Solberg Stuns in the Dark: Ice and Fog Define Chaotic Monte-Carlo Opener

GAP, FRANCE – The 94th Rallye Monte-Carlo roared into life on Thursday night, delivering a quintessential "Night of the Long Knives" that turned the leaderboard on its head. Under the pitch-black skies of the French Alps, the 2026 season opener reminded the world that in the WRC, bravery often outweighs machinery. But it wasn't a veteran master taming the elements; it was 24-year-old Oliver Solberg, promoted to the factory Toyota Gazoo Racing squad, who emerged from the frozen chaos as the shock leader.

The drama began on SS1 (Toudon – Saint-Antonin), a classic test returning after a 17-year hiatus. On wet but manageable tarmac, Elfyn Evans drew first blood for Toyota, edging Solberg by 5.6 seconds. However, the rally truly began on SS2 (Esclangon – Seyne-les-Alpes). The notorious stage, absent since 2016, was a nightmare of black ice and slush. While others tiptoed, Solberg threw caution to the wind, decimating the field with a time over 30 seconds faster than his nearest rival. His daring performance on the studded rubber vaulted him into a commanding lead, leaving legends like Sébastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville trailing in his wake.

The final test of the night, SS3 (Vaumeilh – Claret), descended into farce as thick fog blanketed the mountain. Visibility dropped to near zero, prompting furious radio messages from crews. Sébastien Ogier, hunting his 11th Monte victory, mastered the gloom to set the fastest time before the stage was eventually red-flagged for safety reasons. The neutralization caused confusion, but the headline remained: Solberg heads to the overnight halt with a stunning 44.2-second cushion.

In the Rally1 field, the surprises continued with rookie Jon Armstrong. The Irishman, making his top-flight debut in the M-Sport Ford Puma, drove with maturity beyond his years. despite a scare on SS3 where he slid off the road, the red flag protocol saw him awarded a notional time, keeping him firmly in the fight for a podium position—a sensational start for the underdog.

It was a disastrous night, however, for Toyota's other rising star. Sami Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen saw their rally end almost before it began. Pajari crashed heavily early in the loop, retiring his GR Yaris Rally1 on the spot. Both crew members were reported unhurt, but the damage to the car was terminal for the day.

In WRC2, the battle was equally fierce. The much-anticipated return of Lancia saw a mixed start, with their Ypsilon Rally2 machines showing pace but struggling for consistency against the established order. Frenchman Eric Camilli capitalized on his local knowledge to lead the category in his Škoda Fabia RS, holding off a spirited charge from Léo Rossel in the Citroën.

As crews head to Gap for the short overnight rest, the service park is buzzing. The tire lottery has only just begun, and with more snow forecast for Friday's leg, the mountain is far from finished.

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Standings After Day 1 (SS3)

Overall Top 10 (WRC1 & WRC2 Mix)

1. Oliver Solberg (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) – 38:42.5* (Time est.)
2. Elfyn Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +44.2s
3. Sébastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +1:08.7
4. Jon Armstrong (Ford Puma Rally1) +1:12.4
5. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +1:15.9
6. Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +1:44.0
7. Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +1:55.2
8. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +2:10.5
9. Eric Camilli (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +3:45.1 [1st WRC2]
10. Léo Rossel (Citroën C3 Rally2) +3:52.8 [2nd WRC2]

WRC2 Top 5

1. Eric Camilli (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2)
2. Léo Rossel (Citroën C3 Rally2) +7.7s
3. Chris Ingram (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +14.2s
4. Arthur Pelamourgues (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) +25.6s
5. Cédric Cherain (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +38.9s

(Note: Times for SS3 are provisional due to the red flag and notional times awarded to later runners.)

