Croatia (WRC) - 22-25 Apr 21

Creighton “focused” on Junior World Rally Championship debut

Posted: April 20, 2021 8:02 AM

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member William Creighton will make his debut in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship next week at the season-opening Croatia Rally (22-25 April).

Creighton, 23 from Moira in Co. Down will go head-to-head against some of the fastest up and coming drivers in the world in a bid to take the coveted Junior WRC title and the opportunity to take the next step of the World Rally Championship ladder in 2022.

After an impressive performance at the Kowax Valašská Rally ValMez in the Czech Republic earlier this month which saw him take second in the RC4 class against a host of rapid locals, Creighton heads into his Junior WRC debut with a positive mindset, despite the pressures and unknowns of tackling his first round as a Junior WRC driver.

With regular co-driver Liam Regan alongside, the progressive youngster will contest five action-packed rounds, with all drivers piloting identical M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally4’s. With each crew in matching machinery, the focus is simply on talent and skill behind the wheel, with the fastest driver taking the spoils this season.

The winner of the prestigious series will receive a brand new M-Sport Fiesta Rally2, 200 free tyres from Pirelli and registration into the WRC3 category in 2022, seen as the next step on the WRC ladder of opportunity. But Creighton is taking a calm but focused approach to his season and the Croatia Rally.

“It would be really easy to get wrapped up in the pressure and excitement of doing your first-ever Junior World Rally Championship round, but there are so many unknowns on the opening rally, you could tie yourself in knots trying to predict what will happen and that’s just not healthy,” says Creighton.

“I’m really focused on the challenge ahead and I know that it will be very different to anything that I’ve done before but I believe I am as prepared as I can be and that in itself takes the pressure off the situation. I don’t underestimate how challenging this will be, it's the World Rally Championship - but I`m channeling all that energy into making sure we learn, adapt and ultimately get some important points on the board”.

Creighton headed to the Czech Republic in an Orsák Rally Sport run Fiesta Rally4 to gain valuable experience of the ultra-fast but varied closed asphalt roads. Despite being his first trip to the country and a new team, Creighton adapted perfectly to secure a handful of stage wins to secure second in class.

“It was a tremendous experience and Orsák were superb. Everything was very relaxed and it all just worked perfectly. But I`m very glad we went because it was a world away from anything I’ve competed on before so at least I have my eye in now. It was very valuable indeed”.

Creighton is eager to get the season underway but is realistic about his chances on the opening round of the season.

“It’s hard to know what our pace will be like against the other crews” he continues.

“But I really can’t let that bother me and I will certainly be doing my own thing for the first day and see where that puts us. Never before has finishing a rally been more important and with only four rounds to score on, I`ll certainly be balancing pace with risk. We will be finding our feet on day one and go from there. It’s a huge opportunity and I need to go out there and make the most of it. Once again thanks to the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and my sponsors Creightons, PRM Group, DGM Sport and Race and Rally”.

Rally Croatia offers over 300km of special stage spread across three days of action, centred around the event base in Zagreb.

You can follow his progress throughout his Junior World Rally Championship campaign this season by following him on his social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

FIA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP KICKSTARTS IN CROATIA

Posted: April 20, 2021 8:00 AM

The 2021 FIA Junior WRC Championship will see eight crews going head-to-head in a fierce fight on some of WRC’s most iconic gravel and asphalt roads. Croatia Rally, despite being an all-asphalt affair, is expected to test drivers of all abilities and experience thanks to an abundance of surface and elevation changes found on the 300 competitive kilometres offer.

This year’s Junior WRC drivers come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and experience. Crucially, they have all proved themselves as winners in Rally4 categories around the world on a variety of surfaces with many having already seen success in the Junior WRC. The 20th year of Junior WRC sees a true melting pot of young talents coming together to persuade the WRC service park that they have what it takes to follow in the footsteps of drivers such as Sebastien Loeb, Sebastien Ogier, Dani Sordo and Elfyn Evans.

Every crew will compete in identical M-Sport Poland-built Fiesta Rally4 machinery, using bespoke Wolf Lubricants, placing an emphasis on driver talent over set-up ability. The Ford Fiesta Rally4 is a proven Rally4 thoroughbred that has over 50 and 150 Rally4 category victories and podiums respectively – all coming in less than a year since its competitive debut in June 2020.

