Josh McErlean gearing up for 'amazing opportunity' to compete in final WRC round in Japan
Josh McErlean says the chance to compete at the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Japan is an “amazing opportunity”.
The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver will make the trip to Asia fresh from a top five WRC2 place at Central European Rally.
McErlean, from Kilrea, and his co-driver James Fulton will tackle the event from November 21-24.
The Toksport World Rally Team Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver sealed a strong fifth place in the WRC2 category at the recent Central European Rally (CER) and thanks to the support of several key stakeholders, the 25-year-old will now contest his first event in Asia, having previously competed in Europe, Africa and the USA, joining the WRC tour as it rounds out its season in the Aichi and Gifu regions of Japan.
McErlean said: “This is an amazing bonus opportunity for us.
“We knew before the start of the Central European Rally that we had a target to achieve and if we hit that, we had a chance of going to Japan. The event went well for us, we were patient in the tricky conditions, building strong pace as the weekend progressed.
“The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, Toksport, Škoda Motorsport and the WRC Promoter have come together to support us on this additional event in Japan, which provides a superb opportunity to gain more tarmac experience,” added the 25-year-old. “All on an event which has just extended its WRC contract for another three years and we are very grateful for that continued trust and support.”
McErlean’s results this season include a career-best second in WRC2 at Rally Portugal as he focused on gravel events for much of the year.
CER marked a shift onto the asphalt for the first time at WRC level in almost 12 months but he bedded in perfectly, setting a string of top three times throughout the weekend.
He is now preparing to enhance his experience of the asphalt at Rally Japan, which represents a very different challenge.
“Japan is going to be very different for us, not only the stages but the country itself,” McErlean continued.
“I have been working hard researching what I can but I’ll also call on the experiences of James [Fulton] and Toksport who have both been there before.
“I need to adapt quickly and learn as much from these guys as quickly as possible as we make the huge trip to the other side of the world.
“It’s going to be amazing,” he enthused. “It will be my first WRC event outside Europe and my first visit to Asia.
“Visiting Tokyo has always been on my bucket list, but never did I think I would be going to compete there on the World Rally Championship.
“I cannot thank everyone enough for this sensational opportunity. I am eager to learn as much as possible, gain valuable experience and achieve the best result I can for everyone involved.”