Faced with gale-force winds, biblical rain and fading light levels, Adrien Fourmaux successfully negotiated a tricky two days of the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally to take victory for the M-Sport team.
Making his competitive bow on the Northern Ireland Motor Club event, the 28-year-old elected over Fridays and Saturdays stages to win with a commanding 47 second lead over his nearest rival Callum Devine.
The Frenchman’s experience of competing in the FIA World Rally Championship came to the fore on roads in the Banbridge, Rostrevor & Armagh areas that caught out last year’s Ulster winner Meirion Evans and ended his already remote chances of clinching a first-ever Irish Tarmac Championship crown on stage 2.
Their lead was trimmed in conditions that unnerved many of his class rivals on Friday particularly on the third test due to large volumes of standing water that contributed to aquaplaning but they remained on course to finish on the top step of the podium in Newry.
With four victories on the bounce, Derry’s Callum Devine (VW Polo GTi R5) needed just a fourth-place finish on the Newry based Modern Tyres Ulster Rally to secure a maiden Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title.
Even then, that was based on either of his title rivals, defending champion Monaghan’s Josh Moffett or Welshman Meirion Evans finishing the event.
With Evans out of the way, he just needed to stay ahead of Moffett. Devine was more consistent than Moffett including taking a couple of stage wins in the process. This was enough to secure second in the event and his first Irish Rally Tarmac Championship.
NI Rally Champion Jonny Greer claimed a stunning third place as he and Cathan McCourt battled each other all the way throughout the two days of rallying. Jason Mitchell rounded up the top 5 positions.
Elsewhere Jason Black and Karl Egan claimed top honours in the 2WD class with their Toyota Starlet and 10th overall while Kyle White & Sean Topping won the FWD class and 16th overall in the Peugeot 208.
