The outcome of a thrilling Rallye Monte Carlo, the opening round of the World Rally Championship, went all the way to the end of the final stage as Citroen returnee Sebastien Ogier fended off a terrific challenge from Belgian driver Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 WRC) to win by 2.2 seconds.

Waterford’s Craig Breen and his British co-driver Scott Martin had to be content with seventh place in the Vodafone Rally de Portugal, round six of the World Rally Championship.

Five-time world rally champion Sebastien Ogier will soon decide whether he remains with M-Sport or retires from the World Rally Championship.

Monaghan’s Sam Moffett (Ford Fiesta WRC) produced a start-to-finish victory in the Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally, to increase his chances of winning all three major Irish rally championships.

There was late drama in the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes in Killarney, where Monaghan’s Sam Moffett (Fiesta R5) and his Bandon co-driver Karl Atkinson took victory after long-time leaders, Roy White and co-driver James O’Brien, clattered their Fiesta WRC against a chicane bale on SS 13 and limped to the stage finish before retiring.

Driving the older generation Citroen DS3 WRC, Waterford’s Craig Breen and his British co-driver Scott Martin finished fifth in Rally Monte Carlo, the opening round of the World Rally Championship.

Donegal cousins, Declan and Brian Boyle (Fiesta WRC), won the Hyundai Limerick Motor Centre Clare Rally, the penultimate round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship.

The only missing element to Roy White’s Triton Showers National Rally Championship victory is an event win in a round of the series. 

Combining their development of Citroen’s 2017 WR Car with competitive outings in the World Rally Championship the Irish crew of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle tackle Rally de Portugal this weekend as part of a triple assault by the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team.

Circuit of Ireland.

The best young drivers line up to contest the Circuit of Ireland that gets underway today in Antrim.

Waterford’s Craig Breen (26) will defend his Circuit of Ireland title against opposition that includes European Rally Champion and last year’s event runner-up Kajetan Kajetanowicz along with former triple British rally champion Keith Cronin and Ulster driver Alastair Fisher.

Cork racing ace Matt Griffin opens his competitive season this afternoon in the Hankook 24 Hour of Dubai with the Dragon Racing Team.

The Irish pair of Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle (Citroen DS3 WRC) took their maiden victory in a round of the World Rally Championship when they triumphed in Rally Argentina, round four of the series.

The Irish pair Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Citroen DS3 WRC) could find little comfort at the end of Rally Guanajuato Mexico where they finished well outside the top ten.

Motorsport: A spin midway through the final stage of Rally Sweden, the second round of the World Rally Championship denied the Irish pair of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Citroen DS3 WRC) the opportunity of finishing sixth.

With their Citroen DS3 WRC armed with several significant upgrades to the engine, suspension, aerodynamics and gearbox, the Irish crew of Meeke and Paul Nagle expect to be fighting for the leading places on Rallye Monte Carlo that cranks into gear this evening.

On their debut for the factory Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, Dungannon’s Kris Meeke and Killarney’s Paul Nagle netted a podium finish along with a bonus point from the Power Stage of Rallye Monte Carlo, the first round of the World Rally Championship.

On his debut in a recently acquired S12B Subaru World Rally Car, Donegal’s Declan Boyle took a dramatic victory in the Mor Oil Galway Summer Rally, round four of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

Cork’s Matt Griffin is upbeat ahead of this weekend’s fourth round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Silverstone.

Competitors in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and the British Rally Championship will traverse the same stages under their respective banners of the Ulster Rally and Rally Northern Ireland this afternoon.

Yesterday’s, Cavan Rally was marred by tragedy during the first stage of the event near Bailieborough.

Irish motorsport lost a great competitor and friend this week with the passing of Rory Galligan (39), who died after a battle with motor neuron disease.

For many, the Irish Tarmac Championship (ITC) is at a crossroads; for more, it’s going down a cul de sac and others, it’s on a journey to nowhere.

THE Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship could be decided in tomorrow’s Omagh-based Bushwhacker Rally, the penultimate round of both the Irish series and the Hankook Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

SECOND place doesn’t sit that comfortably with Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC), yet, for more than two thirds of the Todds Leap Ulster Rally, it was a position he held.

ANTRIM’S Derek McGarrity (Subaru WRC) will begin today’s second and final leg of the Todds Leap Ulster Rally with a 19.3 second advantage over Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC), with Armagh’s Darren Gass, also in a Subaru WRC, a minute and five seconds further adrift in third.

TEAMS will tackle six stages in Co Antrim this afternoon in their respective opening legs of the Todds Leap Ulster Rally and the Todds Leap International Rally Northern Ireland, part of the Irish Tarmac Rally and Dulux Trade British Rally championships.

A LATE entry from Armagh’s Darren Gass (Subaru WRC) has added extra spice to Sunday’s Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally in Tralee, the second round of the Top Part West Coast Championship.

REIGNING Dunlop National Rally champion, Mel Evans and current Irish Tarmac championship leader, Tim McNulty, both in Subaru WRCs, go head to head in Sunday’s opening round of the Dunlop series, the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally that also marks the beginning of the Top Part West Coast Rally series.

INTERCONTINENTAL Rally champions, Kris Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle, bid farewell to the Peugeot UK team at this weekend’s Rally of Scotland.

SAFETY is paramount in any sport, but particularly in motorsport. From the start of next season, the HANS device will be compulsory in Irish rallying.