Elfyn Evans aims for Acropolis Rally victory in Greece
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Cambrian News
21-06-2025
- Cambrian News
Elfyn Evans aims for Acropolis Rally victory in Greece
The Acropolis runs earlier in the year this season, having been held in September since it returned to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2021, and the new date in the middle of summer brings the possibility of harsher conditions for cars, tyres and drivers.
Belfast Telegraph
06-06-2025
- 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.'.
Belfast Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Josh McErlean hails job well done at Rally de Portugal: ‘It's been a really nice weekend and we have loved every moment of it'
On his favourite round of the FIA World Rally Championship, McErlean comfortably came out on the right side of a weekend-long battle with team-mate Gregoire Munster in the British squad's second Puma. Remarkably, despite the notoriously rough nature of the competitive route, the 25-year-old reported no major problems with his car, with this boding well for the next round in Sardinia from June 5 to 8. 'Honestly, it has been a really nice weekend and we have loved every moment of it,' reflected McErlean, whose resilience was rewarded with four morale-boosting World Rally Championship points. 'It has been a crazy rally as always; it is so nice to come to the finish clean and with some good times as well. 'It has been a very long and demanding weekend for car and crew, and to finish as the first Puma home is really nice. 'We learned a lot with the car and the tyres, and we will look to bring that forward into the Sardinia test this Wednesday, so we are straight back into it – there is not time for much rest, really. 'We took an approach this weekend that we wouldn't do so much on changing the car set-up. 'The other two guys, Gregoire and Martins Sesks, did a lot, but we largely stayed as we were and it worked out.' Co-driven by Vincent Landais, Ogier completed the four-day gravel classic 8.7 seconds up on Hyundai's Ott Tänak, with double World Rally champion Kalle Rovanpera a further 3.5 seconds back in third. Meanwhile, Kris Meeke's hard luck story at Rally de Portugal continued into a third successive year as suspension failure brought his 100 per cent win record in the Portuguese Championship to an end. Despite an incorrect tyre choice for the opening loop of four stages and picking up a puncture on stage six, Meeke and Stuart Loudon in their Sports & You Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 looked nailed on for victory. However, the harsh nature of the Iberian gravel roads eventually told when the left-rear corner on the Japanese supermini collapsed a few kilometres from the end of Friday's final stage. Although they crawled through 'Sever-Albergaria', they were unable to complete the 62-mile road section back to the city of Porto, meaning they relinquished top spot to Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver Pedro Almeida. 'The Yaris was perfect again, and the proof of that was the lead we managed to create throughout the day, but this wasn't the finish we wanted,' said Meeke, who is back in action at Rali de Castelo Branco on the weekend of June 13 and 14. 'Rallies are just like that, unfortunately. We know that we have an excellent car and an excellent team – and we are going to come back strong in the next round.'
