2026 WRC News & Rumours

[PLuto]

https://img.redbull.com/images/w_1600/q_auto,f_auto/redbullcom/2025/12/5/o20rdo1n81nzv0ioodmp/the-2026-fia-junior-wrc-calendar

[Andre Oliveira]

Already here

https://www.motorsportforums.com/showthread.php?45187-JWRC-Junior-WRC-2026

[PLuto]

Already here

https://www.motorsportforums.com/showthread.php?45187-JWRC-Junior-WRC-2026

I know, but I wanted to start 2026 news thread.

[flat_right]

I know, but I wanted to start 2026 news thread.

By adding JWRC calendar as a first post? Just want to understand the logic here :D Might have started by just writing "Wanted to start 2026 news thread"

[PLuto]

By adding JWRC calendar as a first post? Just want to understand the logic here :D Might have started by just writing "Wanted to start 2026 news thread"

To say the truth, I was originally wanting to start thread with similar sentence. But then I looked how 2025 thread started and it was with JWRC calendar. So I have decided to start in the same way.

[deephouse]

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/fia-closing-on-new-wrc-promoter-decision/

I think it's the right post in the right thread. How long do we get them? 3, 4, 5 months?

[tbazsi95]

Off topic but Munster will do Dakar in 2026 alongside Jourdan in the Ford Raptor
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSVELQeDA_H/

[Andre Oliveira]

JOSH MCERLEAN RETURNS TO M-SPORT FORD FOR FULL 2026 WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ALONGSIDE NEW RALLY1 RECRUIT JON ARMSTRONG

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team is pleased to announce an expanded collaboration with the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy in 2026.

Academy crew Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy will return to the Ford Puma Rally1 car for the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, with Rally1 newbies Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne joining the full season line-up.

McErlean and Treacy will be joined by their new Academy teammates Armstrong and Shane Byrne on the start ramp at Rallye Monte-Carlo next month. The Irish quartet will combine McErlean and Treacy’s knowledge gained throughout their maiden Rally1 season in 2025 with Armstrong’s strong JWRC and ERC experience to launch into 2026 with clear goals.

McErlean and Treacy will be harnessing the invaluable experience gained from their maiden season in the Rally1 car to advance their own performance for 2026, while also sharing their experience with their new teammates. The pair had an impressive debut season with the M-Sport team, making their first ever appearance in Monaco, just as Armstrong and Byrne will now do.

McErlean and Treacy impressed on the season’s opening round, giving a clever and consistent performance that earned them seventh overall on the icy stages of Rallye Monte-Carlo. They carried this momentum through the following rounds, navigating challenges and taking on some events for the first time in their careers. The pair had another positive performance on Rally de Portugal, finishing eighth, and matched their top result with seventh overall on Rally Finland and later again at the Central European Rally.

McErlean’s experience with the Puma Rally1 car has shown clear development throughout the 2025 season, and he and Treacy are now poised to gather even more momentum throughout 2026 to achieve more solid results.

With a career built in Ford machinery, Armstrong is a true representative of the effectiveness of the rally progression pyramid. Starting out as a British Rally Championship contender since as early as 2013 in a Ford Fiesta R2, Armstrong competed on national events before making his ERC and WRC debuts in 2015 in the ERC3 and RC4 classes, already starting to build solid experience on staple WRC rounds including Rally de Portugal and Rally Finland.

Armstrong’s achievements also include finishing twice runner-up in the Junior World Rally Championship in 2021 and 2022, in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 with M-Sport Poland, claiming wins and podiums on Junior rounds in Croatia, Sweden and Estonia and Poland to name a few.

A move to the FIA European Rally Championship in 2023 saw Armstrong extend his already impressive range of experience. Armstrong claimed five wins in the Fiesta Rally3, which saw him claim the ERC3 title. He also enjoyed the opportunity to make his debut with Rally2 machinery on the Royal Rally of Scandinavia, where he finished just outside the top ten.

