Jack Brennan is ready for the tarmac roads of Rally Islas Canarias
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Jack Brennan’s FIA European Rally Championship adventure continues this weekend on the.
The winner is contesting the European championship for the first time this year.
Rally Islas Canarias is the second round of the Junior championship and the first one of the season on closed tarmac roads. The rally is scheduled for May 2 to May 4.
He is on a steep learning curve but has already proved his capabilities at an international level having finished fifth in the Junior category on the gravel roads of Rally Hungary a few weeks ago.
Driving a Peugeot 208 Rally4, Brennan is the fourth seed for the Junior element of the rally, he is ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
“We are coming off the back of a very good Rally Hungary with a great result to top it off so the confidence is good going into the Canaries,” he said.
“But we also know what we have to do. We are going into this European tar and it is obviously a lot different from at home.”
“So we definitely will be taking our time yet again, it is a new surface, a new rally and lots of new things to learn.”
Brennan from Moincoin and his Enniscorthy-based co-driver John McGrath have called on the experience of fellow Motorsport Rally Academy drivers Jon Armstrong and Josh McErlean who have experience on this and similar events across Europe.
“I hear from a couple of people, the likes of Jon and Josh and they say that this is a very challenging rally, how long the corners are, the roads do not have many straights in them. It is going to be a very technical rally and an extremely hard recce but we are looking forward to it,” he added.
Logistically, it is one of the hardest rallies of the year for Brennan and his team to get to but the adventure is part of the rally too.
“It is a big trip over to the Canaries for the team but everyone is super prepared. The mindset and the goals are still the same. The aim is to finish and gain the seat time, gain the confidence, and learn more about the junior European championship,” said 19-year-old Brennan.
Their result in Hungary means they arrive in the Canaries holding fifth place in the Junior FIA European Rally Championship.
The rally, which is based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, begins with a short spectator stage on Thursday night ahead of two days of intense competition across a further 12 special stages.
After nearly 200 km of competition, the event will draw to a close around 6 pm local time on Saturday.
Jack Brennan Motorsport is supported by Ashgrove Transport | Slattery’s Peugeot Garage (Puckane, County Tipperary) | Ad Test Centre | Tom Gerathy Tyres | J Ryan Haulage | Long’s Autobody | Croke International Transport | Alan O’Riordan Motors | BoK Forklifts | Murphy Cars | Laffan Concrete Pumping | NCRS Motorsport Service | Kerry Motorsport News
Kerry Motorsport News 