West Cork Rally latest: Armstrong and Byrne start an exciting year

Armstrong and Byrne start an exciting year in West Cork

European Rally Championship contenders Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne lead seven Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy members competing on this weekend’s West Cork Rally.

The opening round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship features 18 stages across three days of action in the Clonakilty countryside.

Armstrong makes his debut on the popular asphalt event, seeking to challenge a strong entry of Irish Tarmac regulars topped by Keith Cronin, Matt Edwards, and Josh Moffett. The 30-year-old announced last week that he will make his second ERC title bid this year with Byrne joining the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 set-up.

West Cork will be the duo’s first event together and Armstrong’s first rally in Ireland since 2019 when he finished fourth on the Galway International Rally and won the Down Rally. After a shakedown at Dovenby Hall earlier this week, M-Sport will bring Armstrong’s new Fiesta Rally2 to West Cork’s Irish Tarmac opener.

“The shakedown was a nice opportunity to introduce Shane [Byrne] to the M-Sport team,” commented Armstrong. “Hopefully that helps us hit the ground running this weekend.

“We need to find a good rhythm from the start in West Cork. The stages are quite fast so if you are hesitant at all it will cost you time. It gets the name of being one of the best rallies in Ireland with fast, committed stages so I am looking forward to it.

“It is really cool to be rallying in Ireland again and seeing all of the fans on Saint Patrick’s weekend. Hopefully, we can challenge at the front and build some momentum for the year ahead.”

In West Cork’s Rally4 field, Kyle McBride and Keelan Grogan are set to lock horns again after fighting for top positions on February’s East Riding Stages Rally.

McBride and co-driver Darragh Mullen topped the Junior British Rally Championship’s opening round, a perfect start to their latest campaign. Now, the Donegal driver’s attention turns to West Cork, the opening round of the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup.

The eight-round series includes the UK and Ireland’s leading asphalt and gravel events with a 75,000 euro prize package and ERC support for the eventual champions.

“I am excited to start the Stellantis Cup,” said McBride. “It was brilliant to start the year with a win in Junior BRC so hopefully we can build on that and bring the momentum to West Cork.