Crews are sure to be kept on their toes too when selecting their Pirelli tyres to equip their Ecoboost-powered Fiesta Rally4 cars with. There is a maximum allowance of 22 tyres (including shakedown) for the Junior WRC crews who can choose from an allocation of 18 Pirelli RA5 (hard), ten Pirelli RA7+ (soft) and eight Pirelli RWB (full wet). The tyre selection will be largely weather dependent but, even in dry conditions, tree-lined or elevated stage conditions could be vastly different to other stages within the same loop providing an exciting storyline to keep track of.

The stages on Croatia Rally should provide some fast-paced and close times with plenty of wide fourth and fifth gear corners balanced with narrow and tricky turns that are the equivalent of a rally driver’s tightrope walk, mis-step and it’s a long way back to service for an early bath.

Maciej Woda, FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager, said:
“We are starting a very special year for the FIA Junior WRC Championship with a hotly contested lineup, there really is no clear favourite for Croatia Rally or even the championship overall. Six out of eight of our starting lineup have previously scored points in Junior WRC with five of those drivers also having stage wins to their names too. Those that haven’t scored points in Junior WRC shouldn’t be ruled out by any means either. All the drivers coming into the championship this year have proved themselves successful in various international and national Rally4 championships. Looking more specifically at Croatia Rally, I actually wish I was behind the wheel for some of these stages. They look properly challenging and I think we’re going to see some really tight battles and close moments on more than one of them with our highly motivated and competitive drivers! I’d like to give a final mention and appreciation to WRC Promoter, FIA and Croatia Rally organisers for putting the event on, I know a lot of hard work has gone on and is going on to make sure Croatia Rally happens.”

45. Martins Sesks / Renars Francis
“The main aim is to enjoy every single second in the car because these kinds of moments are very difficult to find for young drivers. Even if we are able to compete in the rally, we should enjoy every moment. We want to show we are some of the fastest guys in Juniors and a big goal is to be able to progress to WRC2 and WRC in the future. I think a new rally like Croatia equalises the competition so it will be interesting to see what happens.”

46. Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen
“I think we did a really good job in the pre-event test, we found a really good setup for the car and I felt very comfortable. Our pace notes were working very well, and I am really looking forward to the season. We did well in some places last year, so we need to look forward and try to improve this year. I am aiming to push myself to the limits and we will see what happens.”

47. Raul Badiu / Rares Fetean
“If you look back at the calendar, I am in my third year but when you look at the events I have only done seven WRC rounds. It’s my last my year to be eligible for Junior WRC so I think it’s the right time to put my experience into the stages and start collecting results, not only experience. It’s very tough competition, the calendar isn’t looking so bad for us this year though. We are fighting a lot of Scandinavian and Baltic drivers who are very fast on their own territory and have previously had more rounds that they were favourites on. This year we have three asphalt rallies and I think I am more experienced on asphalt than gravel.”

48. Martin Koci / Petr Tesisnky
“To be in the WRC is the dream and the target, I’m not the youngest, but Junior WRC is the best way to get into the WRC and start the ladder. I am super happy to be here, I know my mission, the competition is high but I’m happy about that and coming in with a lot of respect for everybody. Normally I don’t like saying I am coming to win, but of course, we want to do as well as possible while enjoying and learning from mistakes in previous years.”

49. Jon Armstrong / Phil Hall
“It’s great to be back here, it feels like yesterday that we were in Sweden in 2020 having the same training day. I’m really looking forward to getting into recce, they look like great stages here in Croatia and I think recce is going to be crucial to having a good result in the rally. I can’t wait to get back in a rally car either as I haven’t had too much testing with the Fiesta Rally4 which is something I will need to get used to.”

50. William Creighton / Liam Regan
“It’s been a really good experience so far, I’m trying to take in as much as I can. This year is going to be about learning so soaking up as much as I can about what it’s like to be in a WRC Rally. I haven’t set myself any expectations in terms of specific events because I think as soon as you do that, and you don’t reach them you’ve got a problem.”

