Tipperary driver Casey Jay Coleman makes ERC Rally2 debut in Portugal

Casey Jay Coleman made his FIA European Rally Championship debut at Rally 2 level last weekend, as preparations begin in earnest for a full campaign at the series highest level in 2027. Rounding off the 2026 ERC season on the year ending Rally Six Cities North of Portugal, Coleman made impressive progress right across the weekend, with a lot of learnings to take into future events and next season.

Having stepped up to Rally2 level with impressive performances on Irish Tarmac in Wexford and Cork, as well as a first taste of similar machinery on the Northern Irish based Dogleap Rally, Casey Jay and navigator Killian McArdle travelled to Portugal to take on a host of legendary WRC stages and an entry list stacked full of the top driving talent in Europe.

Back behind the wheel of the RLA-Autosport prepared Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Coleman knew how much of a challenge lay in store but was quick to pick up on the positives such as the run-after-run improvement seen through Friday’s shakedown stage.

“Really getting into the swing of this Skoda now! Over 22 seconds quicker between our first run of shakedown and our last.

“I am not the most comfortable on gravel and in the new car it is twice as hard, but if we can keep improving like that over the event, we will be happy.”

With the opening day’s action taking crews east of the FAFE base towards WRC Rally Portugal favourites like Cabeceiras de Basto, it would unfortunately end up being a short morning for Coleman and McArdle. A broken damper on Stage 3 left the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy liveried Skoda sidelined, and with no full service on a gruelling eight-stage itinerary there was no option but to retire for the day.

With the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 back in perfect condition thanks to the RLA Autosport team and a full reset, the final day of Rally Six Cities North of Portugal brought 78km of high speed gravel action across eight stages, including two passes over the legendary FAFE test and its iconic jump. With a clear focus to learn and improve across the available mileage, that is exactly what Casey Jay Coleman achieved.

On each of the Sunday stages, the second pass times were much quicker, including taking a massive 21 seconds between the first and final run over the Montim test, setting times amongst the elite crews who have years of experience of Rally2 machinery on Gravel. Speaking at the end of the event, Casey Jay was proud of the performance across the weekend.

“We came here looking to get mileage on gravel in the Skoda Fabia Rally2, but that didn’t really go to plan with a broken damper early on, which put us out of the event.

“We restarted today and tried to build our pace, learned a hell of a lot about the car and the driving style required to get the best from it. Thanks to Killian, the team and all our supporters who were cheering us on!”

After a remarkable season competing across the full FIA European Rally Championship season, Casey Jay Coleman finishes the year second in the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally3 Trophy and third in the ERC3 Championship battle haven elected to move to Rally2 machinery for the final round, as well as being nominated for the 2026 FIA ERC Most Improved Driver of the Year Award.

Having got a taste for what is required to compete at the highest level of ERC competition, Casey Jay Coleman continues his preparation for 2027 as he heads to Spain this coming weekend to take on Rally Ciudad de Granada, the final round of the Spanish Gravel Championship. Joined once again by Killian McArdle and behind the wheel of the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, its further opportunity to gain top-line experience on loose-surface events.

Casey Jay Coleman is supported by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, Suirway Group, Keltech, Lyons Motor Group, Murray Motorsport, Cappoquin Logistics & Killsheelin Limestone Quarries.