WRC
Armstrong’s “unique” path to WRC Rally1 dream
“There has been lots of ups and downs throughout the years. Sometimes you are not sure if the stars are going to align but thankfully, we have this opportunity."
It’s fair to say that Jon Armstrong’s journey to the pinnacle of rallying in the FIA World Rally Championship has been unique. But, after more than 15 years of hard graft Armstrong has reached his destiny and will realise a dream this month when he lines up in Casino Square behind the wheel of an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 car.
Just before Christmas, the 31-year-old found himself at the centre of what has become an M-Sport tradition where the entire team gathers together at its Dovenby Hall workshop to learn who will be driving its WRC cars the following year. Armstrong had an inkling of what was to be announced but was caught off guard when team founder Malcolm Wilson announced a full-time Rally1 seat, alongside Josh McErlean for 2026, supported by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy.
“We were hopeful we would be doing something in the world championship. We were told we would be doing some rallies but we didn’t know. It was very cool especially when you turn up [at the workshop] and everyone is looking to see what drivers are getting out of the cars. It is quite a funny feeling, it was something out of fantasy or a dream,” Armstrong explains.
“You always want to have that opportunity and for it to finally happen was very surreal, but we had done a good season and had a very strong European Rally Championship campaign. When it comes to Rally2 car sales Malcolm was very complimentary on the day on that being a very important topic for the company, and that we have really helped to revive a bit of interest in the Rally2 Fiesta. I guess it is a nice reward for what we have been able to do on a company level not just on a results level.”
Not only is it a reward for an impressive ERC campaign, that ended in Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne finishing runner-up in the title race - scoring wins at Rally Ceredigion and Croatia Rally. It is a reward for never giving up on a dream, no matter what path that has to be taken to get there.
For Armstrong, this journey began as a fresh-faced teenager competing in rally sprints from the age of 13 until he secured his driving licence and embarked on climbing the junior ranks in the British Rally Championship and the ERC. A career began to gather momentum after winning DMACK Cup Shootout that offered a fully funded 2016 campaign driving M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2T. That season proved to be successful, earning two prized Rally2 drives after finishing third in the DMACK Cup ahead of future M-Sport WRC driver Gus Greensmith.
But after finishing 14th and ninth in the WRC2 class in Germany and Spain respectively, the opportunities seemed to dry up. However, Armstrong didn’t give in and took a route less travelled by going into the virtual world, tackling the WRC esports series, a title he claimed in 2018. This was a turning point as a job with rally computer game designers Codemasters followed that ultimately led to a return to real world driving back in the Junior WRC, while helping produce the EA WRC game.
Armstrong came agonisingly close to the JWRC title on two occasions. The Northern Irishman was beaten by now Toyota WRC star Sami Pajari in 2021, before losing out to now WRC2 round winner Robert Virves.
“We had good performance from the prize Rally2 drives but ultimately we didn’t get an opportunity off the back of that so then I turned my attention to esports and managed to be the champion in that after one year, which was quite cool,” he says.
“It took a lot of effort and dedication to be fair. Those [esports] guys are very committed and talented and lot of practice and hours went into it. I have always been motivated by rallying and trying to achieve something that I believe I can do. I never really give up and I have never had the feeling that I don’t want to keep trying.
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“I have always wanted to keep the dream alive until I was not able to keep going anymore. The fact that I got back into the Junior WRC and finished second twice was thanks to my involvement with Codemasters and their sponsorship, which was part of the reason I joined the company because it was a good opportunity career-wise.
“I got quite close to the Junior title a couple of times and now I’m into the top tier is something very unique. I think we will see that more and more with drivers who use computer games to practice and they are then able to translate that to being good in a real car.
“Everything I have kinda done has all worked out and I have come back stronger. Not winning the JWRC was a side step again as I went to the ERC with the Rally3 car and that led to Rally2 car with M-Sport in ERC, so I have been very lucky with the support. I have kinda really only driven M-Sport cars right from the bottom all the way to the top now. It has been quite a journey.”
Some journey indeed, and one that couldn’t have been achieved without the support from passionate rally enthusiast John Coyne and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy that has long supported Armstrong.
“Thankfully we have this opportunity thanks to M-Sport and the world we have done with the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and John Coyne. He has been helping Josh McErlean, and helping us and lots of other drivers as well. I think it is great for Ireland that we have two drivers now in a Rally1 car,” said Armstrong.
But this is not the end of Armstrong’s journey and in many ways it's only the beginning as he prepares for the WRC big time, driving a Puma Rally1.
Driving the car won’t however be an entirely new experience by the time Monte Carlo comes around, having received a taste of the Puma on gravel in M-Sport’s Greystoke stage following his ERC win in Ceredigion in September. A run out on Tarmac was completed last month ahead of a pre-event test day, before making a competitive Rally1 debut on the famous Monte Carlo stages.
“It is all looking good. It is a lot to learn but it is a case of cracking on and giving yourself the time as naturally you are going to need time to go through the motions of learning the car. Hopefully it all clicks just as well as it did when I first drove the car. They [Rally1 cars] are very fast and a lot of grip comes from the car being pushed down with the downforce,” he says.
"It is difficult to really know [my expectations for 2026] as some rallies I have more experience than others so I think we will try to maximise those opportunities and see where our pace is at. In the other rallies it will be a case of feeling how the event goes and see where our pace is at, while learning.
“With the regulations changing in 2027, there is hopefully an opportunity going forward with either M-Sport or another team so it is a case of trying to prove that we can hold our own at that level. Of course, nobody goes in and starts getting podiums straight away, so it will be about being realistic and showing that your performances are getting better after each rally.”
