JON Armstrong is hoping to end his second full European Rally Championship season on a high.
The Kesh native currently sits sixth overall in the series but with the final three rounds at events he feels should suit his driving style and his M-Sport Rally2 Ford Fiesta, he’s in a positive mindset.
The 30-year-old has been consistently in and around the top five all season, with a podium finish in Poland being the highlight of a promising campaign.
Unfortunately punctures and mechanical issues have meant his pace hasn’t always converted into results and points and last time out in Rome, he endured another difficult weekend behind the wheel.
On this occasion, however, he admits, that was through no fault of the car – it was an off-colour performance in general that left him 11th overall but positively, third in the concluding Power Stage.
“I think from my side it’s always difficult on those hot rallies, and we knew that from 2024 when we went there that we didn’t quite have the same rhythm,” he explained.
“I thought this year would be better but I didn’t know how close I could get. I think the pace was much better than last year but ultimately we’re still missing a bit of rhythm and a bit of balance in the car.
“OK, the pace was not terrible, but if the rhythm isn’t right you’re losing a little bit on every stage and every corner and that adds up over the rally.
“It definitely wasn’t the result we were looking for and it was quite a frustrating weekend. It’s difficult to know where you can improve without doing a big test so I can understand where I can get extra pace out of me as a driver and trying all the different options.
“We still managed to get third on the Power Stage, which is another three points and if you look at it compared to last year we’ve had much better performances and more pace – we’re closer to the top results and I think we will keep progressing and we will get there.”
Even though Rome didn’t go as he had hoped, Armstrong is happy with his pace this year and he feels he can end the season on a high over the final three events.
“I think Rome is the first rally this year that we haven’t had the pace to be in the top five, which, if you look at it that way it’s not a bad thing because we’ve had the pace [elsewhere],” he observed.
“The podium we had in Poland was a good showing, so we just have to put Rome behind us and we know Barum and Ceredigion and Croatia have conditions and stages that should suit me and the Fiesta a bit better.”
Next up for Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne is a trip to Czech Republic for the Barum Czech Rally where he’s keen to return to at least the top five. Although he knows that won’t be easy given the variables of weather and road conditions there.
“It’s one of those ones where the temperature can be a bit high but they can have isolated thunder showers, so you’re never guaranteed to have a clean weekend of weather being good and consistent,” he said.
“It can change quite quickly and it’s one of those events that is quite bumpy and there can be a lot of gravel on the road.”