In 2024 he advanced to the top-category in ERC behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally2 car alongside then co-driver Eoin Treacy. A productive season in 2024, supported by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, gave Armstrong a solid knowledge base of the stages. He would harness this experience throughout 2025, now alongside Shane Byrne, to claim their first podium finishes on Rally Poland and Czech Rally Zlín, before their maiden ERC victory on Wales Rali Ceredigion. The pair delivered a dominant performance in Wales, leading the rally from the second stage all the way to the end and collecting four stage wins along the way.

After fighting for the ERC title all the way to the final day of the championship, Armstrong was runner up by only six points after another commanding win on Croatia Rally in October.

Buoyed by the confidence from their impressive 2025 performances, Armstrong and Byrne look forward to teaming up with fellow Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crew McErlean and Treacy to make the step-up into Ford Puma Rally1 machinery, debuting on Rallye Monte-Carlo in January.

The M-Sport team is thrilled to be working with the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy for another season and looks forward to more strong results together throughout 2026.

Further announcements on M-Sport’s remaining line-up will be made soon.

Richard Millener, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal, said:

“I’m very happy to announce that we will be welcoming Josh and Eoin back to the team for the 2026 season. They had a brilliant debut season and their progression with such limited Rally1 experience was very clear to see, so it’s great to be able to give them the opportunity to continue this upward trajectory. Away from the events, they have both become much-valued members of the team and I’m really looking forward to working with them again.

“It’s also very exciting to see Jon and Shane get the opportunity to make the step-up to Rally1 machinery with us. I’m genuinely eager to see how they progress throughout 2026. Jon’s been working towards this opportunity for a long time now, and his strong ERC performances at the end of last season made it impossible to ignore him.

“I’d like to thank the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy for their support throughout the 2025 season, and I look forward to developing our partnership further as we head into 2026.”

Josh McErlean said:

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be confirmed with M-Sport for the 2026 WRC season, and I’m incredibly grateful for the continued support from both the team and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy. We made real progress throughout 2025, and I’m excited to build on everything we learned and put it into action next year.

To have another season at this level means a lot. I’m in a completely different place mentally compared to this time last year, stronger, clearer, and ready to enjoy the challenge ahead. My focus now is on myself, performing to the best of my ability, and making the most of this fantastic opportunity with Eoin alongside me.”

Jon Armstrong said:

“I’m obviously very grateful for the opportunity to drive a Rally1 car. It’s something I’ve worked towards from a very young age, so to actually be able to compete in the top tier of rallying is definitely a dream come true. Of course, there have been years where things didn’t go our way and we weren’t sure if it would ever happen, but we’ve had a very strong season in ERC, showed our potential, and naturally you then want to see what you can do in the World Rally Championship.

“I’m very happy and extremely grateful to M-Sport, who I’ve been driving with for most of my rally career, and also to the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy - without them we definitely wouldn’t be here. We’re really looking forward to the year ahead. There are going to be a lot of good times and definitely some challenges, but I think we’ve shown that we can rise to those challenges, so we just need to stay strong, enjoy it, and keep pushing forward.”

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/89553f_e6c15596046e4075888bfcffb3ee9a03~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_740,h_493,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif, quality_auto/89553f_e6c15596046e4075888bfcffb3ee9a03~mv2.jpg

https://www.m-sport.co.uk/single-post/josh-mcerlean-returns-to-m-sport-ford-for-full-2026-world-rally-championship-alongside-new-rally1-re

[saco0o]

ALONGSIDE NEW RALLY1 RECRUIT JON ARMSTRONG
[/url]

would I - as a racer - ever skip the opportunity to move up from R5 to rally1s?? NEVER! I'd do it in a heartbeat, for sure.

...HOWEVER.... its going to suck because it takes time to get used to this car.
natural bad results are going to put pressure on him to perform - which will cause self doubts and criticizm
you know.... its the same for everybody. take Sesks, Pajari, even Oli when he first came in.

but im 100% back to follow the WRC now haha #ARMYstrong!

