Breen: We’ll be on the start-line in Monte

After another sensational podium performance in the World Rally Championship, Craig Breen once again teased us about his rallying future. Breen and Paul Nagle finished third on Rally Finland, their third WRC top three in a row.

The Irish crew’s results have been invaluable for Hyundai who has generally struggled against Toyota in the manufacturers’ championship this year. With just two rounds remaining, Finland was likely Breen’s last WRC appearance of 2021.

The 31-year-old still hasn’t confirmed his position for next year’s but said in Rally Finland’s post-event press conference that it is now only a matter of time.

“I guess we’re getting to within days of knowing what the future will hold now,” stated Breen. “Exciting times, I would say.

“It’s looking quite positive now.

“Let’s say we’ll be on the start-line in Monte.”

Breen and Nagle finished Rally Finland’s opening day at the front of the pack, 2.8 seconds ahead of team-mate and two-time winner Ott Tanak.

Eventual winner Elfyn Evans began his rise to the top on Saturday with a string of four fastest stage-times. Toyota’s Welsh ace stormed to victory with a Power Stage win on Sunday rounding out a standout career drive.

Both Breen and Tanak regonised Evans’ pace was beyond their reach but the former still had plenty of positives to take from his second-ever Rally Finland podium.

“[It has been] a really nice weekend,” said Breen. “I think myself and Paul definitely made another baby step.

“Unfortunately we’re not ones for a supersonic rise to the top. I take baby steps and we might have taken a couple this weekend.

“I’ve just enjoyed it from start to finish, I was really surprised with the rhythm early on in the rally.

“I think we will all agree… the stage on Friday night, but especially last night, just rattling down these forests at 200 km/h, the little forest fires, the flags, the atmosphere was just absolutely incredible.

“What you can do with these cars I don’t think we’ll be able to do for a long, long time.”

Photos courtesy of Hyundai Motorsport