High-speed challenges await McErlean and Armstrong at Rally Estonia
Irish rally stars Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong are prepared to launch into the high-speed forests of Rally Estonia next week, following standout performances for the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team in Greece last month. The ninth round of the World Rally Championship, running from July 17th to 19th, will test crews with smooth, fast gravel roads and technical forest sections around the base of Tartu.
Exceeding average speeds of 120kph, the 18 special stages covering 301.80 competitive kilometres place a premium on complete trust between driver and co-driver over blind jumps and narrow tree-lined crests.
Derry’s Josh McErlean travels to the Baltic event buoyed by a career-best sixth-place overall finish at the Acropolis Rally Greece. Paired with co-driver Eoin Treacy in their Ford Puma Rally1, McErlean currently holds 12th position in the WRC standings and finished ninth in Estonia last year.
“Estonia is always one of the fastest and most enjoyable rallies of the season, so I’m really looking forward to getting back out there,” McErlean said. “Greece gave us a solid platform to build from, and the aim now is to carry that momentum into Estonia. I really enjoy these types of events, so hopefully we can keep improving and come away with another strong result.”
Fermanagh’s Jon Armstrong also enters the weekend with high confidence after claiming his maiden WRC stage win in Greece on his way to eighth overall. Sitting 13th in the championship standings, Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne will sample Rally1 machinery at Estonian speeds for the first time. Armstrong holds previous experience on these roads, having competed here twice in the Junior WRC and securing a sixth-place finish during the 2024 European Rally Championship round.
“I’m looking forward to going back to Estonia,” Armstrong said. “The stages are completely flat out and the style of the surface is generally nicer for me as it’s a bit more sandy. It’s a good way to kick off the summer of speed in a Rally1 car.”
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal Richard Millener noted that after the punishing conditions in Greece, Estonia will offer a completely different challenge for his drivers as they look to build on their recent momentum. Shakedown begins on Friday morning, July 17th, ahead of a compact and intense weekend schedule.
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