Five things to follow during Rally Spain

October 20, 2022 Rallyinsight

As the World Rally Championship nears close-of-business for 2022, it’s time for crews to tackle Rally Spain’s summer-extending asphalt blockbuster.

Rally Spain has been an annual migration for Irish rally fans with this year proving no different. Here are five reasons why they’ll have plenty to capture their attention this weekend.

1 Which Rally1 car has the asphalt edge

Rewind nine months and the WRC stood in awe of M-Sport’s Ford Puma Rally1 and of course Sebastien Loeb and Isabelle Galmiche. Rally Monte Carlo proved the Puma had serious title credentials – with its drivability highly praised throughout its driver line-up.

M-Sport’s season has been quite the challenge since. In fact, Craig Breen’s runner-up finish on Rally Sardinia has been the squad’s only other podium appearance.

Toyota and Hyundai have shared an asphalt win apiece since thanks to Kalle Rovanpera and Ott Tanak’s efforts in Croatia and Ypres. The WRC doesn’t get any more “tarmacy” than Rally Spain’s racetrack road surface.

Will the iconic fast and flowing double-lane roads bring one marque to the fore or perhaps unearth any weaknesses in car handling and balance?

2 A perfect send-off for Nagle

Paul Nagle makes his final WRC appearance this weekend as his partnership with Craig Breen and M-Sport draws to a close.

A strong performance in Spain would be a much-needed silver lining in what has been a difficult year for Ireland’s top rally crew.

Breen hasn’t competed on the Catalunyan classic since 2018 so will have to be at his best to challenge his WRC rivals.

“We had our test before New Zealand and it went really well,” said Breen. “The feeling was good so hopefully we can find a good feeling in the shakedown and try to get the best result possible.

“There are two events left on tarmac to finish off the season so we want to try and finish on a high and see if we can turn this bad luck around.”

3 A second WRC title for an Irish co-driver in 2022

Yes, you read the right. James Fulton has a great opportunity to seal the second co-drivers title for an Irish co-driver in this year’s World Rally Championship.

Brian Hoy was crowned Junior WRC Co-Drivers’ champion after September’s Rally Greece and now Fulton can achieve an equal feat in WRC 2 Junior.

Eight points are all the County Cavan navigator needs in Spain to secure the honours. It would also be a fitting way to end his time beside Josh McErlean before moving in as Breen’s WRC co-driver.

4 Extra Irish in WRC 2

Philip Case Rally Sport has two more home crews under its wings on this weekend’s 19-stage event.

William Creighton and Liam Regan make their Hyundai i20 Rally2 debut, a welcome prize drive for last year’s Junior British Rally Champions. The Motorsport Ireland crew has the experience of two Junior WRC campaigns to lean on in this first WRC 2 appearance.

Philip Allen and Dale Bowen complete PCRS’s trio of Rally2 i20s while Eamonn Boland and MJ Morrissey make their fourth WRC appearance of 2022 in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

5 ERC debut for Caldwell and O’Brien

Irish Tarmac Rally Championship class winners, Ryan Caldwell and Grace O’Brien, will make their European Rally Championship debut on this weekend’s Rally Spain. The ITRC 3 champions were awarded the prize drive in conjunction with M-Sport Poland.

The Irish duo will work with M-Sport Poland in their factory-prepared Ford Fiesta Rally4 throughout the rally week in Spain. The ERC event runs in parallel with the World Rally Championship, meaning Caldwell will experience the same, albeit a different number of, stages as Rally1’s pacesetters.

“It’s a bit of a dream come true to be able to make my ERC debut so early in my career, especially with an M-Sport Poland prepared Fiesta Rally4 supported by the ITRC.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to the ITRC and M-Sport Poland for this opportunity. At this stage of my career, I really couldn’t ask for more, I’m super excited and can’t wait to get started in Spain.

“I am looking forward to meeting the team and working together for me to learn as much as I can from the team and about the Fiesta Rally4.”

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