Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne bring their two-year partnership to an end after celebrating victories at Rali Ceredigion and Rally Croatia, as well as making their Rally1 debut in the WRC this season.
Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne have established themselves as a competitive pairing in international rallying, combining speed, precision and teamwork on their journey from the European Rally Championship (ERC) to the highest level of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Their partnership has delivered significant results and opened the door to one of the biggest opportunities of their careers: competing in the Rally1 category with M-Sport Ford.
Their breakthrough came during the 2025 European Rally Championship season, when they claimed memorable victories at Rali Ceredigion in Wales and Rally Croatia. The results highlighted their potential and strengthened Armstrong’s position as one of the drivers capable of making the step up to the world stage.
Their achievements helped Armstrong secure a place with M-Sport Ford for the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship season, marking his debut in the sport’s top category. Behind the wheel of the Ford Puma Rally1, Armstrong faced a new level of competition, with more powerful machinery, demanding technical requirements and experienced rivals competing across some of the world’s most challenging rally stages.
The transition to Rally1 represented a major milestone for both Armstrong and Byrne. Competing throughout a full WRC campaign required consistency, adaptability and the ability to learn quickly at every event. From the unpredictable conditions of Rallye Monte-Carlo to the high-speed gravel stages of other championship rounds, the pair had to continually refine their approach and build experience against established world-class crews.
Despite the difficulties that come with a debut season, they demonstrated encouraging pace and continued to make progress. Their eighth-place finishes at Rally Sweden and Rally Japan provided valuable results, while a maiden WRC stage victory at Acropolis Rally Greece offered further evidence of their speed and potential. They subsequently secured a career-best seventh place at Rally Sardinia, ending their rookie campaign on a positive note.
Despite the progress made together, Armstrong and Byrne have now agreed to pursue different plans for the 2027 rally season. In his statement, Armstrong described the decision as a difficult one, while emphasising that both parties believe the time is right to explore new challenges.
"With the dust now settled on the WRC season, and after taking some time to reflect on everything we’ve achieved together, Shane and I have agreed that the time is right for us both to move forward with different plans for the 2027 rally season", Armstrong said.
"While it was a difficult decision, we both feel it presents an opportunity to explore new challenges going forward.
"I’d like to thank Shane for all his hard work, commitment and effort over the past two years.
"Taking victory at Rali Ceredigion and Rally Croatia together will always be particularly special memories, as will the incredible opportunity to step up to Rally1 in the WRC this season.
"We’ve shared some fantastic moments along the way, and I wish Shane all the very best for the future".
Finally, Byrne stated: "As you may have seen, Jon and I have mutually agreed to go our separate ways and bring our partnership to an end to better our futures going forward.
"We’ve both enjoyed two brilliant seasons together, 2025 in the ERC where we shared two outright wins, and second overall in the championship, then stepping up in 2026 into the M-Sport Ford WRT Puma Rally1, competing in all 13 rounds in the WRC.
"It’s been an amazing journey together, generating memories and experiences I will always cherish.
"I want to wish Jon and his new co driver every success going forward.
"I'd also like to thank the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and M-Sport for the opportunity to develop my career over the last few years".
Photo Credits: M-Sport
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