[Rallyper]

Well, that´s some news. I guess it´s a Brittish affair. Not international recruiting for the best of MSport.

[Andre Oliveira]

Irish affair

[WRC1]

places 9 and 10 are booked for the M-Sport squad, if Ogier is not there maybe 8 is possible, depends on how fast Gryazin is with Lancia...i really hope they come at least with a few rallyes for Sesks to show what the Puma can deliver....

[Andre Oliveira]

Further announcements on M-Sport’s remaining line-up will be made soon.

https://www.m-sport.co.uk/single-post/josh-mcerlean-returns-to-m-sport-ford-for-full-2026-world-rally-championship-alongside-new-rally1-re

Something here. Sesks? Munster? WRC2 program?

[deephouse]

Nah, Serderidis, Bertelli likes, those who are don't even worth mention. Another season to forget for. Sesks SHOULD be in the full time and those both irish share a seat each one a rally, if it that big a problem running three cars.

I'm thinking, does Printsport have any proper driver to choose from to defend two straight titles? Sesks maybe the only good option, since Lancia snapped both the best ones.

[WRCStan]

Printsport have any proper driver to choose from to defend two straight titles?

What titles?

[WRCStan]

Something here. Sesks? Munster? WRC2 program?

Sesks half season:
Sweden
Portugal
Greece
Estonia
Finland
Italy
Saudi

[WRCStan]

Reading Ogier skips Sweden, Kenya, Estonia and Italy.

[AndersX]

I must admit, i am disappointed. I am ok that Armstrong gets opportunity - he is a good driver. Is he fast? Does he have natural speed? We will see. ERC was not the most competitive this year.

I was expecting him in Sesks 2025 role - part time, to make it step by step.

Hats off to Irish Federation and private Driver development fund - to finance 2 drivers, 2 full seasons should cost millions. This is what we call dedication and belief. Interesting investment.

For Sesks: this must be painful; it was mistake to not include at least one tarmac in 2025 program. Now many still have argument against him - something like a one trick ponny.

If you were Sesks team - would you go for building the name in Wrc, last season for these cars, still for some 0,5+ mil ( i guess) or tune back, spend the same amount in R2 car, but driving as much WRC rounds as possible - as Solberg did; to build experience; e.g. with that new Hyunday Rally 2+ they are testing to prepare for 2027?

[Steve Boyd]

I guess it´s a Brittish affair.
Oooh! Careful. I think you'll find they are Irish. Calling them British is worse than calling a Swede a Fin! :)

[deephouse]

What titles?

Do you even follow WRC at all? Have you forgotten that Sami Pajari drove for them in 2024 and won a WRC2 title. And in 2025 Oliver Solberg drove for them and won a title. And guess what. They are some kind of a Toyota unofficial team

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Oooh! Careful. I think you'll find they are Irish. Calling them British is worse than calling a Swede a Fin! :)

They are both actually from Northern Ireland which is (still) British...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

would I - as a racer - ever skip the opportunity to move up from R5 to rally1s?? NEVER! I'd do it in a heartbeat, for sure.

...HOWEVER.... its going to suck because it takes time to get used to this car.
natural bad results are going to put pressure on him to perform - which will cause self doubts and criticizm
you know.... its the same for everybody. take Sesks, Pajari, even Oli when he first came in.

but im 100% back to follow the WRC now haha #ARMYstrong!

Indeed, you would never turn down a full season in any car, let alone a Rally1.

And with the M-Sport uncertainty for 2027 who knows if theyll even have a car for WRC after next year.

Armstrong deserves his chance thanks to his progress in ERC and isnt taking a seat from Sesks or anyone else. It's all down to funding if you want a drive.

[focus206]

They are both actually from Northern Ireland which is (still) British...

