M-SPORT SET SIGHTS ON RALLY JAPAN

Event: Rally Japan | Round: 7/14 | Date: 28-31 May

As the 2026 World Rally Championship reaches its halfway point, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team turn their attention to Rally Japan, the seventh round of the season and the last Tarmac event on the calendar. Set among the dramatic mountain roads of the Aichi and Gifu regions, Japan represents a final opportunity to make a statement on smooth roads before the championship transitions to gravel.

KEY EVENT STATS

• Surface: Tarmac

• Base: Toyota Stadium, Toyota City

• Stages: 20

• Competitive Distance: 302.82 km

• Total Distance: 905.27 km

WEEKEND FOCUS 

• With the WRC calendar placing Japan in spring for the first time this year, the M-Sport Ford squad will face an unfamiliar challenge. Higher temperatures than crews are accustomed to encountering in Japan will alter conditions significantly, demanding rapid adaptation from both drivers and engineers.

• The mountain roads of Japan's Aichi and Gifu regions are unforgiving, characterised by tight, twisting sections that leave absolutely no room for error. Managing the rhythm of a stage - knowing when to attack for maximum time gains and when to exercise caution - will be a critical skill for crews to master across the weekend.

• The technical Tarmac learnings gathered during rounds in Croatia and Gran Canaria have provided a strong foundation heading into Japan. Having worked across varied asphalt surfaces in those events, the team arrives well-equipped to demonstrate their true pace on smooth roads when it matters most.

• Jon Armstrong will make his competitive debut in Japan, but he is no stranger to the roads, having supported other crews as a route note crew member in previous years. Josh McErlean, however, returns to Japan for the third time, focused on delivering a solid performance.

• The knowledge of both Irish crews will prove invaluable to Romet Jürgenson, who makes his first journey out to Japan, buoyed by some strong foundations on asphalt already this season.

Richard Millener, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal, said: "Japan is always a special event on the calendar, and this year brings a new challenge with the spring date meaning we'll be dealing with warmer conditions than we're used to there. It's the kind of thing that keeps everyone on their toes, and it will be important that we adapt quickly across the early stages of the week.

"The roads in Aichi and Gifu are incredibly demanding, there's no hiding place on those mountain stages, and getting the rhythm right between pushing hard and managing the car will be key. We’ve made some good progress on Tarmac this season so far, so our aim is to hit the ground running in Japan.

"It's a really exciting week for the team with Jon and Romet making their competitive debuts in Japan and Josh returning for the third time; both bring real knowledge of these roads which I think will be a huge asset. The team is always excited to travel out to Japan, and I'm looking forward to seeing what results we can produce."

CREW LINE-UP

FORD PUMA RALLY1

#55 / Josh McErlean & Eoin Treacy

• Rally de Portugal 2026 result: 18th Overall

• Rally Japan 2025 result: Retired Friday

• Current championship position: 19th WRC

Josh McErlean said: “Rally Japan is always a really special event and it’s hard to believe it’s already the final Tarmac rally of the season, and also the last asphalt event for this current generation of Rally1 car.

“The stages are incredibly demanding and precise, but we’ve definitely made good progress on asphalt through the year and I feel in a much stronger place heading into this event compared to earlier in the season. The aim is to keep building confidence, put together a clean rally and finish the tarmac season on a positive note with the team.”

#95 / Jon Armstrong & Shane Byrne

• Rally de Portugal 2026 result: Retired Saturday

• Armstrong will be making his Rally Japan debut

• Current championship position: 14th WRC

Jon Armstrong said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge of Japan. It's only my second ever long-haul event, but I have been there a couple of times in the past with the route note crew, so I have some familiarity with the stages. They're quite interesting, a little twisty with a good variation of surfaces.

"The weather could be interesting too, because it's a different time of year and no one really knows fully what to expect. But I think it's going to be an amazing event and we're looking to enjoy ourselves out there. It's the last Tarmac rally of the year, so we want to see what kind of pace we can have, but also just enjoy driving the Rally1 car on its final WRC Tarmac outing.

"I love Japan: the culture, the people, and especially the fans, are really cool. I can't wait to get going."

FORD FIESTA RALLY2

#25 / Romet Jürgenson & Siim Oja

• Rally de Portugal 2026 result: 11th WRC2

• Jürgenson will be making his Rally Japan debut

• Current championship position: 30th WRC 

Romet Jürgenson said: "Japan will be a completely new experience for me. I've never been to the country before, and I've only heard great things about the culture and the food, so that's definitely something I'm really looking forward to.

"In terms of the rally itself, it's going to be a very unique challenge. More slow and twisty in its rhythm compared to the other tarmac events we've done this year. But I think gaining knowledge of these stages is extremely important for the future, and I'm looking forward to taking that on this week."

Published 22 May 2026