Armstrong – O’Sullivan split

Junior World Rally Championship frontrunner Jon Armstrong has praised his Killarney co-driver Noel O’Sullivan after the pair announced this week that they were going their separate ways after six years working together.

Entries for this year’s Junior World Rally Championship closed on Tuesday last week and Armstrong has placed an entry. However, the Northern Irish driver has nominated British co-driver Phil Hall for the season ahead which gets underway in Croatia later this month. 

Armstrong and Muckross man O’Sullivan first worked together in 2015 when they tackled the Northern Irish championship alongside some European championship events in a Peugeot 208. 

They made their World Rally Championship debut in Spain the same year. 

An extended Junior WRC programme the following season netted several international class wins and the junior title. 

Budget constraints meant they followed a  limited international programme in 2017 and they sat out 2018. 

A top ten finish in the 2019 Galway International Rally in 2019 was backed up with victory on the Down Rally. 

Last year the pair started the Junior world series in Sweden before COVID-19 took hold and put a stop to international travel. 

“It was great to work with Noel over the years as we both grew together from clubmen to winners at Word level. It was great to achieve those results and I will always have fond memories of those times,” said Armstrong. 

“Drivers and co-drivers [combinations] change a lot but I was proud to have a long-lasting relationship with Noel beside me.” 

O’Sullivan, who also started last year’s British Rally  Championship alongside Welsh driver Osian Pryce wished Armstrong the best for the season ahead. 

 “Jon and I had great success at home and abroad over the last number of years. 

We won and lost together. I wish him the very best of luck for the future,” he said. ”An end is only a beginning in disguise.”