McErlean/Treacy set for Rally1 debut at Rallye Monte Carlo
Posted: January 22, 2025 8:18 AM
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean embarks on the next step of his rallying career as he debuts in the topflight of the FIA World Rally Championship next week at Rallye Monte Carlo [23-26 January].
The 25-year-old from Kilrea will make his highly anticipated inaugural outing behind the wheel of an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1, joining the factory squad on the first of 14 rounds in the prestigious WRC calendar.
Marking a significant step in his burgeoning motorsport career, McErlean will battle with the best drivers in the world across some of the toughest landscapes and most challenging conditions in each corner of the globe, starting with the iconic Monaco-based event.
Teaming up with Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy co-driver Eoin Treacy for the season ahead, the duo will face their toughest challenge yet, with the unpredictable road conditions and weather adding to the already difficult task ahead in the ribbon of roads across the French Alps.
One of the oldest events in the motorsport calendar, the legendary event is steeped in history. Adding to its symbolic nature and with stages that wind across historic tests, such as the Col de Turini, ‘Monte’ is a dramatic backdrop to start the season with the four-day gruelling rally.
Having contested the event previously in 2023, McErlean is familiar with the requirements needed to conquer this unique challenge, but he is equally conscious of the heightened difficulty that comes with making his Rally1 debut on the roads of Rallye Monte Carlo.
“Since we launched our plans for the season, it’s been a real whirlwind. Of course, we have been ensuring we are as prepared as possible for the amazing challenge we are facing; it’s a very nice position to be in,” explains McErlean.
“But this is just the beginning for us and the start of a long season. So, we are approaching this like any other rally and aim to find our feet as quickly as possible. That’s not an easy task, but we are determined to do everything we can to have a clean, enjoyable rally and do our very best for the M-Sport team”.
McErlean enjoyed a successful pre-event test in France last week, in which he was able to gain valuable experience of the Ford Puma Rally1 in its natural environment. Half a day in the thick snow and ice was complemented by a further day on asphalt, ensuring he could sample most of the elements likely to be thrown at him during rally week.
The Irishman is now just a few days away from the rally, which gets underway with Shakedown on Wednesday [22 January] ahead of the competitive action the following evening.
“Starting in the heart of Casino Square on Thursday evening in a Rally1 car will be such an incredible privilege and a moment I’ve always dreamt of”, he continues.
“Rallye Monte Carlo is iconic. Its history, the challenging stages, and the unpredictable conditions make it so unique. For us, this is about enjoying the experience, taking it all in, and building step by step on our Rally1 debut. I feel so fortunate to be in this position, and of course, we’re excited to begin this journey. A massive thanks to all our partners and supporters for allowing us to compete at the highest level of the WRC”.
McErlean will also welcome back a range of partners for the season ahead, with Woodland NI, Admore Air Conditioning, SDC Trailers, Hutchinson Engineering, McCormack Contracting Inc and Fastener Connections continuing to be alongside during his journey. He also welcomes Shamrock Building Systems and EC Framing Inc. for the first time this season.
Rallye Monte Carlo begins with the ceremonial start in Monaco’s Casino Square on Thursday with three stages later that evening. Friday and Saturday offer the bulk of the rally mileage before a three-stage blast rounds out the rally on Sunday before the Monaco finish.
MUNSTER AND MCERLEAN SET TO TAKE ON RALLYE MONTE-CARLO 2025
Posted: January 22, 2025 8:17 AM
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team are ready and raring to launch into the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season on Rallye Monte-Carlo next week with drivers Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean.
Two Ford Puma Rally1 cars will line-up in Casino Square on Thursday afternoon, as Grégoire Munster and Louis Louka, and Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy prepare to take on the challenging season opener.
After a successful pre-event test in the Hautes-Alpes region, Munster and McErlean experienced both dry Tarmac and full-snow conditions to prepare themselves for the varied challenge of Rallye Monte-Carlo. The only mixed-surface event of the season, the iconic event raises a unique challenge for its competitors when making their selection of all-new Hankook tyres in Gap next week.
