Points Hard Earned for Locals in Sweden

Round 2 of the 2026 World Rally Championship proved positive for the local crews, despite constantly changing stage conditions that pushed teams to their limits. For Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy drivers Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong, the iconic season opener delivered strong results, with Armstrong even battling former champion Thierry Neuville for seventh overall.

In his second WRC1 season, Kilrea’s McErlean—co-driven by Treacy—delivered a composed and intelligent drive to secure ninth overall. After tyre‑pressure issues on Friday, the pair built confidence through Saturday’s stages, highlighted by a fifth‑fastest time on SS10. Despite headlight problems during the evening loop, McErlean maintained solid pace, and on Sunday they even outpaced teammate Sesks on the second run through the long Västervik stage, finishing the event with an eighth‑fastest time on the Power Stage.

Reflecting on the rally, McErlean emphasised the importance of bouncing back after a challenging Monte‑Carlo. Armstrong similarly expressed pride in the team’s progress and increasing pace on unfamiliar snow and ice surfaces.

Armstrong and Byrne were among the standout performers of the weekend. Taking on their first snow and ice rally with the Puma Rally1, they delivered multiple top‑five stage times and regularly pressured more experienced rivals. A puncture on Friday morning couldn’t stop them posting a top‑ten time, and strong afternoon stages lifted them to eighth overall by day’s end. Their momentum continued into Saturday, where setup improvements helped Armstrong secure sixth on SS12 and fourth on the Umeå stage. A determined Sunday push further narrowed the gap to Neuville, rounding off an impressive showing from the Northern Irishman.

Elsewhere, Fintona navigator Aaron Johnston claimed an excellent second overall with Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.

Pauric Duffy, co-driven by Jeff Case, finished 31st overall in a Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Bangor’s Allan Harryman enjoyed a strong weekend alongside Greece’s George Vasilakis in their Ford Fiesta Rally3, taking 33rd. In another Rally3 Fiesta, an accident forced Irelands Craig Rahill and Conor Smith to retire.

At the front of the field, Welshman Elfyn Evans delivered a commanding performance to take the win with co-driver Scott Martin in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. Katsuta and Johnston secured second, while Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen completed a Toyota‑locked podium.

Evans reflected:
“It’s been a great weekend for us and the whole team here in Sweden. The car has been amazing to drive, so a big thanks to the team. It’s an incredible feeling to drive on these fast stages in such nice winter conditions, and when you feel good in the car, it’s always a pleasure. We didn’t have a huge margin coming into the final day, and with so many points available on Sundays, we had to push until the end, but we can be very happy with what we came away with. It’s been a great start to the year, but it’s still early days and we need to keep working hard.”