Planning pays off as delighted William Creighton toasts Grampian Forest Rally success
The former Junior World Rally Champion and Junior British Rally Champion laid the foundations for success by navigating the short Friday leg 16 seconds faster than anyone else before extending his advantage across Saturday's eight special stages to lead the main field home with 32.5 seconds in hand.
With his driving-mate Melvyn Evans losing valuable ground in Scotland by coming home third, beaten to the extra points by the Citroen C3 Rally2 of Max McRae — nephew of the late Colin McRae, and the grandson of sporting legend Jimmy — the result had added significance for Creighton's pursuit of the drivers' crown.
The result came against the backdrop of Creighton having to open the road for his Rally2 rivals and, in the process, sweep a cleaner, grippier line — yet despite this, he somehow still managed to find an extra gear on the fast, flowing forest roads around Banchory.
It was also a different outcome to 12 months ago when a frustrating run at the same meeting eventually ended in retirement for the 27-year-old from Moira.
'It feels amazing, we put a lot of preparation into this rally,' said Creighton, who now turns his attention to the closed roads of Rali Ceredigion in Wales, the penultimate round of the British Rally Championship.
'We have been working on the videos and working on the car to improve the driving and get the most out of this weekend and the final result has made that all worthwhile, so I am delighted.
'I want to thank Melvyn Evans Motorsport, the team of mechanics who have helped us prepare, all my sponsors and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and, of course, Liam as well because we have worked hard in the build-up to the Grampian.
'The win is fantastic and it is super points for the Championship, so I am just super, super happy with how the weekend has gone. It has gone a lot better than last year; we learned a lot and I think we have done well — it is great to achieve what we have.'
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Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Planning pays off as delighted William Creighton toasts Grampian Forest Rally success
Creighton delivered a masterclass on Friday and Saturday, recording fastest times on five of the 10 speed tests that made up the gravel fixture West of Aberdeen to secure a second victory of the campaign at the controls of his Melvyn Evans Motorsport-run Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. The former Junior World Rally Champion and Junior British Rally Champion laid the foundations for success by navigating the short Friday leg 16 seconds faster than anyone else before extending his advantage across Saturday's eight special stages to lead the main field home with 32.5 seconds in hand. With his driving-mate Melvyn Evans losing valuable ground in Scotland by coming home third, beaten to the extra points by the Citroen C3 Rally2 of Max McRae — nephew of the late Colin McRae, and the grandson of sporting legend Jimmy — the result had added significance for Creighton's pursuit of the drivers' crown. The result came against the backdrop of Creighton having to open the road for his Rally2 rivals and, in the process, sweep a cleaner, grippier line — yet despite this, he somehow still managed to find an extra gear on the fast, flowing forest roads around Banchory. It was also a different outcome to 12 months ago when a frustrating run at the same meeting eventually ended in retirement for the 27-year-old from Moira. 'It feels amazing, we put a lot of preparation into this rally,' said Creighton, who now turns his attention to the closed roads of Rali Ceredigion in Wales, the penultimate round of the British Rally Championship. 'We have been working on the videos and working on the car to improve the driving and get the most out of this weekend and the final result has made that all worthwhile, so I am delighted. 'I want to thank Melvyn Evans Motorsport, the team of mechanics who have helped us prepare, all my sponsors and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and, of course, Liam as well because we have worked hard in the build-up to the Grampian. 'The win is fantastic and it is super points for the Championship, so I am just super, super happy with how the weekend has gone. It has gone a lot better than last year; we learned a lot and I think we have done well — it is great to achieve what we have.'
Belfast Telegraph
7 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
William Creighton ready to pull out all the stops to secure Grampian Forest title
The UK competition makes its return after a short summer break, with Creighton and his Castrol MEM Rally team-mate Meirion Evans provisionally tied at the top of the standings. Creighton won the opening East Riding Stages in February and completed April's Carlisle Stages in second to keep his scoreboard ticking over before family commitments meant he had to sit out the Jim Clark Rally with Liam Regan and nominate it as a dropped score. Joining them on the Grampian entry list is round two winner Romet Jürgenson and former Scottish Rally champion Garry Pearson, with both using M-Sport's Ford Fiesta Rally2 car. 'We are all looking forward to the Grampian,' said Creighton, whose car – like every other on the entry list – will carry commemorative sun strips and decals in tribute to the late Dai Roberts, who succumbed to injuries sustained while competing on May's Jim Clark Rally. 'The rally has great stages that offer a bit of everything and, although this year's event will use a much different layout compared to last season, we have good experience with the characteristics of these roads, so that should help us.' Creighton banked some all-important seat time at the non-championship counting Nicky Grist Stages last month and held on to win the gravel fixture by less than three seconds having led it from the opening stage. In soaring temperatures that accelerated tyre wear, he recorded a second win of the season aboard his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 despite dropping more than 10 seconds on the deciding test to Evans. 'We have worked hard between events with the team, and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, to try and understand where we can improve,' revealed the 27-year-old Moira man. 'Events like the Nicky Grist Stages have helped us continue to learn how to get the most from the Yaris and develop my own performance on gravel. 'The competition in the British Rally Championship is incredibly tight, so it is all about fine margins. We will do everything we can to fight for another strong result at the Grampian this weekend.' Based in Banchory, the Grampian Forest Rally gets underway on Friday afternoon with the first of two stages, including a new Spectator Special, followed by a further eight on Saturday that will incorporate fast and flowing forest roads 15 miles west of Aberdeen.
Belfast Telegraph
28-07-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Josh McErlean outlines the keys to success as he braces to tackle Rally Finland challenge
After the opening seven rounds of the campaign – which McErlean is contesting with new co-driver Eoin Treacy – he is currently 12th in the overall standings on 14 points. McErlean's programme continues at Rally Finland where he is set to make his fourth appearance at the fastest WRC fixture and his first as a works-backed entrant. There is the expectation that the 26-year-old can build on his Rally Estonia performance from earlier in July; a mature approach rewarded with a third top-10 result of 2025. It was also the second time the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy Member outshone his more experienced driving mate Gregoire Munster since he kicked things off in January. Estonia's smooth, fast-flowing roads bear a close resemblance to Finland's, and having successfully overcome that challenge, McErlean is confident he can continue to improve. 'This is all part of the learning process, and Estonia gave us exactly what we needed – a clean rally, strong pace progression and something to build from,' he said. 'Now, for me, it is all about fine-tuning, pushing where we can and keeping that upward curve going. 'Finland is an event I have been looking forward to ever since we got the opportunity to compete at Rally1 level; it's a special feeling to be taking on Finland's roads in such a car. 'This weekend is about taking a step forward, trusting in ourselves, committing to the pace notes and starting to bring everything we have learnt together. The key will be confidence and rhythm. I'm ready to enjoy every moment of the ride through the forests.' Someone else who is expecting big things of McErlean, as well as Munster and the third Puma Rally1 of Martins Sesks, is M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal Rich Millener. 'Rally Finland is a legendary event, and while it is always a huge challenge, it's also a truly incredible opportunity for our young lineup to shine,' he said. 'Gregoire, Josh and Martins have all been consistently learning throughout the season, and Finland will test every aspect of their driving.' Rally Finland offers 190 miles of competitive action from Thursday onwards, with Saturday the longest leg of the event before crews turn their focus to Sunday's 'Ouninpohja' stage. As part of its refreshed itinerary for 2025, organisers have introduced various new speed tests, including 'Parkkola', 'Leustu', 'Paijala' and 'Vastila'.