Report: Neil McDaid 

The Digital Maverick’s Destiny: Jon Armstrong and the Great Irish Ascent to Rally1

 

For twenty years, I have stood in the mud-soaked ditches of the Donegal hills and the frozen passes of the Col de Turini, waiting for that one specific sound: the engine note of a driver who refuses to lift. I have chronicled the era of Loeb, the reign of Ogier, and the tragic, soaring spirit of the late Craig Breen. But today, standing in the service park on the eve of the 2026 WRC season, I am witnessing something that defies the modern laws of motorsport. Jon Armstrong, the Fermanagh man who was once written off as a "gamer" without a budget, has officially taken his seat as a factory driver for M-Sport Ford in the brutal Rally1 category.

Armstrong’s rise is not merely a career—it is a resurrection. A decade ago, he was a precocious talent lighting up the British Rally Championship, but the brutal, cold reality of motorsport finance hit him like a concrete wall. By 2017, the funding dried up, and the helmet was nearly hung up for good. Yet, where others would have drifted into the "what could have been" category, Armstrong pivoted. He conquered the virtual world, winning the 2018 WRC eSports Championship, using a gaming wheel to prove his "pixel-perfect" precision was a match for anyone on Earth.

That digital detour was the spark that reignited a fire in Cumbria. Malcolm Wilson, a man with a legendary eye for raw talent, saw the steel in Armstrong’s eyes. The road back was paved with grit and "shoestring budgets," fighting through the Junior WRC trenches. However, his 2025 campaign in the European Rally Championship (ERC) served as the final ultimatum to the WRC establishment. Finishing as the 2025 ERC Runner-up with dominant victories in Croatia and Wales, Armstrong made it "impossible to ignore" him for the top flight.

This monumental leap for 2026 is bolstered by a historic partnership. Motorsport Ireland has stepped up with an expanded collaboration, providing the crucial backing that allows Armstrong to join fellow academy driver Josh McErlean in an all-Irish factory assault. Crucial, too, has been a steadying force off the stages. Armstrong’s partner, Hollie McRae—daughter of the immortal Colin McRae—has been a constant presence in his corner. In a touching tribute to the 1995 World Champion, Armstrong will run the #95 on his Puma Rally1, a "hat tip" to a legacy of "flat-out" bravery that continues to inspire his journey.

The Machine and the Man: A Decade of Evolution

Armstrong has tamed a diverse stable of machinery to reach the pinnacle:

• Ford Fiesta R2/Rally4: Where he learned the art of momentum in the British woods.
• Ford Fiesta Rally3: The tool used to dominate and win the 2023 ERC3 Championship.
• Ford Fiesta Rally2: His "giant-killer" for the 2024–2025 ERC seasons.
• Ford Puma Rally1 (2026): The 500hp hybrid beast he now wields as a full-time factory professional.

The Tally of a Tenacious Talent

Accomplishments:

• 2026: Secured full-season factory WRC Rally1 seat with M-Sport Ford.
• 2025: ERC Runner-up with overall victories at Rali Ceredigion and Rally Croatia.
• 2023: ERC3 Champion, proving his dominance in 4WD machinery.
• 2021 & 2022: Two-time Junior WRC Runner-up.
• 2018: WRC eSports World Champion, bridging the gap from sim to reality.

Struggles:

• Funding Crises: Nearly forced into retirement in 2017 due to a total lack of commercial backing.
• Budgetary Warfare: Years spent competing on a fraction of rivals' budgets with minimal testing.
• Junior Heartbreak: Twice missing the Junior WRC title by agonizingly slim margins.

Photos: Motorsport Ireland, Neil McDaid 

Toyota Blitz in Gap: 2026 WRC Season Ignites at Monte Carlo Shakedown

The 2026 World Rally Championship season erupted into life on the dry, sun-drenched asphalt of the 

Gap

 hills on Wednesday afternoon, January 21, 2026. While the pristine blue skies offered a momentary respite, they did nothing to mask the underlying tension of a 14-round championship reaching its Rally1 crescendo.