Josh has used the Irish flag for as long as I can check, even when he was doing the British Championship, but Armstrong only since a couple of years.
Did Armstrong start using the Irish flag as a requirement for Motorsport Ireland funding?

[Rallyper]

Oooh! Careful. I think you'll find they are Irish. Calling them British is worse than calling a Swede a Fin! :)

Hehe. I wouldn´t mind be called finnish. However my bad. Although brittish is involved, right? Guess one part is called MSport... ;)

[rallyfiend]

Josh has used the Irish flag for as long as I can check, even when he was doing the British Championship, but Armstrong only since a couple of years.
Did Armstrong start using the Irish flag as a requirement for Motorsport Ireland funding?

I think this is the difference between national / regional regulations and World?/

In regional you can run where your license comes from.

In the World Champiionship you run where your passport comes from.

[Sal yet again]

Timo Jouhki got plenty of Finnish drivers with questionable pedigree into "works" seats so why shouldnt John Coyne?

The FFSA's investment in French drivers has paid off handsomely and whilst you may have to squint to see Josh and Jon reaching the dizzy heights of Ogier it just goes to prove that the sport is about $ in the first instance these days more than ever before

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Josh has used the Irish flag for as long as I can check, even when he was doing the British Championship, but Armstrong only since a couple of years.
Did Armstrong start using the Irish flag as a requirement for Motorsport Ireland funding?

Quite possibly.

Jon Armstrong isnt an 'Irish name' and he's from Kesh which is 77% Protestant with 72% having a British identity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesh,_County_Fermanagh

[Rallyper]

Timo Jouhki got plenty of Finnish drivers with questionable pedigree into "works" seats so why shouldnt John Coyne?

The FFSA's investment in French drivers has paid off handsomely and whilst you may have to squint to see Josh and Jon reaching the dizzy heights of Ogier it just goes to prove that the sport is about $ in the first instance these days more than ever before

Actually like it´s been for 30 -40 years, though.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Munster with part-time Rally1 programme story...

https://rallyjournal.com/source-gregoire-munsters-m-sport-future-takes-an-unexpected-turn?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=comment&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPMjc1MjU0N jkyNTk4Mjc5AAEeUR1W6O_MX8XYdnxa43ov6-xC_UAjU6tBmWM2do-iPKFLY8voP6KpVv7pTEY_aem_SbBsNmBHt-muD7QL-fTzqQ

[AndersX]

Good for Munster. I doubt he would be top3 in Rally2, though. Better to stay up there and drive on experience where nobody expects big from you, if funding allows. We can see where all those "back-steppers" are today - Greensmith, Loubet, Sunninen, Lefebre ...only very natural speed guys can climb back - Tanak, Evans, Solberg, Fourmaux.

I hope Sesks is approached by some of those who already work on 2027, to develop their car and have a seat in 2027. To spend time in WRC as One Trick Ponny again going to the same events as last year would give benefit only if he could be really close to top based on the gained experience 2025. But I doubt that Puma is fast on harder surface than desert sand. If in Finland he would be still a leading Ford but at 6th place, everyone would start to write him off again. As it was this year.

[deephouse]

If we compare all finish talents which come into WRC in recent years. They didn't buy out the seat but deserve it purely. Everyone of them did show some progress, won titles and drove great, so at the end it was worth it. Kalle, Lappi, Suninen, Pajari... While all recent M-Sport drivers did buy out the seat, and didn't show anything before and probably will not in the future. Practicaly the underdog of them is Sesks, which does have flashes of great speed and obviously is the only one capable of bringing some good results.

What I'm trying to say is I don't understand why would anyone fund so much for a unproven ''talent'' for a season in top class of WRC, if they could simply fund them the 2/3 seasons in lower classes for the same amount of money or even less and would get away with better results, experience and proper development of driver.

That's why I compare them to finish.. They did deserve those seats while those seating at M-Sport just isn't ready yet. Sorry, but it's true, no matter how much money did they have.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The guy funding the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, John Coyne, is helping the best of the current drivers from (the island) of Ireland. Maybe only William Creighton could've been too. But they're his choice and it's his money. He's not doing it expecting a return on investment.

