Twelve months on from his Rally1 debut, the 26-year-old Irishman returns to the World Rally Championship’s most iconic event stronger, more experienced and quietly confident, as he embarks on his second consecutive season in Rally1 machinery with the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, once again co-driven by Eoin Treacy.
Monte-Carlo’s unique and distinctive mix of dry asphalt and snow-lined mountain passes makes it one of the most demanding rallies on the calendar and often, a brutal season opener. It was here last season that McErlean undertook his first competitive kilometres in Rally1 machinery, tackling the challenge with maturity as he began a year focused firmly on learning and development at the sport’s highest level.
Now, as the WRC returns to the French Alps, McErlean arrives in a very different position. After a full season competing against the world’s elite drivers across some of rallying’s toughest events, the Irishman enters 2026 better prepared and ready to convert his experience gained during 2025 into results.
“To be back at Rallye Monte-Carlo for the start of my second Rally1 season is incredibly special,” said McErlean.
“This event demands respect. It’s one of the hardest rallies of the year, and starting the season here really sharpens your focus straight away. It was a huge leap of faith last year for us, and there was so much to learn in a very short space of time. There is no doubt that coming back to Rally1 for a second season gives us much more confidence, but equally, ‘Monte’ can bite back at every available opportunity, so we must strike a balance at the start of the year”.
As the 2026 season begins on the iconic mountain roads above Monaco, McErlean’s focus is firmly on building on the learnings of last year, starting with one of the most complex and unforgiving events in world rallying. It’s a unique challenge, even by WRC standards, offering a rally where conditions can change corner by corner, and success depends on the approach to each passing stage.
“Monte is about judgement, patience and adapting to what the road throws at you,” McErlean explained.
“It’s never about being flat-out everywhere, it’s about making the right calls, reading the conditions and committing when the moment is right.”
Encouragingly, a positive pre-event test has provided McErlean with renewed confidence heading into the season opener. With a full year of Rally1 experience now behind him, the Irishman feels better equipped to push on slightly more than twelve months ago, while still respecting the unique demands of the event.
“The test went really well and gave me a lot of confidence in the car and in myself,” he added.
“This year, I feel more comfortable knowing what to expect from the stages, the tyres and the overall rhythm of the rally. That allows me to approach the weekend with a clearer mindset and a more of an idea of when to push when the conditions allow.”
“The goal is to start the season positively, keep learning, and build momentum from the very first kilometre,” he concluded.
Rallye Monte Carlo gets underway in Monaco on Thursday 22 January, with over 339 kilometres of special stages in the French mountains, before returning to the harbourside for the finish podium on Sunday afternoon.
McErlean is backed by Woodland NI, Admore Air Conditioning, M.P Burke Transport, SDC Trailers, EC Framing, Tulach Properties, Carbon Fusion, Fastener Connections and McCormack Contracting Inc.
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