Irish crews stun with world-class pace at Acropolis Rally Greece despite set backs
The two Irish drivers truly came of age in Greece last weekend, delivering arguably the best performances of their World Rally Championship careers on the brutal gravel stages of the Acropolis Rally.
Josh McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy secured a stunning, hard-earned fourth place overall in their M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1. The result came despite immense pressure and late drama, including a broken front-right damper on Saturday that required a gritty roadside repair. Even a brief slide into a ditch on Sunday morning could not stop their charge. A late time penalty for a safety belt infringement did not detract from McErlean’s overall performance, especially given how deep he had to go on Sunday to keep the chasing pack at bay to clinch the position.
Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne also showed they belong at the absolute top of the sport. Armstrong secured a monumental milestone on Friday, trading times with the sport’s elite to claim his maiden WRC stage win at WRC1 level on SS5, launching himself onto the provisional podium. Although a subsequent turbo issue and punctures forced a heartbreaking temporary retirement, he returned to fight through the field to finish 20th overall while gaining vital experience.
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