From Irish Champion to ERC Contender: Kyle McBride Confirms Junior European Campaign
Billy Coleman Award winner steps up to the European Rally Championship in a Peugeot 208 Rally4, supported by Motorsport Ireland and the MI Rally Academy, with his campaign opening at BAUHAUS Royal Rally Of Scandinavia in Sweden.
MI RallyAcademy driver, Junior BRC and Stellantis Cup Champion, Kyle McBride has confirmed his entry into the 2026 Junior European Rally Championship, competing in a Peugeot 208 Rally4 prepared by Tagai Racing Technology (TRT).
The 22-year-old will contest six rounds of the European Rally Championship, with his campaign opening in Sweden. Alongside him in the car will be co-driver Liam Callaghan, a 25-year-old from Cavan, Ireland.
McBride's arrival at ERC level is the result of a career built methodically through the Irish rally scene. He began competing at the age of 12 and progressed steadily through the junior ranks, claiming championship honours in the J1000 class and recording podium finishes in J1600 machinery, before joining the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy in 2022.
His first season with the Academy, at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R2T, delivered an immediate return — winning both the Junior BRC Academy Trophy and the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series. A step up to Rally4 in 2023 brought a runner-up finish in the Junior British Rally Championship, and 2024 saw him move into the Peugeot 208 Rally4, where he finished runner-up in the Stellantis Cup and third in the Junior BRC.
McBride returned to those same championships in 2025 with a clear mission: to translate experience into victories. He delivered comprehensively, winning both titles in a season-long battle that went to the wire, earning a prize package of free tyres and entry fees for the 2026 Junior ERC, promoted by Race and Rally. That success earned him nomination for the Billy Coleman Award for Young Irish Rally Driver of the Year, which is supported by Sport Ireland and the Motorclubs— and he went on to claim that too, securing a significant funding contribution towards his ERC campaign.
"Everything I've done over the last number of years has been building towards a moment like this. Winning the championships in 2025 and then the Billy Coleman Award — it opened the door to making this ERC season a reality. I can't thank the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, my Dad, my Mum, my whole family, and every one of my sponsors enough. There are some new sponsors coming on board this season too, and together we've been able to put something really exciting together. I can't wait to get started.” — McBride
As part of their pre-season preparations, McBride and Callaghan will compete at Rally Knoping in Sweden on 16th May, using the event to gain vital seat time and familiarise themselves with the characteristics of the fast Swedish roads before the opening championship round at Rally Scandinavia the following weekend.
The crew also plan to remain active on the Irish rally scene throughout the 2026 season, with the Donegal International Rally among their targets — an event McBride knows well and one that would serve as ideal preparation ahead of the ERC round in Italy in July.
"Our main focus will be getting into a good rhythm with the car and understanding the characteristics of the roads at each event. We want to build our pace steadily and give ourselves the best possible platform to push on as the season develops. Getting out to Knoping before Scandinavia is a real bonus — having that seat time before the championship gets under way will be invaluable.”