Josh
McErlean
Ireland
·
WRC
Key Facts
Nationality
IRL
Date of birth
16.07.1999
Birthplace
Ireland
Co-driver
Eoin Treacy
First WRC rally
2019, Wales Rally GB
First WRC stage win
2022, Rally de Portugal SS16
WRC stage wins
1
Best WRC Result
7th, Rallye Monte-Carlo 2025
*WRC2 Open data from 2022 season is included.
I’ve always aspired to compete at the highest level of motorsport, and now that opportunity is becoming a reality.
About Josh McErlean
After a landmark 2025 season that saw him become the first Irishman to compete full-time in the sport’s top flight since the late Craig Breen, McErlean enters 2026 as part of a young, ambitious M-Sport line-up.
McErlean’s path to the pinnacle of the sport was built on a foundation of dominance in the junior ranks. A Junior British Rally Champion in 2019 and recipient of the prestigious Billy Coleman Award, he soon became the standard-bearer for the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy.
After several seasons sharpening his skills in WRC2 - highlighted by a stunning runner-up finish at the 2024 Vodafone Rally de Portugal - he was handed the keys to an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 for a full 2025 campaign.
Josh McErlean competing at ERC Tet Rally Latvia in 2023
© WRC
The 2025 season was a baptism of fire that showcased McErlean’s consistency and technical growth. Making his top-level debut at the legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo, he delivered a clinical drive to finish seventh overall, a result he would go on to match at the high-speed Secto Rally Finland and the Central European Rally.
Despite the steep learning curve of Rally1 machinery, McErlean proved his resilience in the season finale in Saudi Arabia, fighting back from an early puncture to secure a top-ten finish.
Ending his rookie year 11th in the championship, McErlean has been retained by M-Sport for 2026, where he looks to convert his newfound experience into podium-challenging pace.
WRC photos 2025
Josh McErlean / Eoin Treacy, WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo 2025
© WRC
Josh McErlean / Eoin Treacy, WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo 2025
© WRC
Josh McErlean / Eoin Treacy, WRC Rally Sweden 2025
© WRC
Josh McErlean / Eoin Treacy, WRC Rally Sweden 2025
© WRC