51. Lauri Joona / Ari Koponen
“I expect a good season and my experience of Rally Sweden is not enough to give me an idea on how the rest of the year will go. I think it’s good for that there are three asphalt rallies which is very difficult, but it helps with my learning. Nobody has experience of this rally, which is good for all, for asphalt need to make sure I’m sensible though. I know how the team works which helps, I need to get more details for sure which will help me be more competitive on asphalt.”

52. Robert Virves / Sander Pruul
“It’s nice to be here and nobody is here this year to get second place, I am here looking to win. The experience on asphalt for me isn’t high, we did two asphalt rallies in Italy as preparation which is all of my asphalt experience. Croatia doesn’t look like an easy rally and it will be a challenging, really fast and demanding rally.”

Hyundai Motorsport Preview: Round 3 – Croatia Rally

Posted: April 20, 2021 7:56 AM

Hyundai Motorsport heads to the third round of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Croatia Rally, on a mission for its second win of the season.

Making its WRC debut on April 22-25, Croatia Rally presents an all-new challenge for Hyundai Motorsport crews, who have no prior experience of the event. The first full tarmac rally of the year features 20 stages with a mix of smooth and uneven surfaces for the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC to tackle.

Boasting sections that are both fast and narrow, and with only two passes of each stage permitted ahead of the rally, crews will need to be on the front foot from the beginning to perfect their pace notes.

Hyundai Motorsport will be aiming to repeat its emphatic performance at February’s Arctic Rally Finland, in which Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja led from start to finish for the team’s first victory of the year. They were joined on the podium by Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe in third place – the duo’s second consecutive podium.

Both crews will return to the cockpits of the #8 and #11 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC cars respectively for Croatia Rally, along with Craig Breen/Paul Nagle (#42). All three crews have tested the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC on tarmac ahead of the event. As part of their preparations Tänak and Neuville competed in the WRC class of Rallye Sanremo, while Breen won the overall event with the Hyundai i20 R5.

After shakedown on Thursday, Croatia Rally will kick-off on Friday with crews attacking two loops of four stages south-west of the city, totalling 99.82km. The penultimate day of the rally features 121.92km of tests across eight stages, while Sunday will bring the event to a close with a further four stages north of the service park.

Team Principal Andrea Adamo said: “Arctic Rally Finland marked a return to the form we expect from ourselves as a team. Now we have to carry that momentum forward to Croatia and beyond. It is vital we perform consistently strong on all surfaces this year in order for us to defend our title once again, so we have to acclimatise quickly to these unknown stages and be on the pace from the start. We all need to give our best and work together towards our common goal: to fight at the front and take the lead of the championship standings.”

Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (#11 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Belgians have finished third in first two events of new partnership
Crew aiming to continue podium-finishing streak in Croatia

Neuville said: “I always look forward to tarmac events. This time it is a new one for everybody; none of us has been previously competed in Croatia. Also for the teams, we have no experience of these stages. It’s going to be a challenging event but I think everybody likes the fact that it is new. Because it is our first time at Croatia Rally, there is a lot of hard work for us to do as soon as we arrive to ensure we are as prepared as possible.”

Crew Notes: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (#8 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
#8 crew bounced back from difficult first event with an impressive victory
Estonians on a mission for strong tarmac performance

Tänak said: “I have never been to Croatia and I haven’t seen any footage, so currently it’s all new information. Hopefully it will be a proper event; I have heard that the roads should be good fun there. It seems that there will be a few tarmac events in the championship this year, so it is a surface we need to be strong on. We will aim to hit the ground running from the beginning and continue our positive momentum from Finland.”

Crew Notes: Craig Breen/Paul Nagle (#42 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)
Fourth place finish for crew in Finnish outing
Pair looking to apply learnings in second rally of 2021

Breen said: “Croatia brings the first tarmac round of the season and a new event for everybody. It’s honestly quite difficult to find any information about the rally, but it looks like it will be an interesting event, hopefully with some nice weather, and some stages in the mountains. I’m definitely really looking forward to my first proper event on tarmac with the Hyundai i20 WRC in the championship. It should be a nice event.”

