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behind the wheel

About Jon Armstrong

The rising star in international rallying

Driving Success on the World’s
Toughest Stages

jon 2011

Early Life & Background

Jon Armstrong grew up surrounded by motorsport. His father worked as a local rally mechanic in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, and Jon and his brother spent their weekends at events, sparking a fascination that quickly grew into ambition. By the time he entered his first rally in 2008 at just 13, Jon was already immersed in the world of rally cars, pacenotes, and gravel stages.

Alongside real-world competition, