Creighton bags back-to-back ITRC & BRC Podiums

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton enjoyed back-to-back podiums in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship [ITRC] and Probite British Rally Championship [BRC] with a sensational run of form across two weekends of rallying.

Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan took their M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 to an impressive third overall at the gruelling West Cork International Rally in Ireland, before heading to the Legend Fire North West Stages the following weekend, to clinch an impressive second place.

Both outings were designed to accumulate sealed surface experience in the Fiesta Rally2 but he would face stiff competition on both sides of the Irish Sea as some of the best home-grown talent would be battling for the coveted event wins and a decent haul of points towards their respective championships.

A trip to the second round of the ITRC in Clonakilty would provide over 250 kilometres of fast-paced action against the series regulars to ensure Creighton could settle in and use the experienced drivers out front as a benchmark.

Conditions were perhaps typical of early Spring in Ireland but with large quantities of standing water and heavy rain, the opening day was made even tougher by the addition of stages under the cover of darkness. However, the 2023 Junior World Rally champion held his own, finishing the leg in fourth overall and within sight of the podium.

Changeable weather over the remainder of the weekend allowed Creighton to experience a dynamic range of surfaces and grip levels, but his confidence grew enough to set his first fastest time in the ITRC over the legendary “Ring” stage.

Two more scratch times followed, and he was able to seal a very impressive third overall on his Rally2 debut on Irish soil.

Just a few days later, Creighton would head for the opening round of the reinvigorated BRC to go up against an impressive contingent of crews who would vie for glory across the closed roads of Lancashire. Returning to the championship in which he honed his craft over several seasons and secured the 2021 Junior title, the North West Stages marked his first outing in the prestigious championship behind the wheel of Rally2 machinery.

In stark contrast to the previous weekend, the North West Stages was a short, sharp blast of just 57 stage miles and ten tests; however, each remarkably unforgiving.

Threading his M-Sport Fiesta through the narrow lanes, he would work his way up the leaderboard in dramatic fashion, and by the third stage, he would make it to third overall. With the fourth and fifth stages cancelled due to incidents, Creighton would look to the afternoon loop to further enhance his asphalt experience in the car and get his BRC campaign off to a confident start.

With marginally more consistent conditions, Creighton bedded into the unique roads and climbed the leaderboard again into second. Two fastest times over the closing two stages sealed his position, returning to spray champagne on the podium to complete an impressive double header weekend.

“Both events have really exceeded expectations in terms of results and it’s a bit surreal to think we have had an ITRC and BRC podium on our Rally2 debut in both series,” said Creighton.

“We had everything thrown at us in West Cork and there was a lot to deal with in terms of weather, night stages and getting settled into the car on my first asphalt event in it. The pace is hot over there, so it was encouraging from the outset to see our times were competitive and as the confidence grew, along came some fastest times.”

And that was almost a carbon copy the following week in the British Championship.

“The North West Stages was another tough rally but where it lacked in miles, it made up for in the technical nature of the stages. Just look at the entry list there and you could see it would be a tough fight. It was great to see us top the time sheets against such stiff competition and another podium was a real bonus against some world-class competition. It’s a great start to our British Championship campaign.

“I think we have taken away everything that we could have wanted from both events. It was very much mission accomplished, and I have to say a huge thanks to M-Sport for their hard work and dedication over the past fortnight and for producing a great car for me. Thanks also to the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy for their ongoing support and for giving me some amazing opportunities this season. Competing in Ireland and the UK is quite special and I`ve enjoyed every moment”.

You can follow William's progress throughout his career by following him on his social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok

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