McErlean brings positivity to Sardinia’s latest WRC challenge

Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy are aiming to bring their recent progress to the World Rally Championship’s latest tough gravel event - Italy’s Rally Sardinia.

The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crew proved their potential with a professional eighth-place finish on Rally Portugal as they built their Rally1 pace on the region’s famous gravel stages.

Round six of the 2025 WRC season will serve up another batch of demanding gravel, rocky roads, testing not only McErlean’s speed aboard M-Sport’s Ford Puma Rally1 but also his consistency and measured approach.

“Sardinia is one of the toughest rallies on the calendar, no question,” McErlean said.

“There is no room for error here – it’s narrow, rough, and can catch you out at any second. But after the positive result in Portugal, I feel we’re progressing in the right direction.

“We are learning more about the Puma on gravel with every kilometre, and this weekend will be another big step for us.

“You have to learn to love this rally, you can’t fight it, or it will bite you back.

“It’s a real test for both car and crew, and that’s exactly what makes it so rewarding. We had a positive run in Portugal, and the goal is to carry that rhythm into this weekend.”

This weekend will be the 25-year-old’s fourth visit to Rally Sardinia, scoring a brace of top ten WRC2 finishes on his last two attempts.

Elsewhere in WRC’s 12-strong Rally1 field, Aaron Johnston will hope to better his best Rally Sardinia result of sixth overall alongside Toyota Yaris Rally1 pilot Takamoto Katsuta. Katsuta and Johnston have finished inside WRC’s top five on the past two events, bringing them within reach of fifth in the championship standings.

Cavan’s James Fulton is seeded 39th for Rally Sardinia alongside another Japanese driver, Yuki Yamamoto. The Toyota Yaris Rally2 duo completed their first gravel event together on Rally Portugal and will be focused on gaining more loose surface experience on this weekend’s island-based event.

Rally Sardinia kicks off with a shakedown on Thursday afternoon before three demanding days of action totalling 320 competitive kilometres.