Photos by Adam O’Brien and Sean Moriarty
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy members look ahead to Saturday in ERC Hungary
The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crews are ready for a demanding and challenging Rally Hungary
Three Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy drivers are preparing for two hot, demanding, and challenging days at Rally Hungary, the opening round of the FIA European Rally Championship.
The three-day event kicked off on Friday with a spectator-friendly Superspecial close to the historic town of Veszpfrem, about 10 km south of the country’s capital Budapest.
The bulk of the action will take place across the 12 remaining stages on Saturday and Sunday.
Looking ahead to the two days, the three crews have described the roads ahead containing everything from traditional fast-flowing gravel roads to conditions so rough they would not be out of place on the Safari Rally Kenya.
Leading the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy contingent after Friday night’s opening test is Jon Armstrong and Eoin Treacy.
The Fermanagh/ Cork crew are at the wheel of an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally 2 for the first time and hold 11th position overnight after the spectator test despite clouting a concrete barrier. It is a long day tomorrow!
“It is going to be very demanding,” said Armstrong ahead of Saturday’s loop of three stages each done twice.
“Each stage is very different, the first one is very smooth and a traditional type of stage, the second two are a lot rougher, there is a lot of bedrock there too, it would be easy to get a puncture or damage a suspension component.
Aoife Raftery and Jack Brennan make up a two-car Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy team that is entered in this year’s FIA Junior European Rally Championship.
Both drivers will compete in a pair of Peugeot 208 Rally4 cars with on-event support provided by Irish rally team PCRS Rallysport and in a unique moment of history for Irish motorsport they lined up side-by-side for the superspecial.
Raftery and co-driver Hannah McKillop hold the upper hand after Friday’s super special but a long and challenging day lies ahead tomorrow.
“It is a very different style of surface out here, “ said Raftery, “Stage two [Saturday’s opener} is a nice stage. I am looking forward to the rally, it is going to be challenging, but we are looking forward to what is ahead and planning to improve on our pace.”
Brennan and co-driver John McGrath made their FIA European Rally Championship debut on Friday night.
It will be one to forget after the car’s boot tailgate flung open on the start line.
He will reset for Saturday’s tests.
“The recce was demanding and challenging, a lot of surface change, it is going to be a long and challenging rally and our plan is to get through without making any mistakes and get to the finish.”
Action resumes around 10am local time on Saturday.
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