Josh McErlean will drive an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 for the full 2025 World Rally Championship season, as team-mate to Grégoire Munster.
McErlean, 25, steps up from a Toksport Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 after three full seasons in WRC2 – peaking with second place at this year’s Rally Portugal.
The Irishman, who’s backed by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, has no prior Rally1 experience but will tackle all 14 rounds in 2025, beginning with the Monte Carlo Rally in January.
He will also have a new co-driver in Eoin Treacy, who spent 2024 navigating Jon Armstrong in the European Rally Championship and MI Rally Academy founder and patron John Coyne in the American Rally Association.
McErlean’s outgoing co-driver, James Fulton, has joined the Toyota Challenge program, sitting in with Yuki Yamamoto for 2025.
McErlean (left) and new co-driver Treacy complete M-Sport's full-time lineup in 2025
“Joining M-Sport Ford next year to drive the Puma Rally1 in the World Rally Championship is truly a dream come true,” McErlean said.
“I’ve always aspired to compete at the highest level of motorsport, and now that opportunity is becoming a reality. I’m incredibly excited to be working with such a professional and dedicated team, and Eoin and I are ready to give it everything.
“This is a massive step in my career, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved – Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, John Coyne, supporters, family, and the team – for making this possible. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel.”
M-Sport team principal Richard Millener added: “We need to continue to invest in new and emerging talent in the WRC, [and] I am proud to be able to give another two guys the chance to do this. The targets and expectations for the year will be very sensible, but I know that the team and all the Irish fans will be behind the pairing and this opportunity for them.
“I am really looking forward to working with them, and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, to make this a positive season for us all.”
McErlean’s announcement confirms there will be nine permanent, full-time Rally1 drivers in 2025.
Alongside M-Sport’s pair, Hyundai will field reigning world champion Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux on all rounds – but it remains unclear if a fourth i20 N Rally1 could appear at points in the season.
Toyota will run four GR Yaris Rally1s on every round for Kalle Rovanperä, Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari. Sébastien Ogier will appear in a fifth car for around half the season.
M-Sport is also likely to run more Pumas on certain events. Jourdan Serderidis has confirmed to DirtFish he will do four rounds in the first half of the season, while Junior WRC contender Ali Türkkan – among others – has expressed a desire to hire a Puma Rally1 in 2025 too.
