BREEN’S PORTUGUESE PROGRAMME ENSURES EUROPEAN COMEBACK
Irishman gets local Hyundai importer support for national championship Rally2 campaign
Craig Breen is set to return to the European championship in 2023 – but for the season-opening Rally de Fafe only.
The 32-year-old Irishman, who will drive a Hyundai i20 N Rally2, has signed up for a Portuguese championship campaign backed by the country’s Hyundai importer.
Rally de Fafe doubles as the first rounds of the European and Portuguese championships from March 10-12, meaning Breen will go into battle with the ERC regulars on stages familiar to him from the World championshipcounting Rally of Portugal.
Breen’s programme in Portugal is on top of his part season with Hyundai’s factory team in the WRC.
“I am very excited about this project,” said Breen. “It will be very challenging to compete in both [the WRC and Portuguese] championships. I’m going to begin my WRC season in Sweden, but I can’t wait to be in Fafe. I feel very motivated to compete in Portugal with Team Hyundai Portugal.”
The Portuguese championship features eight rounds with the first four events on gravel, including Rally of Portugal, and the final four running on Tarmac. The allasphalt Rali Vinho da Madeira, once a European championship mainstay and Intercontinental Rally Challenge regular, is the sixth event of the season but clashes with the WRC-counting Rally Finland, which is expected to appear on Breen’s global schedule.
Meanwhile, James Fulton, Breen’s co-driver, partnered Josh McErlean on last April’s Rali Terras d’Aboboreira, the third event of the Portuguese season. The Irishmen were leading in a i20 Rally2 when retired after rolling.
Breen is a five-time winner in the ERC and has 35 starts to his name. He took part on three European rounds in 2021 driving a Hyundai i20 R5 for Team MRF Tyres alongside former co-driver Paul Nagle. Second place on Latvia’s Rally Liepaja proved to be their best result.