McErlean and Treacy secure seventh on Central European Rally

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The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy’s Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy worked hard to secure their joint-best World Rally Championship result this weekend. The M-Sport Ford crew finished seventh overall on the Central European Rally.

McErlean’s third asphalt event since graduating to Rally1 machinery proved to be another valuable weekend of gaining experience.

The four-day rally was hosted by three countries: Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic, with tricky asphalt stages throughout.

McErlean overcame an early hurdle on Friday morning when a rock embedded in a cut damaged their Puma’s front wheel and steering arm. The Irish crew remained focused, persisting through until it was repaired.

A brave tyre choice on Saturday morning provided another valuable learning experience as he continued to develop his understanding of the Rally1 package. The 26-year-old continued to up his speed, climbing up to seventh overall, and was satisfied with his progression to finish as lead M-Sport driver.

“It has been a big learning experience,” McErlean reflected. “We have had a bit of everything this weekend, running at the front and the back of the field.

“It was great to see Grégoire back out after his mishap on Friday so we could properly compare times. From the start of the rally to now, we’ve closed that gap to him, and that was one of our main goals coming into this event.”