In the snowy forests of northern Sweden, where winter conditions test both man and machine, two Irish rally drivers made significant strides in their World Rally Championship campaigns at the 2026 Rally Sweden.
Jon Armstrong continued his promising ascent in the top tier of rallying with an impressive eighth-place finish driving a Ford Puma Rally1 for the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team.
Right behind him, Josh McErlean claimed ninth place for M-Sport Ford, completing a strong top ten finish among the team’s Rally1 entries.
Despite early struggles with tyre pressure choices and punctures impacting the M-Sport Ford crew on Friday, both Armstrong and McErlean managed to recover and post consistent times through the weekend.
Armstrong’s drive was particularly noteworthy as he even outpaced more experienced rivals on several stages, earning praise from team principal Richard Millener for his pace and maturity behind the wheel.
Their results — P8 for Armstrong (+4min 05.5 s) and P9 for McErlean (+6min 05.4 s) in the provisional final classification — not only brought championship points but also valuable experience as both look ahead to the long season ahead.
For Armstrong, finishing inside the top ten in only his second full Rally1 outing reflects a rapid adaptation to the pinnacle of the sport and suggests greater competitiveness in future rounds.
McErlean, meanwhile, continues to cement his reputation as a rising talent capable of extracting performance even in the most demanding rally environments.
Both drivers now turn their focus to the upcoming Safari Rally Kenya — a completely different challenge of rugged terrain and heat — where adaptability and endurance will be critical in continuing their championship campaigns.
