The two Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crews who contested Rally Hungary at the weekend both ended up on the leaderboard at the finish tonight, with Callum Devine and James Fulton in seventh place and Josh McErlean and Keaton Williams eleventh, both driving Hyundai i20s.
After Saturday’s nine stages, Devine held eighth position overall, with McErlean eleventh, and Devine managed to gain one place yesterday despite losing time with a puncture and several overshoots. His teammate held station, on an impressive debut at European Rally Championship level, in the fourth of six ERC rounds planned for the disrupted season.
Teenager Oliver Solberg of Sweden and his Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston also battled in the top four placings on the opening day, but suffered a disastrous puncture on their Skoda Fabia, dropping to ninth place overnight, but recovering to fourth by the finish.
Norwegians Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Floene dominated the rally in their Fabia, leading from start to finish with the exception of the short, spectator superspecial stage, completing the 16 stages a clear 92 seconds ahead of the Hyundai of Gregoire Munster and Louis Louka.
Waterford’s Craig Breen and his Killarney co-driver Paul Nagle held second place after the opening day in their MRF Tyres Hyundai, 24 seconds behind the eventual winners, but technical problems forced them to retire with four stages remaining.