Talented navigator Paul Phelan made an immense contribution to motorsport

The late Paul Phelan (right) receives a presidential award from Aiden Harper, president of Motorsport Ireland at the 2022 MI awards ceremony in Dublin. Picture: Michael Chester

Prior to the era of pacenotes in Irish motorsport, Dubliner Paul Phelan, who passed away on Saturday last, was one of the most proficient, talented and best-known navigators in the country. 

The quietly spoken Ballsbridge-born man contributed motorsport reports to national papers along with the British-based magazine Motorsport News, formerly known as Motoring News.

Aside from rallying, Paul, also fondly known as "Felix" due to his love of cats, won the Irish National Navigation Championship a record-breaking 16 times across four decades, primarily with Eamonn Cotter and Michael O'Connor. 

He also won the National Rally Championship on three occasions prior to 1978 after which separate championships were introduced for stages and navigation events.

On a number of occasions he was captain of the Irish team that participated in the Ken Wharton Memorial International Autotest and was secretary of the Trial Drivers Club for fifty-four (1969-2023) years.

Without doubt, one of his finest achievements was his victory in the 1975 Circuit of Ireland Rally where he navigated Millstreet legend Billy Coleman. 

He also navigated for Finland's Timo Salonen, Swede Ove Andersson along with a host of Irish drivers including Rosemary Smith, Ernest Kidney, Sean Campbell, Noel Smith, Eamonn Cotter, Ronnie McCartney, Demi Fitzgerald, Alec Poole and Cecil and Leslie Vard.

For some 20 years he was a prominent figure in the offices of Motorsport Ireland where his attention to detail and help towards club officials was unsurpassed. 

In 2022, Paul was honoured with a presidential award for his lifetime contributions to motorsport. He will be laid to rest on Friday following his funeral mass in the Church of St. Paul of the Cross, Mount Argus, Dublin.

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Reigning British Rally champion, Moira's William Creighton is targeting a strong result in the weekend's new-look Rally di Roma Capitale, round three of the European Rally Championship as he returns to the scene of his ERC debut six years ago. Onboard the TRT Racing Team-run Michelin-backed Citroen C3 Rally2, Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan are aiming to improve on their seventh-place finish in the series opener in Spain last April. 

In between, their outing in BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia (gravel event) ended in retirement. “I’m looking forward to switching back to tarmac. We found a nice rhythm on the first tarmac round of the year, so hopefully we can use that experience. With mostly new stages to write our pacenotes for, it’s going to be a demanding event." 

This evening's short Super Special around the iconic Colosseum will be followed by six stages tomorrow and four on Sunday. Giandomenico Basso (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) and Andrea Mabellini (Lancia Ypsilon Rally2) are amongst the favourites for victory.

Meanwhile, the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship continues tomorrow (Saturday) with the PRM & RPM Loughgall Stages Rally in Armagh where local ace and last year's winner Marty Toner (Ford Fiesta Rally2) headlines the six stage event. 

Opposition includes the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 of championship leader Carryduff's Jonny Greer, reigning NI champion and double event winner Donegal's Aaron McLaughlin (VW Polo R5) and Monaghan's Sam Moffett (Hyundai i20 N Rally2), who makes a welcome return to rallying since his fourth place on the Circuit of Ireland last Easter. 

Others in the top ten are multiple NI champion Derek McGarrity (VW Polo GTi R5) and Clonakilty's Cal McCarthy (Citroen C3 Rally2), who was fourth on his most recent outing in the Manx National Rally.

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Elsewhere, Monaghan's Johno Doogan (Ford Escort) is the leading entry for Sunday's Tralee-based Rose Hotel Kerry Summer Rally where Armagh's Jason Black (Toyota Starlet) and Limerick's Chris O'Callaghan (Ford Escort) complete the top three seeds. 

Servicing is at the Castleisland Mart complex with the first stage starting at 10.03am. The event is a counter for the Top Part West Coast Championship.

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The FIA Formula2 championship reaches the halfway mark this weekend at Silverstone where Offaly's Alex Dunne is one of only two drivers on the grid with previous F2 experience (second in last year's feature race) at the iconic circuit. It's a home event for Dunne's Rodin Motorsport team as he chases a 28-point deficit to series leader Italian Gabriel Mini (MP Motorsport). 

Last Sunday in Austria he finished sixth - having endured clutch issues at the start and problems with the balance of the car before annexing eight championship points. 

Victory in Silverstone would be a timely boost for the Alpine Academy driver. Tomorrow's Sprint Race starts at 1.45pm and the Feature race on Sunday has lights out at 11.15am.