McErlean seventh as puncture hampers Armstrong in WRC finale

The Irish crew of Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1) in action during Rally Italia Sardegna, the final round of the World Rally Championship. Pict: M-Sport Ford.

A tense opening day of Rally Italia Sardegna, the final and deciding round of the World Rally Championship has seen all three Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 drivers - Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari - any of whom can win the Drivers' crown - remain in contention.

After the day's six stages, Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) leads his French team mate Adrien Fourmaux by just 0.4s.

For the Irish crews, Friday's six stages mirrored their season as the Rally1 era comes to an end. Kilrea's Josh McErlean and his Killeagh co-driver Eoin Treacy lead the M-Sport Ford challenge in seventh place with another consistent performance. Their team mates Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne are a place behind but the margin between them is two minutes and 5.4s - all lost with a puncture on the final stage of the morning loop.

Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20 Rally1) led at the lunchtime service 4.6s ahead of team-mate Neuville, however, Solberg (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) impressed the most. Having damaged a tyre on the day's opener (SS2) and dropping to eighth, he was into third after SS4 and ahead of fellow title challengers Pajari (fourth) and Evans (sixth). Evans suffered from running first on the road. Early leader Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) punctured on SS3 and slipped to eighth but recovered to finish the day in fourth.

Punctures were a frequent occurrence particularly on SS4 where Armstrong and his M-Sport team mate Martins Sesks and Toyota's Takamoto Katsuta and his Ulster co-driver Aaron Johnston all stopped to change wheels, a stage earlier Spaniard Dani Sordo (Hyundai) lost some four minutes changing a damaged tyre.

McErlean had his best stage performances on SS3 and SS4 with a respective fifth and sixth fastest time. He finished SS5 with brake fluid leaking from his Ford Puma. For a time on the day's final stage it looked as if he was going to reel in Evans for sixth place only to lose time on the closing kilometres. Armstrong was fortunate to escape a big moment on SS7 when he lost the back of his Ford Puma. Sordo crashed on the day's final stage.

Evans will benefit from not having to run first on the road on today's (Saturday) six stages but as was seen on Friday running further back is more susceptible to punctures and while he looks in control of his own destiny, pressure will intensify should Solberg or Pajari move into the lead. Ironically, it will benefit Evans should Hyundai pair Neuville and Fourmaux retain their places.

Meanwhile, Ford Racing has announced that it will return to the FIA World Rally Championship as a full factory team from 2028, and has chosen M-Sport, its rally partner of 30 years, "to help bring the programme to life."

Rally Italia Sardegna (Round 13, World Rally Championship) Alghero: 1. T. Neuville/M. Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) 1h. 25m. 04.9s; 2 A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+0.4s; 3. O. Solberg/E. Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+12.3s; 4. S. Ogier/V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+37.4s; 5. S. Pajari/M. Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+40.2s; 6. E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+1m. 08.9s; 7. J. McErlean/E. Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1)+1m. 21.1s; 8. J. Armstrong/S. Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1)+3m. 26.5s; 9. T. Katsuta/A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+3:27.2s; 10. M. Sesks/R. Francis (Ford Puma Rally1)+3m. 39.9s.