Eamonn Kelly claimed victory in FIA Junior WRC Secto Rally Finland on Sunday, holding off a charging Taylor Gill to win by 8.3sec in a dramatic finale to the penultimate round.
The 26-year-old Irishman had inherited the lead on Saturday after Gill faced tyre troubles and held his nerve through back-to-back runs of the iconic Ouninpohja stage to secure his first win in the M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo series.
Championship leader Gill mounted an impressive fightback on Sunday’s opening stage, snatching second place from Ali Türkkan to limit the damage from his Saturday setback.
The Australian’s recovery drive wasn’t quite enough to catch Kelly but means he will carry a 14-point lead over Mille Johansson into the season finale at Central European Rally in October.
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean matched his best WRC result in Finland, finishing seventh.
It was a strong performance by the 26-year-old from Northern Ireland, who blended flashes of speed with consistency, as McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy were the best-ranked M-Sport Ford driver.
It was a strong weekend for Northern Irish and Irish crews, as Aaron Johnston navigated Katsuta to second.
