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Irish Examiner
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
McErlean and Treacy endure setbacks in Acropolis Rally Greece to finish 12th
Not for the first time, it was all about survival as the Irish crew of Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy endured setbacks in the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, round seven of the WRC, where their passage through the seventeen demanding stages was far from free flowing as they strived to get a good rhythm. They eventually brought their Ford Puma Rally1 home in twelfth and the top M-Sport crew where they had to overcome punctures, suspension issues and a handbrake problem. With his first victory in over eight months Estonian Ott Tanak (Hyundai i20 N Rally) ended the dominance of Toyota in this season's World Rally Championship. For the second rally in succession Tanak was locked in combat with eight time WR champion Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) before finishing 32.8s ahead of the Frenchman. There was late drama when Tanak's Hyundai developed a gearbox problem but he managed the situation to give Hyundai its first WR win of the season. French driver Adrian Fourmaux (Hyundai) recovered from a broken suspension to secure third - his first podium finish since the opening round in Monte Carlo when he also finished in the same position. Tanak was in devastating form through Saturday's six stages where Ogier was the only driver to break the Estonian's dominance. Starting out with a 3s advantage, Tanak ended the day 43.6s clear of his nearest rival, who opted to keep out of trouble. French driver Fourmaux lost second place following an impact with a rock on SS 11 that damaged the rear suspension of his Hyundai. Although he lost over a minute and arrived at the stage finish with the tyre off the rim he was third overnight from Evans and Neuville. Kalle Rovanpera retired his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 when he lost brakes and went off the road on SS11 where his team mate Takamoto Katsuta beached his car on the same stage. Both re-joined under Super Rally McErlean's M-Sport team mate Grégoire Munster also had issues with the handbrake of his Ford Puma and was sixth overnight. Saturday's opening stage brought trouble for McErlean, who damaged the car's rear suspension after hitting a rock near the final corner of the stage. Along with co-driver Eoin Treacy they made some roadside repairs to stay in the event but incurred a road penalty (1m. 40s) when they arrived late for SS11. "It was a big job. Firstly it was my mistake, we ran wide and hit a rock. It broke the rear toe arm, it was a big job because the bolts were bent. The driveshaft was broken also, that's why we lost so much time. It's like back to my front wheel drive days." said McErlean. They lost more time on SS11 when they had to reverse at a hairpin due to the loss of the handbrake. Indeed, they had to complete the repeat loop with the same issue and were fifteenth overnight. At the end of the leg he said. "Before this rally I was trying to keep myself from using the handbrake too much, so it's good learning." Faster than Ogier through the opening two stages of the final leg Tanak added 6.3s to his lead, further to a comment from Ogier that the Estonian only knows one pace (flat out) he responded, "He hasn't seen the flat out mode yet. We are managing. Knowing Seb, we had to control this morning. This was the stage to attack and luckily he didn't. Where it was smooth I was pushing." Tanak went on to win but had a scare on the Power Stage (last stage) with a gearbox issue that saw Ogier take the extra ten points on offer for Sunday's leg and the Power Stage. McErlean began the final day with a solid run through SS14 and went on to finish twelfth. At the finish he said, "It took sheer determination from the team, because every service there was some job. Hopefully it gets a bit easier from here in Estonia and Finland." His team mate Munster retired with a fuel related issue. Irish driver Alex Denning and his SJM Theodore Racing team mate Macau's Charles Leong won the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia event in Fuji, Japan. From the fifth on the grid the Rathfarnham driver made a great start and was third at the first corner and into second by the end of the opening lap. Posting the fastest lap of the race on lap three he stayed in touch with the race leader before the safety car was deployed. Team mate Leong then hunted down the race leader, who was subsequently called to pitlane to serve a penalty as Leong went on to take the chequered flag for the team to make it four wins and two second place finishes from six starts for SJM Theodore Racing outfit as they top the championship standings. Meanwhile, French driver Stephane Lefebvre (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) took back-to-back wins in the Ypres Rally finishing 10.3s ahead of Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 Rally2) with Dutch driver Jos Verstappen (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) 13.6s further behind in third. EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (Round 7, World Rally Championship) Lamia: 1. O. Tanak/M. Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) 4h. 12m. 20.1s; 2. S. Ogier/V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+32.8s; 3. A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally)+2m. 37.0s; 4. E. Evans/M. Scott (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+3m. 31.1s; 5. T. Neuville/M. Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+6m. 09.5s; 6. O. Solberg/E. Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+10m. 34.7s; 7. G. Greensmith/J. Andersson (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+11m. 28.5s; 8.Y. Rossel/A. Dunand (Citroen C3 Rally2)+11m. 43.7s; 9. K. Kajetanowicz/M. Szczepaniak (Toyota GR Yaris Rally)+12m. 56.7s; 10. A. Cachón/B. Rozada (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+14m. 19.9s;11. M. Prokop/M. Ernst (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+34m.06s.12. J. McErlean/E. Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1)+16m 46.1s; World Rally Championship for Drivers' Standings (After Round 7): 1. E. Evans 150pts; 2. S. Ogier 141pts; 3. O. Tanak 138pts; 4. K. Rovanpera 119pts; 5. T. Neuville 96pts; T. Katsuta 64pts; 7. A. Fourmaux 61pts; 8. S. Pajari 32pts; 9. O. Solberg 19pts; =10. G. Munster 18pts & J. McErlean 18pts. World Rally Manufacturers' Championship Standings (After Round 7): 1. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 358pts; 2, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 293pts; 3. M-Sport Ford WRT 97pts; 4. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 57pts. Ardeca Ypres Rally, Ypres: 1.S. Lefebvre/X. Portier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) 2h. 01m. 50.5s; 2. H. Paddon/J. Hudson (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)+10.3s; 3. J. Verstappen/R. Jamoul (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+23.9; 4. D. Sordo/R. Saiz (Porsche 992 Rally GT)+30.2s; 5. D. Vanneste/D. Squedin (Citroen C3 Rally2)+1m. 31.4s; 6. C. Cherain/D. Withers (Porsche 992 Rally GT)+1m. 42.6s. Read More Austrian Grand Prix delayed after Carlos Sainz's car catches fire
Irish Examiner
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Discipline key for McErlean and Treacy in punishing Rally of Gods
Motorsport There's little, if any need for the Irish crew of Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy to look for inspiration as they set out on the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece today. Equally familiar as the "Rally of Gods", the 17th stage event that had its ceremonial start beneath the shadows of the Parthenon Thursday evening, is one of most gruelling events of the 14-round WR campaign. McErlean and Treacy already know the depth of the challenge as it's similar in many respects to Rally Italia Sardegna (previous round) where the Kilrea/Killeagh duo spent much of the time sweeping the roads onboard their M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 after re-joining under Super Rally. As he addressed that experience, he also hinted at future plans. "This year is all about growth. Sardinia was unfortunate for us, but at the same time, we were able to gain so much valuable information for the future - and this season is all about building the full toolkit. Everything we learn here helps us grow stronger for what lies ahead." On the Acropolis (the immediate future) he added, "It's another rally where survival matters. You have got to be smart, Sunday's final leg is longer than usual, so the rally keeps throwing challenges right to the finish.' The Greek terrain is unforgiving and punishing on tyres, allied to its high altitude and searing heat, it's as much a mental test as it is physical. McErlean (who finished eighth last year in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) concluded, "Our mindset is all about discipline, learning and managing the rally in the right way.' Over the years, M-Sport Ford has a strong record at the Acropolis with icons Carlos Sainz, the late Colin McRae, Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen all victorious. Along with McErlean, Gregoire Munster, Martins Sesks and Jourdan Serderidis complete this weekend's M-Sport quartet. Reigning WR champion Belgian Thierry Neuville won last year's edition where Hyundai Motorsport had a lock-out of the podium places. A repeat performance would certainly be a welcome boost as they bid to halt the Toyota dominance of both championships. Hyundai are 69 points behind in the Manufacturers' title while (Drivers' title) Estonia's Ott Tanak trails series leader Elfyn Evans by 25 points with Neuville 50 points from the summit. Neuville said, " My goal is to outscore my opponents, but I would like to build some momentum and return to the podium.' First off the start line, series leader Elfyn Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) will again have to sweep the loose gravel from the roads. A one-time 43 points lead is now 19 with team mates Sebastien Ogier (unbeaten on gravel this season) second and Kalle Rovanpera, a double Acropolis winner, one point further behind. The Junior WRC reaches the halfway mark with all nine crews in Hankook shod Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evos tackling the event including Donegal's Eamonn Kelly and his Monaghan co-driver Conor Mohan. Spain's Carlos Sainz (senior) has ended speculation with an announcement that, following "thoughtful reflection" he will not contest the FIA Presidential election later this year. Currently, Mohammed Ben Sulayem (current president) is unopposed for the election that is set to place at the FIA general assembly in Uzbekistan on December 12th. Motorsport Ireland has confirmed that its Motor Sport Council has refused an application from the Galway Motor Club to re-schedule the Galway Rally on September 21st next. The Galway International Rally remains postponed due to the Storm Éowyn last February. Motorsport Ireland has informed the Galway organisers of the council's decision and advised that "International" status are not awarded to one-day events. Given the already congested nature of the Irish motorsport calendar and the proximity of the 2025 Galway International Rally, it's unlikely that the event will be rescheduled. Meanwhile, following his third straight ITRC win of the season Derry's Callum Devine (66 pts) has increased his lead of the NAPA series to twenty points. Donegal trio David Kelly (46pts), Declan Boyle (40pts) and Michael Boyle (37points) have amassed their scores from all four rounds, Devine's total is from three events. In the co-drivers' championship (that will have a new champion) Patrick Walsh (58pts), Andy Hayes (46pts) and Darragh Mullen (43pts) are the current top trio.
