McHale withdraws from rally in Sweden

AUSTIN McHALE has been forced to withdraw from this weekend’s Swedish Rally, the second round of the World Rally Championship.

The Rathcoole plant-hire magnate has a long-held desire to compete in Sweden, but he will have to wait another year to realise his dream. Joe Downey, who was drafted as a replacement co-driver for the unavailable Brian Murphy, McHale’s regular co-driver, had to withdraw for family reasons.

A late bid to rescue the situation became too complicated with flight schedules and other issues and McHale had no option only to withdraw. Peugeot’s record on the Swedish in recent years suggest they should garner the majority of the points from the second round of the WRC.