McErlean makes World Rally Championship return in Portugal

McErlean in action on Rali Terras D'Aboboreira which he used as a warm up for Rally Portugal

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy team member Josh McErlean will enjoy his first FIA World Rally Championship event since ACI Rally Monza last December as he contests Vodafone Rally de Portugal in a PCRS Rallysport run Hyundai i20 R5.
 
McErlean, 21-years-old from Kilrea, Co.Derry will enter the WRC3 category of the event and heads to the tough, three-day gravel rally for the first time in his career in a bid to further enhance his experience on a variety of events and surfaces throughout the season. He will be joined by regular co-driver Keaton Williams for the WRC counter.
 
The Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior Driver has enjoyed an impressive run of form during the past month, contesting events on both sides of the Atlantic and securing his maiden podium position in the process.
 
Thanks to the efforts of the Team Ireland Motorsports Foundation and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, McErlean would head to the United States at the start of May to contest the high-profile Dirtfish Olympus Rally, going up against much more powerful open-class machinery and a star-studded entry list which included icons such as Ken Block and Travis Pastrana.
 
McErlean dominated the RC2 class and set an outright fastest time on his way to third overall on his American debut, before heading straight to Portugal to contest Rali Terras D'Aboboreira. In a tough event for the Irishman, McErlean would suffer from a lowly road position and the accompanying road conditions but still managed to secure a result just outside of the top ten.
 
Now, McErlean will put his Portuguese experience to good use as he is set to tackle the fourth round of the WRC tour, marking his first World Championship outing since taking seventh in WRC3 and 17th overall at the final round of the series in 2020.
 
“It’s no secret that we are still very eager to learn new rallies, new surfaces and get as much experience as we can under our belts this season and being able to contest WRC Portugal is a real privilege,” says McErlean.
 
“We are looking to push harder than we did last year and we have to use our heads, be smart and put all our knowledge from the past two events to good use. Olympus was a fast rally and it was great to be so competitive from the outset and I’m hugely greatful to Enda McCormack of McCormack Contracting for the car. D'Aboboreira highlighted how important it is to get bedded into such a unique surface. Coming back to the WRC will be a great marker for me to see how I`ve improved over the last six months in confidence and experience. I’m very eager to see how we get on against the regular WRC contenders”.
 
Rali Terras D'Aboboreira served as a testbed for McErlean’s WRC return.
 
“I’m very happy we headed to Portugal last week. Of course, we should have been in the Azores for the ERC but when that was pushed back everyone rallied around to make alternative plans and it’s pretty special to think we are now heading back to the WRC again.
 
“Whilst it wasn’t quite the same stages that we will experience at the end of the month, it has opened my eyes to the road surface changes and what to expect during the event, which is very important. I can’t thank all my supporters and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy enough for this opportunity and as always I hope I do them proud. This is a huge challenge that I am really looking forward to. I am putting everything into it”.