Belfast Telegraph
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Josh McErlean opens up on the challenges he will face in his second crack at the ‘Rally of the Gods'
McErlean's maiden Rally1 campaign with new team-mate Eoin Treacy continues in Greece at an event that is notorious for its rough and narrow mountain tracks that are not only hard on cars but crews, too, due to the twisting stages limiting natural airflow into the cockpit. This is only the 25-year-old's second career start at the 'Rally of the Gods', although the experience gained from having to open the road and create a clean line for those following behind him on the second and third days of Rally Italia Sardegna at the start of this month should prove useful in his quest to equal — or better — his best result of 2025 so far — an eighth-place finish at May's Rally de Portugal. The Kilrea man was handed the indignity of road sweeping duties on the Mediterranean island as punishment for bowing out with suspension damage on only the second speed test and rejoining on the Saturday under Super Rally rules after M-Sport Ford mechanics worked their magic to correct his Puma Rally1. 'Sardinia was unfortunate for us, but at the same time, we were able to gain so much valuable information for the future, and this season is all about building the full toolkit,' said McErlean, who knows solid results between now and the final round in Saudi Arabia will go some way to helping him retain his M-Sport seat with Motorsport Ireland's support. 'Greece is another rally where survival matters because the roads are so abrasive, the temperatures inside the car can hit 50C, and you have got long loops with no mid-day service. You have got to be smart — and even Sunday's final leg is longer than usual at 62 miles — so this is one of those rallies that keep throwing challenges right to the finish. 'After the disappointment in Sardinia, I want to deliver a solid result for the team. 'They have worked incredibly hard — they deserve something to show for it. Our aim is to manage the conditions and hopefully come away with a strong, trouble-free rally.' Acropolis Rally Greece begins with a traditional ceremonial start beneath the Parthenon on Thursday afternoon before crews set off to tackle a Spectator Special Stage at 4.05pm UK time. A further 16 special stages totalling over 200 competitive miles will follow. McErlean will share garage space with M-Sport Ford team-mate Gregoire Munster who is making his fourth Acropolis Rally start, event debutant and Rally Poland winner Martins Sesks, and gentleman driver Jourdan Serderidis for whom this is the eighth time contesting his home round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Belfast Telegraph
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Opening the road at Rally Sardinia was ‘proper punishment' after mishap, admits Josh McErlean
McErlean ran wide during the 'Telti-Calangianus-Berchidda' test, causing significant damage to the left-rear corner of his Puma Rally1 including its damper and driveshaft. Incredibly, all three Puma cars came a cropper on the 11.5-mile stretch of road – Martins Sesks walked away from a roll, while Gregoire Munster suffered a similar fate to McErlean. M-Sport mechanics worked wonders to fix the Kilrea man's machine on Friday and have it ready for the following day, but the trade-off for rejoining under the 'Super Rally' rule meant the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member had to run first with co-driver Eoin Treacy. With more than six minutes of time penalties applied, adding to his points total on the sun-drenched island was always going to be a tall order. Instead, the 25-year-old used the seat time as an extended test for the Acropolis Rally on June 26-29. 'Running first on the road Saturday and Sunday following the mistake on Friday is proper punishment – I don't think anyone needs to shout at me, I fully understand why you can't make mistakes,' admitted McErlean. 'It was my first time running first on the road and opening a rally – any type of rally – so I have learned a lot from that, even on the Sunday when, second time over the stages, there were more ruts and surface changes. We can take some things forward into Greece. 'It was definitely a nasty rally. It was a shame because, I think on the Friday, we had the pace to have a strong day, but it was my mistake on the second stage, running wide and hitting the tree and taking the rear-left wheel off it. 'This weekend shows you that you need to have a good start to these rallies, especially if you are running further down the field. We knew that Sardinia would be a tough rally but, in actual fact, it turned out to be brutal.' Rally Sardinia was awash with drama that continued up until the closing Power Stage when an overshoot for leader and eventual winner Sebastien Ogier (Toyota Gazoo Racing) slashed his buffer over runner-up Ott Tanak (Hyundai Motorsport). The Frenchman held on to make it two victories on the bounce following his success at May's Rally de Portugal.