The story of the 4.25 km shakedown was a clinical display of dominance by Toyota Gazoo Racing, which secured a staggering lockout of the top five positions. Takamoto Katsuta stunned the service park by setting a blistering 2:31.8 on his very first run—a benchmark that remained untouched for the rest of the three-hour session.

However, the drama wasn’t confined to the timesheets. Hyundai Shell Mobis suffered a nightmare start to their campaign. Thierry Neuville, the 2024 world champion, saw his session end prematurely when he ripped a front right wheel off his i20 N during his second run, leaving him buried in 14th place. Teammate Hayden Paddon, making a high-profile return to the WRC, also endured a "moment" at the bridge, stalling and shedding aerodynamic components early on.

Top 5 Shakedown Results

Rank	Driver	Car	Time
1	Takamoto Katsuta	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	2:31.8
2	Sébastien Ogier	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	2:33.1
3	Oliver Solberg	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	2:34.4
4	Elfyn Evans	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	2:35.0
5	Sami Pajari	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	2:35.1

Voices from the Service Park

• Takamoto Katsuta (1st): "New season, fresh mind... I will try everything I can to do things in a bit more of a clever way than last year. I'm happy and really confident".
• Sébastien Ogier (2nd): "Happy to be here like always. Monte Carlo is a special place. Sunshine today [but] may be the last of the week".
• Oliver Solberg (3rd): "It is incredible, it is a dream come true. I’m so excited to start. I was a bit nervous... but all good".
• Hayden Paddon (10th): "It was just a small moment... This is going to be a tough rally and we are in the deep end".
• Jon Armstrong (7th): "My nerves are not too bad but obviously it is a tricky rally to start with... a lot of new pace notes".

Report: Neil McDaid 

The Yanbu Miracle: Dacia’s Desert Conquest and the Two-Second Heartbreak

 

YANBU, SAUDI ARABIA – After 14 days of relentless torment across the most unforgiving terrain on Earth, the 48th Dakar Rally has reached its crescendo on the shores of the Red Sea. This was not merely a race; it was an 8,000-kilometer odyssey that broke machines and tested the very limits of human sanity. As the dust settles over Yanbu today, January 17, 2026, the history books will record a shifting of the guard and the narrowest finish in the history of motorsport.

In the Ultimate (Car) category, the desert has a new king, though his face is a familiar one. Nasser Al-Attiyah has secured his sixth Dakar title, but this victory tastes different. It marks a monumental debut for the Dacia Sandriders, a project many dismissed as too ambitious for such a short development cycle. Al-Attiyah, the "Prince of the Desert," navigated the treacherous dunes of the Empty Quarter and the jagged canyons of Al-Bahah with a surgical precision that left his rivals chasing shadows. While others succumbed to mechanical failure or the Dakar’s infamous navigation traps, Al-Attiyah and the Sandrider remained an unstoppable force of nature, blending raw speed with the veteran poise that has defined his 20-year career.

However, the headline that will echo through the ages comes from the Motorcycle category. In a sport where hours usually separate the elite, the 2026 title was decided by a breathtaking two seconds. Luciano Benavides, the younger of the Argentine flying brothers, snatched the victory from the hands of Honda’s Ricky Brabec in the final seven kilometers of the rally. Brabec had led for much of the second week, but a momentary lapse in concentration at a hidden waypoint allowed Benavides to charge through the final dunes like a man possessed. It is a result that defies logic and cements Luciano’s place alongside his brother Kevin as a Dakar legend.

The battle for the podium was a showcase of pure grit. In the cars, Nani Roma proved that age is just a number, bringing the Ford Raptor home in second place to secure a historic double-podium for the American manufacturer alongside Mattias Ekström. In the bikes, the story of the rally was Daniel Sanders, who rode into Yanbu with a broken collarbone sustained just three days ago, remarkably finishing fifth. This 2026 edition returned to the roots of the rally—emphasizing endurance and navigation over flat-out sprinting—and in doing so, reminded us why the Dakar remains the "Everest of Motorsports."

