ERC
McBride gets his big moment with Junior ERC chance
Highly rated Irish driver Kyle McBride will get to showcase his potential on an international stage in 2026 when he embarks on his maiden FIA Junior ERC Championship campaign.
The winner of the 2025 Stellantis Rally Cup IRE & UK and the prestigious Billy Coleman Award – handed to Ireland’s most promising young rally driver each season – McBride will contest the Hankook-supported series in a Peugeot 208 Rally4 run by Tagai Racing Technology.
He has secured backing from both Motorsport Ireland and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy in addition to several private partners and will also utilise the lucrative support package from winning the Stellantis Rally Cup IRE & UK.
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy is supporting McBride in 2026
© Kyle McBride/Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy
The 22-year-old’s progression to Junior ERC level continues a career path that started at the age of 12 and included stints competing in the Junior 1000 category in his homeland before he was enrolled into the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy in 2022.
He won the Junior British Rally Championship Academy Trophy and the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series that year ahead of finishing runner-up in the Junior BRC in 2023. He finished second in the Stellantis Rally Cup IRE & UK in 2024 before he won the Junior BRC and Stellantis Rally Cup IRE & UK crowns last season as well as being selected as the Billy Coleman Award winner.
McBride has climbed up through the ranks to reach Junior ERC level
© Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy
“Everything I’ve done over the last number of years has been building towards a moment like this,” said McBride, who will be co-driven by 25-year-old Liam Callaghan. “Winning the championships in 2025 and then the Billy Coleman Award opened the door to making this ERC season a reality. I can’t thank the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, my dad, my mum, my whole family and every one of my sponsors enough. There are some new sponsors coming on board this season too, and together we’ve been able to put something really exciting together. I can’t wait to get started.
Everything I’ve done over the last number of years has been building towards a moment like this
“Our main focus will be getting into a good rhythm with the car and understanding the characteristics of the roads at each event. We want to build our pace steadily and give ourselves the best possible platform to push on as the season develops.”
McBride will make his Junior ERC debut on the gravel-based BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia from 22 - 24 May.