Weekend at a Glance
After Thursday’s shakedown, Friday at Croatia Rally features two loops of four short tests: Rude - Plešivica (6.94km), Kostanjevac – Petruš Vrh (23.76km), Jaškovo – Mali Modruš Potok (10.10km), and Pe?urkovo Brdo – Mrežni?ki Novaki (9.11km).
Crews return to the area on Saturday for two runs of Mali Lipovec – Grdanjci (20.30km), Stojdraga – Gornja Vas (20.77km), Kraši? – Vrškovac (11.11km) and Vinski Vrh – Duga Resa (8.78km).
On Sunday’s schedule is two attempts of Bliznec – Pila (25.20km), the longest stage of the rally, and Zagorska Sela - Kumrovec (14.09km), with the latter forming the event’s Power Stage.

New roads await the Toyota Yaris WRC in Croatia

Posted: April 20, 2021 7:53 AM

The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team is ready to face a new challenge on round three of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship, the Croatia Rally (April 22-25). After Arctic Rally Finland, this will be another brand new event for the WRC, and is also set to be the first true asphalt rally – held without the winter conditions experienced on events like Rallye Monte-Carlo – since the 2019 season.

The team makes its first visit to Croatia leading both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ standings and aiming to continue its strong recent record on asphalt with the Toyota Yaris WRC. Twenty-year-old Kalle Rovanperä will arrive as the youngest ever leader of the WRC, while Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans are both just eight points behind their team-mate.

The Croatia Rally will be based in the capital city Zagreb and be run over a variety of different asphalt roads. A mixture of worn and smooth surfaces is expected, and while some sections will be fast and flowing, other parts will be more narrow and twisting.

After a shakedown close to Zagreb on Thursday morning, the rally will begin on Friday morning with the first of 20 stages totalling 300 competitive kilometres over three days. The first two days take place to the south-west of the city, each one consisting of two loops of four stages split by mid-day service. Sunday then takes the crews north for a final pair of tests, both to be run twice.

Takamoto Katsuta, who finished sixth on the opening two rounds of the season, will once again drive a fourth Yaris WRC as part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program.

Quotes:

Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“It is very interesting to be going to Croatia for the first time with the WRC, for what looks to be quite a fast asphalt rally. The surface appears to be generally quite abrasive but we understand that in some places it can also be very slippery, so it could be really challenging for the drivers. Normally the Yaris WRC has been very strong on asphalt, as we have seen in Monza and Monte Carlo recently, but we also know that we cannot take anything for granted and that we need to work hard to be successful. We have done six days of testing in Croatia, trying to use roads that are as similar as possible to what we are expecting to find on the rally. Of course, we know the car well now and it is not so easy to keep making big steps with the setup, so our main focus has been on how to get the best out of the new Pirelli tyres.”

Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia
Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“Croatia will be a new rally and I’m excited to still discover new things in this sport at this point in my career. It has been a long time since we had a full asphalt rally like this one, and the Yaris is a great car to drive on asphalt, so I’m sure it will be fun. From what I’ve seen so far, the roads could be quite challenging, maybe a bit dirty and narrow in places, so I’m sure there will be plenty of action ahead of us. The pre-event test was very important because we have new tyres this season and this was the first chance to drive the slick tyres on dry asphalt. I did a lot of runs, trying all of the the different combinations of tyres and trying to be ready to make the best choices during the rally.”

Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin
Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“Croatia is an all-new event so we don’t know exactly what to expect. We’ve been able to study videos of the stages to learn as much as we can, but nothing can substitute actually being there on the recce and seeing the route for real. The stages look quite mixed, with some wide fast parts and some very narrow bumpy parts, and there could be quite a lot of cutting. So it looks like we need to be quite adaptable to the different surfaces and different character of stages that we’ll face. We don’t have masses of experience with this car on dry asphalt or with the Pirelli tyres, so in testing we were trying quite a few different settings. But the feeling in the car was generally positive straight away from the first runs.”

Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen
Kalle Rovanperä (Driver car 69)
“I’m really happy with how the has season has started for me and hopefully we can carry on the same way. I’m not feeling any pressure even though I’m leading the championship: It’s only been two rallies and we have a long season ahead. For sure it’s nice to be in this position but we have to work hard to try to stay in the fight. I’m excited for Croatia: It will be the first time for me on a proper asphalt event with the Yaris, as so far I’ve only had events with winter conditions like Monza and Monte Carlo. I’m hoping that we can have dry weather like we did on the test. The stages look really nice, but if it’s raining, I think there will be a lot of mud on the road and that will be tricky.”