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FINAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION: CARS (ULTIMATE)

1. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) | Dacia Sandriders | 48h 56' 53''
2. Nani Roma (ESP) | Ford M-Sport | + 00h 09' 42''
3. Mattias Ekström (SWE) | Ford M-Sport | + 00h 15' 20''
4. Lucas Moraes (BRA) | Toyota Gazoo Racing | + 00h 45' 11''
5. Seth Quintero (USA) | Toyota Gazoo Racing | + 01h 02' 03''

FINAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION: MOTORCYCLES

1. Luciano Benavides (ARG) | Red Bull KTM | 49h 00' 41''
2. Ricky Brabec (USA) | Monster Energy Honda | + 00h 00' 02''
3. Tosha Schareina (ESP) | Monster Energy Honda | + 00h 25' 12''
4. Skyler Howes (USA) | Monster Energy Honda | + 00h 56' 41''
5. Daniel Sanders (AUS) | Red Bull KTM | + 01h 03' 15''

Report: Neil McDaid

DUST, GLORY, AND DYNAMITE: SUBARU CONTINUE THEIR DOMINANCE IN THE 2025 ARA CHAMPIONSHIP

Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams of Subaru Motorsports USA have been crowned the 2025 American Rally Association (ARA) National Champions, clinching their fourth consecutive overall title in a season marked by fierce competition and dramatic finishes. The duo secured the championship with a commanding win at the Ojibwe Forests Rally, the penultimate round of the season.

Season Development

The 2025 season kicked off with the Sno*Drift Rally in Michigan, where Semenuk and Williams set the early pace with a victory in snowy conditions. The championship saw a tight battle for top honors throughout the year, with competitors like Conner Martell and Travis Pastrana pushing hard.

A key moment occurred at the Southern Ohio Forest Rally, where reigning champion Semenuk slid off the road, allowing Ryan Booth to secure his first-ever national overall win. As the season progressed, the final events, particularly the Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR), proved decisive for several class titles, featuring a mix of fast, flowing roads and rough, rocky stages that tested driver and machine durability. Pastrana ended his season on a high note, taking the overall victory at LSPR in the new Subaru WRX ARA25L.

Championship Standings (Top 3 in each category)

Overall Open Class Championship

Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams dominated the Open 4-Wheel Drive class and the overall championship, showcasing consistent speed and reliability.

1. Brandon Semenuk (Driver) / Keaton Williams (Co-Driver) - Subaru Motorsports USA
2. Conner Martell (Driver) / Alex Gelsomino (Co-Driver) - 2C Compétition
3. Travis Pastrana (Driver) / Rhianon Gelsomino (Co-Driver) - Subaru Motorsports USA

RC2 and LN4 Championships

The RC2 class saw a tight points battle that concluded at LSPR. Patrick Gruszka needed only to finish to secure the title, which he did, despite some late-race drama for his closest competitor, Javier Olivares. In the combined LN4 (Limited 4WD and Naturally Aspirated 4WD) class, Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino clinched the championship with their class win at LSPR.

• RC2 Champion: Patrick Gruszka (Driver) / KJ Miller (Co-Driver)
• LN4 Champions: Travis Pastrana (Driver) / Rhianon Gelsomino (Co-Driver)

Open 2WD Championship

The Open 2-Wheel Drive (O2WD) championship was claimed by veteran driver Seamus Burke and co-driver Gary McElhinney, whose season-long consistency earned them the title.

1. Seamus Burke (Driver) / Gary McElhinney (Co-Driver)
2. Richo Healey (Driver) / Michelle Miller (Co-Driver)
3. Matthew Nykanen (Driver) / Lars Anderson (Co-Driver) - Nykanen also notably won the inaugural Ken Block Rookie of the Year Award

Report: Neil McSaid 

Images: Neil McDaid, Subaru Motorsport USA