Next week’s event represents the 93rd edition of the historic Rallye Monte-Carlo, and is anticipated to bring as much excitement as ever. Starting with a grand ceremonial start in Monaco’s stunning Place du Casino, the rally then moves up to its base in Gap in the southern French Alps via three spectacular nighttime mountain stages, lit by flares and fireworks from excitable fans lining the roads.
Grégoire Munster returns to Monaco for his sixth outing on Rallye Monte-Carlo, his second in top-level Rally1 machinery. Last year’s edition, although bringing some misfortune to the Luxembourg driver, also saw him set some impressive top-five stage times which will bring him confidence heading into next week.
Now with a strong knowledge base of the rally, and more Rally1 experience under their belts, Munster and co-driver Louis Louka will look to maintain the increased pace and consistency fans saw towards the end of their 2024 season.
Meanwhile, newcomers Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy are set to make their Ford Puma Rally1 debuts on the iconic event next week. McErlean has enjoyed a quick rise to fame in previous seasons; thanks to support from the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, he delivered standout performances in WRC2 and the European Rally Championship that have earned him his new Rally1 seat. McErlean will return to Rallye Monte-Carlo with one previous edition in hand, using his knowledge to support him as he gets to grips with the new car.
The pair of Puma Rally1’s and their crews will line-up next week, gleaming in their all-new liveries to take on the 2025 season.
Richard Millener, Team Principal, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, said:
“It has been a busy few months getting everything into place for the first round of the season, but still we have once again managed it thanks to the committed and dedicated hard work from all the team. I would like to thank them, and all our other partners that continue to support us in the WRC.
“I am very much looking forward to 2025, it will be interesting to see how we can progress over the season. There are many new challenges ahead but I look forward to once again working with a young and determined driver line-up.”
Grégoire Munster said:
“We had a good pre-event test; the first day on the dry we tried some new things which I think will be a key factor for this year, and we had a good feeling on snow as well with this. There are some adjustments to make, now we don’t have the hybrid, but the feeling so far is good.
“Monte-Carlo is always a tricky event with all the varied conditions, especially with all the ice that can gather throughout the night. You need to have a car that you feel comfortable in, and that works on every surface, and we are confident we have this for the event. I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere on Thursday night during the night stages, it’s such a special feeling for the first stages of the new season. I think all the drivers know the feeling!”
Josh McErlean said:
“It was a fantastic couple of days of testing, we have learnt a lot from Greg and the team, they have been super supportive and welcoming, making the process easier jumping into the Rally1 car. The test itself was fantastic: these cars are amazing, the downforce and the grip they create is phenomenal! We got running both on snow and full dry conditions, making it very productive being our first time in the car.
“Lining up in Casino Square will be a special moment for me come next Thursday. It is a moment I have dreamt of since childhood, so I just want to appreciate and enjoy that. We are in a very privileged position and I just want to do the best job possible for everyone involved, be consistent and make progress throughout the event.”
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing begins WRC title bid with a legendary challenge
Posted: January 22, 2025 8:13 AM
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team will embark on a 2025 FIA World Rally Championship campaign full of new challenges when the classic season opener, Rallye Monte-Carlo, takes place on January 23-26.
The oldest and most famous rally on the calendar provides a familiar start to this year’s extended 14-round schedule, which includes brand-new WRC events in the Canary Islands, Paraguay and Saudi Arabia.
There are also significant changes to the technical playing field for 2025. The top category of Rally1 cars will no longer use plug-in hybrid units following a regulation change. As a result, the minimum weight has been lowered from 1260 to 1180 kilograms and the air restrictor size reduced from 36 to 35 millimetres to help maintain a similar power-to-weight ratio to before. Meanwhile, Hankook becomes the sole tyre supplier for the WRC’s top categories for the first time.
There has also been a tweak to the sporting regulations. Points will once more be allocated based upon the overall positions at the end of the rally, with a win to again be worth 25 points. The Super Sunday classification on the final day now offers up to five bonus points, as does the rally-ending Power Stage.
While just eight weeks have passed since TGR-WRT claimed the manufacturers’ title in a thrilling conclusion to the 2024 season at Rally Japan, the team has been working hard to adapt to these changes and continue improving the GR YARIS Rally1, which continues to run on 100 percent sustainable fossil-free fuel. To reflect the different characteristics required of the engine now that the boost provided by the hybrid unit is no longer available, modifications have been made to the exhaust system and camshafts, while gear ratios have also been reviewed among other measures to optimise the package.
The team also fields a strengthened and expanded driver line-up this season, running as many as five GR YARIS Rally1 cars on many events including Rallye Monte-Carlo.
Double world champions Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen return to full-time competition alongside Elfyn Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin, the 2024 championship runners-up. Sébastien Ogier will target a record-extending 10th victory on the Monte – which is based in his hometown of Gap in the French Alps – as he begins another partial campaign alongside co-driver Vincent Landais. These three crews are nominated to compete for manufacturers’ points for TGR-WRT on round one, ably supported by Takamoto Katsuta and navigator Aaron Johnston in a fourth entry.
Sami Pajari, the 2024 WRC2 champion, begins his first full season in the top category, for which he has reunited with experienced co-driver Marko Salminen. To best support his development while following a similar path to that previously forged by Katsuta, Pajari’s GR YARIS Rally1 is entered under a second team, TGR-WRT2, which will also add to the competition in the manufacturers’ championship. The car features a half-and-half white and black livery which represents the team’s commitment to offering opportunities for young drivers to reach the highest level in WRC.
Oliver Solberg, who fought Pajari for the WRC2 crown, switches to a GR Yaris Rally2 car run and entered by Printsport for his 2025 title bid and has the chance to gain familiarity with the car on Rallye Monte-Carlo before his seven-round WRC2 campaign begins. Also driving the GR Yaris Rally2 are TGR WRC Challenge Program drivers Hikaru Kogure and Yuki Yamamoto on their Monte-Carlo debuts, gathering new experience ahead of their second seasons in WRC2.
Known for its often-changeable weather conditions which can bring ice and snow to the asphalt roads, Rallye Monte-Carlo will as usual start and finish in Monaco’s Casino Square. Departing on Thursday afternoon, crews will then tackle three opening stages in darkness on the way back to the Gap service park. On Friday, a loop of three stages east and north of Gap is run either side of mid-day service. Saturday follows a similar format with three repeated tests to the west, including the all-new Aucelon – Recoubeau-Jansac stage. Sunday’s final leg begins from Gap, repeating two of Thursday evening’s stages ahead of the Power Stage, which takes in the iconic Col de Turini.
Quotes:
Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“It feels like the 2024 season has only just finished and now we are preparing for a new one to start with many new aspects. With the removal of the hybrid unit and the reduced weight, we’ve been working hard to optimise the car and find the right balance with the setup. I’ve had the chance to drive this new package myself and, even with less power, the performance is close to before and the car feels even more agile. We also welcome a new tyre supplier in Hankook. We can expect to see drivers who adapt to this change faster and are able to push the limits sooner. Rallye Monte-Carlo is the most challenging event in terms of tyre strategy given the changeable conditions. We experienced a mix of weather in testing including some snow, but the rally can always bring surprises. With our strengthened line-up this year we are confident that our drivers can be fighting for the top places on this event and for the championship titles. For his first full year in Rally1, we have entered Sami under a second team like we did previously with Takamoto, which can also bring an extra dimension to the manufacturers’ championship. While the main target for him on this event is to reach the finish and gain the experience, we hope to see him grow and develop during the year.”
Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin
Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“Starting a new season, the goal is as always to give our best to win. We have a strong team for 2025 and the target from my perspective remains to fight for rally wins and for the championship titles. With the introduction of a new tyre supplier and some changes to the technical regulations, there will be some adaptation and learning to do on all surfaces, but it’s the same for everyone and we just need to do the best job we can to be as ready as we can. Rallye Monte-Carlo is the event with the biggest choice of tyres available and with the limited testing allowed, it’s not possible to try the tyres in all the different conditions. It’s always an extremely challenging rally and adapting to the conditions and making the right calls at the right time will be as key as ever.”
Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen
Kalle Rovanperä (Driver car 69)
“It’s cool to be back with the team for a full season of WRC. It’s a different feeling getting prepared and excited for the full year and to fight for the title, which has to be our goal. Last year we were fast but this year we need to be more consistent through the whole year. Rallye Monte-Carlo is always a super difficult start to the season. It has never been my strongest rally but still we’ve managed to do a few good results there. I’ll be happy if we can have a clean rally and good points to start the season. Having a new tyre supplier will be quite a big thing, because everybody has to learn about the tyres in all types of conditions, and on the Monte you want to be able to feel confident in the car as soon as possible.”
Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais
Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 17)
“It’s always exciting for me to be preparing for Rallye Monte-Carlo, and to continue my relationship with TGR-WRT into another year. I’m still enjoying driving for this fantastic team, which I’ve now been with for longer than any other in my career, and I hope to have more fun in the car this year. With less power, less weight and new tyres there are a lot of question marks at the beginning of the season, and it’s a new challenge for the teams and the drivers to see who can adapt best. Even after many starts, this rally never gets any easier and I always go into it with respect for the challenge and in some way a little bit of fear, because you know you will face unpredictable conditions. It’s about trying to manage the risk, even more than on other rallies.”
Takamoto Katsuta / Aaron Johnston
Takamoto Katsuta (Driver car 18)
“It’s the start of a new season with new expectations. I will try to keep the same speed as before and be more consistent: this is the main goal for me this year. Last season was difficult but I felt big support from the team and I learned a lot about how to manage those situations. I definitely feel that it made me stronger and this is a year to show what I learned. Monte-Carlo is one of the most difficult rallies in terms of the conditions, and it’s hard to prepare for everything in only one day of testing. We have to find the best setup to suit the different balance following the change in regulations, but my feeling is generally good with the car and with the tyres.”
Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen
Sami Pajari (Driver car 5)
“I have a really good feeling ahead of my first full season with a Rally1 car. We had a first taste of it last year and I’m really looking forward to getting started. With some new regulations and a new tyre supplier, there are some new things for everyone to get used to, which is interesting and quite exciting. So far, the feeling has been really nice in testing. For this first rally of the year in Monte-Carlo, the goal is maybe just to reach the finish with a good feeling. If the conditions are good then maybe we can increase the pace like we could do already sometimes last year, but I think we still need to gain a bit more experience before we can really be fighting for the top positions.”
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team returns to the illustrious backdrop of Monaco for Rallye Monte-Carlo (January 23-26), round one of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season, targeting a strong team result.
Starting the new season with a slate wiped clean, fresh objectives have been set for the team – including the pursuit of the manufacturers’ title – and it is hoping to set the tone for the season by starting the charge towards these aims in Monte-Carlo. However, with new regulations, a new tyre manufacturer, unpredictable conditions and strong competition, it will be no easy feat to reach at this treacherous winter event.
A trio of crews will be in the cockpit of the three Hyundai i20 N Rally1 entries in the principality: reigning champions Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe, Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja and Hyundai Motorsport rookies Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria.
Combining Neuville and Tänak’s seasoned expertise with Fourmaux’s emerging talent creates a well-rounded squad, giving Hyundai Motorsport the perfect recipe for a strong start to the season at round one in Monaco.
This year’s Rallye Monte-Carlo features an overhauled itinerary designed to challenge the competing crews, with a total of 115.59km of new or returning roads compared to the 2024 edition.