RTÉ News
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Josh McErlean relishing Sardinian WRC test
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean is in action at the Rally Italia Sardegna this weekend for round six of the World Rally Championship and determined to continue his upward trajectory behind the wheel of his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1. McErlean, who was a WRC2 driver, was a surprise choice to compete for the full M-Sport Ford World Rally Team this year. His chance though came when Frenchman Adrian Formaux quit the M-Sport team to move to Hyundai this season and the British team decided to go with a younger, less experienced three-driver line-up, which included Derryman McErlean. So far the Irish driver has been in the points, his best result a fine seventh place in the opening Monte Carlo Rally, while McErlean finished eighth in the last round in Portugal. The 25-year-old driver from Kilrea was M-Sport's top points scorer during the weekend in Portugal. That momentum will be key on the Italian island's punishing stages, which includes Micky's Jump as part of the Lerno–Su Filigosu stage, one of the most famous jumps in world rallying. Last year's event saw the the joint-closest WRC finish in history, when Ott Tanak beat Sebastien Ogier to victory by two-tenths of a second. The event is held on narrow gravel tracks, which cut through mountainous forests, pushing drivers and machinery to the limit. Sardinia's abrasive gravel also gives it one of the highest tyre-wear rates in the whole season. "Sardinia is one of the toughest rallies on the calendar, no question," said McErlean, who went on to finish fourth fastest in the shakedown. "There's no room for error here – it's narrow, rough, and can catch you out at any second. "But after the positive result in Portugal, I feel we're progressing in the right direction. "We're learning more about the Puma on gravel with every kilometre, and this weekend will be another big step for us." The event opens with a ceremonial start in Olbia before two loops on Friday through Gallura's gritty, technical stages. Saturday will provide the ultimate test, featuring the infamous Lerno–Su Filigosu test. Sunday's action rounds off with a mix of returning classics and a new power stage on the coast at Porto San Paolo. "You have to learn to love this rally, you can't fight it, or it will bite you back", added McErlean. "It's a real test for both car and crew, and that's exactly what makes it so rewarding. We had a positive run in Portugal, and the goal is to carry that rhythm into this weekend." Meanwhile, two days of motor racing action lie ahead for race fans at Mondello Park this weekend as the second round of the ICCR series approaches. The Siltex Safety Zetec Fiestas once again have the largest grids and with a win apiece so far in 2025, Sean McGovern and Alan Dawson will be keen to take the top step of the podium once again. Formula Ford returns to the Kildare venue ahead of the Historic Festival in August and despite a relatively small entry list, all the big FF1600 names are there. Jason Smyth and Morgan Quinn are looking forward to a return to Irish tarmac and, having taken plenty of wins between them across the water, won't be here to make up numbers. Stephen O'Connor is fast, if a touch erratic, but could spring a surprise against the younger opposition if the planets align. BOSS Ireland is back at Mondello too, and all eyes will be on Limerick's Paul Having done most of his racing abroad recently, he brings his 590bhp Dallara World Series to Mondello Park. He was have to tackle the nimble F3 cars of reigning champion Tony Greenan and Noel Robinson. It's a battle of the V8s in the HRCA Historics as Jackie Cochrane's 5.0 Sunbeam Tiger fights off the similarly powered Ginetta G10 of son-in-law Gareth Thompson.