M-Sport - READY FOR ASPHALT ACTION

Posted: April 20, 2021 7:25 AM

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRCs will be let loose on pure asphalt next week as the FIA World Rally Championship ventures to Rally Croatia for a brand-new challenge.

Based in the vibrant city of Zagreb, the stages run through some of Croatia’s most beautiful countryside and will be new to all crews. Fast and narrow, the first pure-asphalt tests of the year will challenge the world’s best drivers with tricky crests and jumps; and the pre-event reconnaissance will be more important than ever – demanding full focus from the drivers as they note every detail in pursuit of the cleanest and fastest stage times.

In a weekend of debuts for the Cumbrian squad, Gus Greensmith and Adrien Fourmaux will take to the wheel of the Fiestas WRCs – Greensmith sitting alongside new co-driver Chris Patterson, and Fourmaux making his WRC debut behind the wheel of the top-specification Fiesta. Both crews will also benefit from the latest engine upgrade – boosting the confidence of the squad’s young drivers with increased power and performance.

In the WRC 2 category, Teemu Suninen will be joined by last year’s FIA Junior WRC Champion Tom Kristensson in a pair of EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta Rally2s. The Fiesta Rally3 will also be making its FIA World Rally Championship debut in the hands of Hungarian driver Zoltán Lászlónd, and the FIA Junior WRC Championship gets underway with eight identical EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta Rally4s prepared by M-Sport Poland.

Highlighting the continued popularity of the Blue Oval throughout all levels of competition, 41 percent of the entry will compete behind the wheel of Ford machinery representing almost all levels of M-Sport Ford’s Ladder of Opportunity – strengthening the team’s commitment to supporting the sport from grass-root to top-level rallying.

Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:

“It feels like a long time since we’ve been rallying, and I think everyone is looking forward to travelling to Rally Croatia. There’s something special about experiencing a new event for the first time, and next week will be no exception. I’m excited to see what the stages will be like, as I’m sure the drivers are too, and we’re all keen to get the season back underway with a positive result.

“Next week’s event will be a real rally of debuts for us – Gus benefitting from the experience of Chris Patterson in the co-driver’s seat and Adrien taking to the wheel of the Fiesta WRC for the first time at this level. We’ll also have the engine upgrade in both cars – producing more power at the top end and boosting the confidence of both drivers on a surface which they and we tend to perform well.

“We’re carrying out our pre-event test on location this weekend, and plan for Gus and Adrien to each complete a day and a half behind the wheel – getting familiar with the performance of Pirelli’s P Zero tyres and dialling the cars into the Croatian asphalt.

“It’s also good to have Teemu and Tom with us in WRC 2. We’re trying to support Teemu as much as we can with as many outings as possible, and we’re pleased to see Tom join the team after winning the FIA Junior WRC Championship last year. His progress is a great example of our Ladder of Opportunity, and it’s fantastic to see so many aspects of that initiative in action next week – something that’s only strengthened by the fact 41 percent of the entry will be behind the wheel of a Ford.”

GREENSMITH / PATTERSON
Joining forces with a new co-driver at next week’s Rally Croatia, Gus Greensmith will benefit from the knowledge and expertise of experienced navigator Chris Patterson. Learning from the Irishman, Greensmith aims to soak up those small details that only come with experience – invigorating his start to the season with a positive performance on a surface he and the Fiesta have historically enjoyed.

Gus Greensmith said:
“I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel and with Chris sitting alongside it feels like a completely fresh start to the season. I want to thank Elliott for the time we spent together. He’s a great co-driver and a good friend, but at this point in my career I can only benefit from the experience someone like Chris will bring to the car. It’s all about ironing out those small mistakes, and with his help I believe I can do that.

“We’ve already spent quite a few days together in the workshop and going through the pacenotes, but this weekend’s test will be our first time sitting together in the rally car. It will take some time to get used to one another, but he’s been great to work with so far and I can already see that experience coming to the fore with ideas and suggestions about what we can do to improve.

“Hopefully that will all come together for a strong result next week. I want to deliver a consistent performance with no mistakes, and I see no reason why we won’t be able to do that. We know that the Fiesta is a quick car on Tarmac which automatically gives you that extra bit of confidence, and the new engine will make a positive difference as well.”