Maybe the previous crop - Devine, Cronin, Moffett etc - were much stronger, but the funding wasnt around for them. Luckily Meeke and Breen made it with their own family money and connections.

[WRCStan]

Do you even follow WRC at all? Have you forgotten that Sami Pajari drove for them in 2024 and won a WRC2 title. And in 2025 Oliver Solberg drove for them and won a title. And guess what. They are some kind of a Toyota unofficial team

Ah OK, so the driver's championship is Printsport's own target and crew recruitment is of their volition - thank you for teaching me something, I'm always learning. I asked because you could have meant the WRC2 Team's championship, with Printsport being a team. You won't need me to tell you the standings for either year, and who was or wasn't an official Toyota team.

[deephouse]

I would understand if those boys would be in some random team and finished out of the best ten, but they both clinch WRC2 title and both were promoted in Toyota. That's why I was so suprised that people here exist that don't know who they are, or at least pretend it they don't know out of their frustrations of not being some kind of a fan, I guess.

The best position in WRC2 you can be in 2026 - PH Sport (Lancia), Toksport (Skoda), Printsport (Toyota).

Maybe Sesks could fit in any of those and drive way more for way less (and at least with future, rather than showing and never promoting at M-Sport)

[WRCStan]

We differ in opinions deephouse. Yes, I've heard of Printsport, I researched and drafted an article on them. My view is that they're means to an end for their customers, whoever they may be, and driver's titles are bestowed upon drivers not teams. Therefore in my head, Printsport have no titles to defend and aren't trying to sign the best driver for their campaign. Sesks chooses Printsport, not the other way round like you said.

My take might be wrong but from here I think I asked you a fair question to help me understand your take which sounded odd to me. You could be kind and explain your take and why I'm wrong without being a cocksure "this is the only truth" jerk, but hey you do you, and which is why if you're sarcastic or belittling I'll just give some back.

[deephouse]

Frustration can be painful if you can't manage it. You say that driver title is only drivers, but the team doesn't even matter at all? Complete and total non-sense. It's always team's work, and this days it's pretty rare that someone would enter all by himself and won (also prepraing and fixing the car all by himself). On a world scale, doesn't exist. The team preparing and providing support always is pleased when the driver in their team does achieve and won events, title, stages. It does prove they do work well all together. If they enter with more cars and are scoring also for teams, even better. But calling Printsport nothing but just a team and having two drivers won drivers title in their cars is stupid. Drivers almost always thank the team in interviews, if that wouldn't matter they would never do it. Also if they would be some sort of renting company, Pajari and Solberg would enter the cahhmpionship with their own team or just names, but was always Printsport. Very hard to understand.

[trykmann]

From a marketing perspective Toyota as a manufacturer would obviously want to see their car winning again the WRC2 championship, therefore Printsport as a semi-official Toyota Rally2 team probably would like to have a fast driver driving their car. We don't know how the deals are made and how much a driver has to pay to drive their car, but the cost may vary depending on the driver and his winning potential.

[AndersX]

This interview with Millener makes little sense. He could be a good politician. Especially I like him pointing that Sesks was on bad form last year, therefore his case is not that straight forward and so on.... Read - we expected him to be Top5, with underdeveloped car, with no or little testing on events he has never driven before, while it is ok, that regular drivers, with much longer seat time are ok to finish behind him.

I really hope Sesks team is looking beyond 2026 and will make strategically right decision. I do not think Sesks sponsors need to spend another 500K or more to prove they are fast. Tarmac they would learn step by step, if they would have all season in the seat.

I think Printsport will go with Korhonen.

But it is interesting who will be testing Toyotas 2027 car and develop it. As well as who will work with the new Prospeed project. Solberg also is working on smth.

Question is what Skoda and TokSport will do.