induction is permitted, provided the complete original induction system is unmodified apart from the replacement of the air filter element.
Please note, this is only a summary of key points. Your club will be able to provide further guidance.
You will need:
- A car that is compliant with the above regulations
- A Club membership
- Your entry fee
- A marker pen
- An RS Clubman licence from Motorsport UK
Subscribe to the StreetCar newsletter
Keep up to date with news, events, and stories from across the community.
"*" indicates required fields