Latest news with #RallydePortugal
Belfast Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- 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.'
Belfast Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Familiar surface and surroundings just what I need to hit back in Portugal, says Josh McErlean
McErlean makes his fifth start in a M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 this week alongside Eoin Treacy, keen to bounce back from last month's disappointment on Rally Islas Canarias. The pair were forced to retire on the last day after an incorrect pace note meant McErlean carried too much speed into a tightening right-hander, hit an Armco barrier and bent the rear suspension. Afterwards, Team Principal Richard Millener offered a robust defence of his new-for-2025 signing, saying the 25-year-old fully deserved his opportunity to compete at the top level. At one of his favourite events, and on his preferred surface, McErlean is keen to repay that unanimous vote of public confidence with a solid finish on his fifth visit to Rally de Portugal. 'It feels incredible to be heading back to Rally Portugal,' he said. 'This rally means a lot to me. We had an amazing result here last year, and I have been itching to return event since. 'This time, doing it in a Rally1 Puma just makes it even more exciting. It also marks the beginning of the gravel season — and there is nowhere better to kick it off than in Portugal.' In readiness for the 24 stages and 215 miles that lie in store, McErlean completed a pre-event test last week with the British squad on a series of roads similar to the sandy, clay-based surface that is renowned for becoming more rocky and rutted on the second pass. 'Whilst I have done a few events over the years in Portugal, they are all in stark contrast to travelling over the stages in a Rally1 Puma,' he said. 'Our expectations remain realistic. 'We are still learning with every kilometre, but it is safe to say I have been looking forward to this one. The fans, the atmosphere, the roads — everything about Portugal is just mega.' M-Sport Ford will run a third car in Portugal, with McErlean's regular driving mate Gregoire Munster being joined by Latvian prospect Martins Sesks for the second of his six outings this year.
Belfast Telegraph
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
‘It was a crazy rally' – Kris Meeke overcomes conditions for third straight win in Portugal
Meeke was caught out by the muddy road conditions three miles into the last stage of the event to see his nine-second lead over Team Hyundai Portugal's Dani Sordo evaporate. Incredibly, moments after Sordo had inherited top spot, he gave the position back again when he punctured the left-rear wheel on his Team Hyundai Portugal-run i20 N Rally2. It meant Meeke's 13th career victory on Portuguese soil was achieved by a margin of 27.6 seconds over Sordo, with Armindo Araujo rounding out the podium spots in third. Prior to the mistake on 'Aboboreira 2', Meeke had worked hard to keep a determined Sordo at arm's length, with scratch times on six of the 10 gravel speed tests helping his cause. Once again, fellow former World Rally Championship driver Sordo was the main thorn in the Dungannon man's side, as the challenge of WRC2 frontrunner Yohan Rossel (Citroen C3 Rally2) failed to materialise, while Martins Sesks — who entered the gravel meeting as a warm-up for Rally de Portugal next weekend — retired his Ford Fiesta Rally2 on stage five. 'Three out of three in the Portuguese Championship is special and three-times a winner in d'Aboboreira is also pretty nice, but the circumstances here this weekend — especially the weather just before the final stage — was crazy with torrential rain leaving the stage full mud,' said Meeke. 'I made a mistake, I spun, and I had to reverse 150 metres up the road. 'When I got going again I knew that my overall advantage was gone. I tried to push as hard as I could, but in those conditions, it was so slippery — you just can't imagine how slippery it was. I was aquaplaning quite a lot and I would even say it was scary at times. 'I really tried and unfortunately for Dani he picked up a puncture halfway through, so we took the win after what I can only describe as a crazy rally. As a team we have a lot of work to do between now and Rally de Portugal, especially the Hankook tyre we will be using.' Despite the last-minute drama taking a little of the shine off Meeke's achievement, he still spoke highly of the professionalism of the organising Club Automovel de Amarante and the areas the route passed through, including Amarante, Marco de Canaveses, and Baião. 'I enjoyed the event a lot, honestly,' said Meeke. 'This region, I have always said it and I will say it again: this is one of my favourite places in the world to come and drive a rally car.'
