M-Sport driver Josh McErlean says this week’s Donegal International Rally will be good for his soul as he competes at home, away from the pressure of the World Rally Championship.
McErlean’s second season in Puma Rally1 machinery has been mixed, with a poor performance in Monte Carlo setting an initial trend of misfortune and small mistakes.
He’s finished in the points three times this season with a best result of eighth in the Canaries.
Donegal (June 19-21) runs the weekend before McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy’s WRC season resumes in Greece. They’ll drive a Ford Fiesta Rally2 against rivals including five-time World Rally winner Kris Meeke (Toyota) and reigning Irish Tarmac champion Callum Devine (Škoda).
McErlean has never contested the rally before but has been to watch several times, and feels the opportunity will help remind him of how far his career has taken him to date.
Tenth on Rally Japan was McErlean's third top-10 finish of 2026
“It’s honestly really nice to go back [to Ireland],” McErlean told DirtFish.
“I think it’s good for the soul to go to events at home because it creates your… I’m not saying I’ve fallen out of love of rallying or anything, but it gives you a bit of inspiration to go again.
“And, yeah, it’s a very special rally. Obviously I’ve been there many years, but I’ve never actually competed. We’ve seen how competitive the Fiesta was with Romet [Jürgenson in Japan], which was really good to see.
“And Jon [Armstrong] obviously was there [in Donegal] last year fighting for stage times too. So we’ve got a lot of knowledge of the team and the car, so yeah, I’m really looking forward to it.”
Local star Callum Devine won last year's Donegal and will lead this year's field into the stages
McErlean may appear an obvious victory favorite as an active WRC Rally1 driver, but he knows not to underestimate Meeke and co-driver Liam Regan.
“Yeah, he’s going to be absolutely on it,” smiled McErlean. “I think everyone goes to Donegal with a ding-dong attitude and we have to.
“It is what it is and the stages are quite different day on day, but some stages are relatively new so I think that should help us a bit more.
“But, yeah, the old dog Kris is going to be the one to watch,” he added.
“But the atmosphere in Letterkenny is always special. It’s a proper show. Obviously the atmosphere with the spectators, there’s a lot of, let’s say, boy racers about too. But that builds the hype for the whole weekend, especially the ceremony on Thursday night. Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it.”
