06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
I'm confident but there's no room for error in Sardinia, admit Josh McErlean
McErlean led the M-Sport Ford charge in Portugal last month with an eighth-place finish to win his inter-team rivalry against more experienced team-mate Gregoire Munster.
The Kilrea man's decision not to tinker with the set-up of his car at service paid dividends as he ended the gruelling fixture 45 seconds up on the Luxembourgian.
It was the result McErlean had been craving following a disappointing end to the previous round on the Canary Islands, where an incorrect pace note contributed to a final day accident.
He is now aiming to maintain that upward trajectory in Sardinia where the abrasive gravel tracks cut through mountainous forests, meaning an inch-perfect approach is required.
'Sardinia is one of the toughest rallies on the calendar,' said the 25-year-old Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy-backed competitor. 'There's no room for error here. It is narrow, rough and can catch you out at any second but after the positive result in Portugal, I feel we are progressing in the right direction.'
Based in Olbia on the rugged northeastern coast of the Italian island, round six of the FIA World Rally Championship follows a traditional format: two loops of three stages on Friday and Saturday, followed by a slightly shorter day on Sunday that includes the Power Stage.
'You have to learn to love this rally, you can't fight it or it will bite you back,' explained McErlean who, last year, chalked up eight top-five stage times in WRC2.
'It is a test for both car and crew, that is what makes it so rewarding. To go against these guys, to match and beat them is a nice confidence boost — but you still have to stay modest and realistic.'.
