Junior WRC champion Creighton steps up to WRC2

Reigning Junior WRC champion William Creighton will step up to WRC2 - the second tier of the World Rally Championship - in 2024.

Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan will compete in seven events, starting in Sweden from 15-18 February.

Northern Ireland driver Creighton, who is part of Motorsport Ireland's Rally Academy, will pilot a M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 car, alongside Regan.

"It's quite simply an unbelievable opportunity," said Creighton, 26.

"The level of competition at the front of WRC2 is extremely high so I`m under no illusion of the challenge that lies ahead of us.

"The goal is most certainly to build our experience as the year progresses and as I become comfortable with the Fiesta Rally2 we will look to target the events that I have experience of.

"Being part of a world-class team like M-Sport is also very exciting indeed and having collaborated with them for several years in JWRC, I'm confident I'm in the right hands.

"It's going to be an incredibly special season and I can't wait to get underway."

Creighton, who has also won the Junior British Rally Championship, has previously competed in two WRC2 events, making his debut in the class in Spain in 2022 before tackling Rally Monte Carlo last January.

Fellow Northern Ireland driver Josh McErlean is expected to return to WRC2 and, after winning his first Junior WRC event in Croatia in April, Ireland's Eamonn Kelly will return to the series in 2024.