Being among the World Rally Championship’s top flight, traversing the start ramp in Monte Carlo’s glitzy Casino Square in front of thousands of fans, is the stuff of dreams for any rally driver. Next week the WRC’s latest top class debutant Josh McErlean will turn that into a reality after a whirlwind off-season that has resulted in the Irishman landing a dream full-time Rally1 opportunity with M-Sport-Ford - a drive even he thought was out of reach.
“It is incredible, a dream come true for me,” McErlean tells Autosport. “It has always been a dream to be in one of these cars. I said last year if I got one chance in a Rally1 car, it would be a big tick box [moment]. Even this time last year, I would have honestly laughed in your face [if you told me this would happen].
