M-Sport Ford World Rally Team wrapped up an encouraging weekend at Rally Finland, with its Rally1 crews of Josh McErlean, Grégoire Munster, and Mārtiņš Sesks all showing steady progression, improved pace, and impressive resilience across one of the fastest and most technical events on the WRC calendar.
McErlean, Sesks, and Munster finished the rally in seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively – a strong result that reflects their consistent pace and clean drives across the weekend.
Throughout the high-speed Finnish forests, the team delivered flashes of real competitiveness. Sesks impressed on Friday with a series of top-seven stage times, including sixth-fastest on SS7 – ahead of championship contenders Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans. Despite encountering an electrical issue later in the day, he managed the problem well to successfully reach the end of the day.
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crew Josh McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy continued to demonstrate their potential, frequently matching the pace of former Rally Finland winner Evans and even going quicker than him on SS4. Meanwhile, Munster and Louis Louka overcame early grip issues and a minor spin, settling into a confident rhythm and delivering promising split times through the afternoon loop.
Sesks, McErlean and Munster would round out the opening day in eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.
Saturday’s mixed conditions brought a fresh set of challenges. Heavy overnight rain and more technical stages tested the crews’ adaptability. A standout moment came on SS15 when fogging inside Sesks’ windscreen forced co-driver Renārs Francis into action — creatively clearing the screen with his foot whilst still strapped into his seat. The pair were ultimately forced to briefly stop mid-stage to solve the issue, dropping some time and slipping behind their teammates in the overall classification.
The afternoon loop featured the rutted and slippery SS17, which demanded precision and patience. Both McErlean and Munster managed the conditions well, showing consistency and gradually building confidence through the flat-out stages. Saturday would end now with McErlean in eighth, Munster in ninth and Sesks in tenth.
Sunday’s double run through the iconic Ouninpohja stage provided a fitting finale. All three M-Sport entries powered through the high-speed jumps and flowing roads, cheered on by passionate fans. Sesks set the seventh-fastest time on the Power Stage, finishing 5.5 seconds ahead of McErlean in eighth and gaining a position from Munster, who would pick up a slow puncture towards the end of the final stage.
Inheriting a position from Fourmaux, McErlean would ultimately take seventh overall at the end of the rally, with Sesks eighth and Munster ninth.
Josh McErlean, Seventh Overall, said:
“It’s been a crazy rally – honestly, it’s been one of the most enjoyable so far this season. Coming to Finland in a Rally1 car was always going to be something special, and to experience these conditions and these stages – especially Ouninpohja today – has been really nice. Finishing as the top M-Sport car and seventh overall is a great way to end the experience. I’m really looking forward now to a short break before heading to South America. A big thanks to the team and the
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