Waterford's Mickey Joe Morrisey claims WRC Masters Cup Co-Driver award

WRC MASTERS CUP AWARD: Waterford’s Mickey Joe Morrissey, affectionately known in WRC circles as “MJ” - clinched the WRC Masters Cup Co-Driver’s title on the FORUM8 Rally Japan. Picture: Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool.

The final title in this year’s World Rally Championship that concluded with the FORUM8 Rally Japan was won by Waterford co-driver Mickey Joe Morrisey, who captured the WRC Masters Cup Co-Driver award. Affectionately known in World Rally circles as “MJ” Morrissey (76) who was co-driving with Wexford’s Eamonn Boland in their Hertz liveried Ford Fiesta Rally2, finished sixth in the WRC Masters Cup category and twenty-sixth in overall classification, despite collecting a thirty minute penalty for a timing infringement on Friday.

Morrissey won the title by a margin of three points from Italian co-driver Flavio Zanella. Afterwards, a delighted Morrissey said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to win the title and it's been a privilege co-driving with Eamonn (Boland). We enjoy our rallying that has taken us all over the world. Age is only a number and I'm already looking forward to another season that is only just around the corner in January, but we have to party tonight and enjoy this. We had no issues with the car. Rally Japan is an event where you have to be consistent and stay out of trouble, which thankfully, we did. This title is great and I want to thank all the people that have sent me messages of congratulations since I won it earlier today.” 

The other all-Irish crew of Kilrea’s Josh McErlean and his Cavan co-driver James Fulton suffered a huge disappointment on the opening stage of Saturday’s second leg. They began the morning an impressive third in the WRC2 category and ninth overall only to hit a tree stump in a cut that damaged the suspension of their Toksport run Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and brought instant retirement. They returned under Super Rally for the final leg of and posted four top four times in the RC2 category. They were classified thirtieth overall.

Northern Ireland co-driver Aaron Johnston and his Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) were fourth overall 7.1s behind the Ford Puma Rally1 of French driver Adrien Fourmaux.

Meanwhile, in a dramatic final leg Belgian driver Thierry Neuville clinched a long awaited WRC title. Needing just five championship post to take his maiden title, the Belgian began well and was in the top three after SS4 but suffered a mechanical issue on the next stage and dropped to fifteenth overnight as team mate Ott Tanak, the only driver that could deny him the title, led the way - 20.9s ahead of the Toyota of Elfyn Evans.

Neuville fought his way back into the points on Saturday’s leg to hold seventh as Tanak led Evans by 38s. Drama unfolded on Sunday’s opening stage when Tanak went off the road and out of the rally. His demise had contrasting fortunes - it crowned Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe as WR champions but brought a cruel twist for Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT in the race for the manufacturer’s title. Agonisingly, they missed out by a mere three points in a battle that went to the very final stage where Toyota took the crown in their home city with Evans taking event victory to finish WR runner-up for the fourth time. His Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 team mate Sebastien Ogier, who punctured on the first stage, finished a minute and 7.3s behind in second.

Newly crowned champion Neuville said, “What a fantastic day. Words cannot describe how we are feeling. I think we deserved the title after such a challenging year. We had a lot more pressure than we would have liked coming to this final event, but we managed our weekend as best as we could with the problems we had. After the titles (driver and co-driver) were confirmed, we were able to relax a bit and push as hard as we could for the manufacturers’ fight. We went flat out. Sadly, it wasn’t enough this time but everyone in the team should be incredibly proud of the work they have done this year.” 

The Status Red weather alert issued by Met Éireann on Friday brought triggered the postponement of last Saturday night’s Skibbereen and District Car Club’s Carbery Navigation Trial. It is hoped to reschedule the event, a round of the National Navigation Trial and Munster Championships, within the next few weeks.

FORUM8 Rally Japan (Final round World Rally Championship): 1. E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally) 3h. 23m. 41.0s; 2. S. Ogier/V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally)+ 1m. 27.3s; 3. A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Ford Puma Rally1)+1m. 55.5s; 4. T. Katsuta/A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally)+2m. 02.6s; 5. G. Munster/L. Louka (Ford Puma Rally1)+ 3m. 11.5s; 6. T. Neuville/M. Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+6m. 54.1s; 7. N. Gryazin/K. Aleksandrov (Citroen C3 Rally2)+10m. 04.3s; 8. S. Pajari/E. Malkonen (Toyota GR YarisRally2)+11m. 50.8s; 9. H. Arai/ S. Matsuo (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+13m. 24.3s; 10. G. Greensmith/J. Andersson (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+14m. 15.8s.

WRC Drivers’ Standings (After Round 13): 1. T. Neuville 242 pts; 2. E. Evans 210pts; 3. O. Tanak 200pts; 4. S. Ogier 191pts; 5. A. Fourmaux 162pts; 6. T. Katsuta 116pts; 7 K. Rovanpera 114pts; 8. G. Munster 46pts; 9. D. Sordo 44pts; 10. S. Pajari 44pts.

WRC Manufacturers’ Standings (After Round 13): 1. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 561 points; 2. Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 558pts; 3. M-Sport Ford WRT 295pts.