McErlean and Armstrong lead Irish attack on Rally Monte-Carlo’s WRC opener
- Admin
- 59 minutes ago
- 2 min read
All eyes will be on M-Sport’s Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy line-up for the opening round of the 2026 World Rally Championship, Rally Monte-Carlo, as Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne join Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy for a full WRC campaign with M-Sport.
The latest WRC season was launched on Saturday with M-Sport's Ford Puma Rally1 displayed in its Motorsport Ireland and Castrol-inspired livery.
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McErlean and Treacy completed their maiden Rally1 campaign last year and finished last year's Rally Monte-Carlo in seventh. Twelve months on from their Rally1 debut, they will look to continue improving and developing their WRC pace.
"To be back at Rally Monte-Carlo for the start of my second Rally1 season is incredibly special," said McErlean. "This event demands respect. It's one of the hardest rallies of the year, and starting the season here really sharpens your focus straight away."
“Monte is about judgement, patience, and adapting to what the road throws at you. It's never about being flat-out everywhere; it's about making the right calls, reading the conditions and committing when the moment is right."
This year, I feel more comfortable knowing what to expect from the stages, the tyres, and the overall rhythm of the rally.”
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Their new teammates, Armstrong and Byrne, have been promoted to Rally1 after a runner-up European Rally Championship finish in 2025. The academy crew narrowly missed out on the ERC title after winning rounds in Wales and Croatia in their M-Sport built and prepared Ford Fiesta Rally2.
"I am really looking forward to competing on my first Rally Monte-Carlo," said Armstrong.
"It is a dream event in itself, but to be starting it in a Rally1 car at the highest level makes it even more special. Monte is always such a demanding rally, especially with the weather, and while I wouldn't say I'm apprehensive, you're definitely going into the unknown, which is really what rallying is all about.
“The focus for us is just to enjoy it, get a good feeling with the car, and concentrate on what we can control."
Both crews had successful pre-event tests, preparing for the season-opener's iconic challenges.
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Meanwhile, County Tyrone co-driver Aaron Johnston renews his partnership with Japan's Takamoto Katsuta as they start another season with Toyota, aiming to build on strong results from last year.
James Fulton continues alongside Toyota Yaris Rally2 driver Yuki Yamamoto, starting fifth in a top-quality WRC2 field.
Wexford's Eamonn Boland makes his 21st start on Rally Monte-Carlo, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally2 alongside MJ Morrissey.
Rally Monte-Carlo kicks off on Thursday evening with the legendary Casino Square start in Monaco before crews tackle the demanding mix of dry, wet, icy, and snow-covered asphalt roads across 17 stages and 339 competitive kilometres, finishing on Sunday afternoon.
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