Thursday evening’s tests have increased in number to three stages in the regions of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes, all of which will be tackled under the cover of darkness. Friday features Monte-Carlo staples Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes / La Bâtie-Neuve (SS5/8, 16.68km) and La Bréole / Selonnet (SS6/9, 18.31km), offering a familiar challenge for crews. Saturday is then the longest day in competitive distance (131.40km) and has the longest stage of the weekend in La Motte-Chalancon / Saint-Nazaire (27.00km). The challenge does not ease on Sunday; while the day opens with the second attempts of two of Thursday’s stages, there is no dress rehearsal for the all-important Power Stage.
Hyundai Motorsport President and Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul said: “It’s a great feeling to be returning to the World Rally Championship with a drivers’ championship title to our name. This success has definitely given the whole team some fresh confidence coming into 2025, as this year we have some different goals to work towards. Thierry and Martijn travel to Monte-Carlo looking to defend their victory from last year, Ott and Martin will get back in the car with the same kind of determination they had last year, and we welcome some fresh talent to the team with our new arrivals Adrien Fourmaux and Alexandre Coria. While all our crews have their own individual goals, as a team we will be working to bring home as many points as possible for our manufacturers’ efforts; Monte-Carlo is just the first of 14 rounds this year, and we are hoping to get the year started with plenty of positivity. It will not be easy with the new regulations, tyres, unpredictable weather and Toyota’s full-strength return, but with more consistency this year we are hoping to take our contention to the next level.”
Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (#1 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)
Reigning world champions return to Monaco to aid pursuit of team title
Victory in 2025 would complete hat-trick of Rallye Monte-Carlo wins for Neuville
Neuville said: “It’s never three without two, and of course I would like to win Rallye Monte-Carlo for a third time, but it’s also one of the most difficult events to win. Alongside the usual difficulties at Monte-Carlo, we also have the challenge of the new tyres so there will be plenty of surprises in the conditions we haven’t tested in yet – we need to take it step-by-step to approach the limit. At the moment we are expecting more wintery conditions than we have had in the past few years, which will make the event even more challenging, although we know in Monte-Carlo the conditions are never guaranteed. The first target is always to finish, so if we are in the fight towards the end of the weekend, we will definitely give it an extra push.”
Crew Notes: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (#8 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)
Estonian duo ready to kick-off their fifth WRC season in a Hyundai
Crew looking to improve on career best finish of second in the principality
Tänak said: "There are many sections that are new this year, so again it’s difficult to know what to expect. Monte is always very unknown, so it makes the long-term preparation quite difficult. The weather is the main character, and we need to be ready for every outcome over the weekend. The main thing to consider about that is the tyres, which is quite a big component in our rally. Everyone has quite a big unknown, and I think this will make Monte very interesting. It’s always a tricky event, we have been on the podium but never been strong enough to win it. It really is a unique event with a big history, and a win here is something I would appreciate a lot. It’s always the target, and let’s say this trophy would be in a special place."
Crew Notes: Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (#16 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)
French crew to make its Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team debut
Fourmaux/Coria aiming to clinch crucial points for manufacturers’ efforts
Fourmaux said: “My first round in the World Rally Championship was at Rallye Monte-Carlo, and I was able to score my first ever championship points there, so it holds good memories for me. Saying this, it’s the most difficult rally of the year because of the conditions. It’s hard to describe the feeling here, it’s really something special. We work closely with the team on what tyres we need to take, sometimes considering what will be the fastest for the loop and rather than for the stage. For me, my aim in Monte-Carlo is to help the team as much as possible with the manufacturers’, but I also know I need a tidy start to make sure I score some points for the start of my championship. It’s like a home event for me, with a lot of stages in France, so to do well here would mean a lot to me.”
Weekend at a Glance
Rallye Monte-Carlo action begins on Thursday evening with three stages kick-starting the weekend, covering 54.16km
The first full day of competition arrives on Friday, with six stages on the itinerary crossing 107.34km
Competitors will traverse 131.40km of French countryside on Saturday, the furthest distance of the weekend
Three stages on Sunday wrap up the weekend, including the Power Stage of SS18 La Bollène-Vésubie / Peïra-Cava.
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