The dynamic of this year’s Irish Tarmac Rally Championship — that is being launched in Galway tonight — sees a major shift towards the Hyundai i20 R5 for many of its top competitors.

The Moonraker Rally in Ballyvourney and the Rally de Portugal may not have that much in common other than gravel surfaces, but both have a tangible link with former triple British rally champion Keith Cronin.

As the World Rally Championship moves to higher temperatures in Rally Guanajuato Mexico in stark contrast to the two rounds in Monte Carlo and Sweden, the Irish crew of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle in their Total Abu Dhabi Citroen DS3 WRC know they have to stop making the type of mistakes that have already cost them valuable championship points.

Even though Finland’s Esapekka Lappi and co-driver Janne Ferm (Skoda Fabia S2000) dominated most of the 10 stages in yesterday’s opening leg of the Discover Northern Ireland Circuit of Ireland Rally, the event remains delicately poised and set for a frenetic finish through today’s eight stages.

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.