This year, McErlean is embarking on his first full season in the World Rally Championship’s premier category, driving M-Sport’s Ford Puma Rally1 car. His signing by M-Sport came as a bit of a surprise, as the Irish driver had no prior experience in the top class and hadn’t achieved notable success in the WRC2 category either.
On Monday, McErlean completed his first official test day in the Ford Puma, preparing for the season-opening Rally Monte Carlo. He shared the test day in France with his teammate Gregoire Munster.
McErlean has limited experience with wintry conditions, which became apparent during the test. Snowbanks occasionally bore the brunt as the Puma slid around on the slippery roads.
Check out videos from McErlean’s test day below:
Rally Monte Carlo is renowned for its unpredictable conditions. The mountainous roads can feature everything from dry asphalt to snow, ice, and slush, making tyre choices a critical factor in the legendary event.
McErlean has only competed in Monte Carlo once before. In the 2023 rally, he retired once while driving a Hyundai i20 N Rally2.
The Irishman has chosen #55 as his competition number, and he had a clear reason for the decision.
“Monte marks my 55th event since winning the British Junior title, Billy Coleman Award (Young Rally Driver of the Year in Ireland) and joining the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, so it seemed like the perfect choice,” McErlean explained.
Rally Monte Carlo will take place next week from 23–26 January.