FOURMAUX / JAMOUL
Making his WRC debut behind the wheel of the top-specification Fiesta, Adrien Fourmaux will be looking to make an impression as he and co-driver Renaud Jamoul embark on the next stage of their career at Rally Croatia. The Franco-Belgian pairing have driven the Fiesta WRC on asphalt before – securing victory on their debut at last year’s Rallylegend – but this will be their first time piloting a world rally car at the highest level of the sport.

Adrien Fourmaux said:
“I’m really excited to take this next step in my career and want to thank M-Sport and Red Bull for the opportunity; as well as the FFSA and all my partners, family and supporters – because without all of them I wouldn’t be here today!

“This won’t be my first time behind the wheel of the Fiesta WRC as we drove it at Rallylegend last year and also at the pre-event test for Arctic Rally – but this will be my first time driving against the world’s best drivers in the FIA World Rally Championship.

“There will be a lot to learn, but I’m really looking forward to it and will focus on gaining as much knowledge and experience as I can.

“We have a pre-event test this weekend to really get to grips with the car and dial into the Croatian roads which will be completely new to everyone. From what I’ve seen, the stages look really interesting – fast and narrow and quite technical in places. It’s going to be a big challenge, but one that I’m excited to experience.

“I’m looking forward to rallying on pure asphalt again and even more so behind the wheel of this car! I can’t wait to get started and am looking forward to seeing where we are and how we can improve throughout the weekend.”

SUNINEN / MARKKULA
Teemu Suninen will pilot an EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta Rally2 at next week’s Rally Croatia – he and co-driver Mikko Markkula going up against a competitive field in the WRC 2 category. With more and more top-flight drivers now contesting the FIA World Rally Championship’s premier support series, the young Finn will have some serious competition as he returns to a car he has not driven in the World Series since 2018, but his proven speed on asphalt should hold him in good stead.

Teemu Suninen said:
“It’s great to be competing at next week’s Rally Croatia. This event wasn’t on my calendar at the start of the year, and I want to thank Malcolm and Rich for finding a way for me to compete. The more time I get behind the wheel of any rally car the better, and I’m looking forward to experiencing this new event and discovering the Croatian stages.

“Of course the WRC 2 category is really competitive at the moment and I’ve not driven the Fiesta Rally2 in a really long time – but it’s all good experience and I’m looking forward to the challenge and what I hope will be a really good battle at the head of the field. It will also be good to rediscover a car without centre differential – so that I can be ready for any 2022 testing the team might need in the coming months.”

KRISTENSSON / ARHUSIANDER

The FIA Junior WRC Championship’s most recent champion will start the next stage of his career at Rally Croatia – Tom Kristensson taking to the wheel of his prize EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta Rally2 in the WRC 2 Championship. Going up against some of the biggest names in rallying the Swede will have much to learn, but is well-placed to do just that – learning from M-Sport’s experienced team of engineers whilst assessing his progress against the likes of rally-winners Andreas Mikkelsen and Mads Østberg.

Tom Kristensson said:
“I’m really excited to start this next stage of my career. This is such a fantastic opportunity for me and having worked so hard to be here I plan to make the most of every second. It was always my plan to drive my prize Ford Fiesta Rally2 in the FIA World Rally Championship, and to do that as part of M-Sport’s WRC 2 team is really special. There will be a lot to learn, but I’m in the best place to do that and really looking forward to our first event together.

“I want to be as ready as I can be so we’ve been pretty busy over the past couple of weeks with a fairly intense period of practice and preparation. I drove M-Sport Poland’s Ford Fiesta Rally3 at Rallye Sanremo last weekend, and then stayed in Italy for some pacenote practice with my gravel crew. We had also planned to test in Italy but when we got to the test road it was completely full of snow and had to make a quick change! We’re now going to try and test in Slovenia, before heading to Croatia for an official test with the M-Sport team.

“It’s been a busy few weeks, but hopefully all worth it and we’ll be able to make the most of the experience and show good progress throughout the weekend.”

Entry List

Posted: April 20, 2021 7:23 AM

Croatia (WRC) - 22-25 Apr 21 - ENTRY LIST

Breen/Nagle in Hyundai

Posted: April 2, 2021 6:56 PM

Rally Guide / Details / Event Website

Posted: April 2, 2021 6:54 PM

Rally Croatia (WRC)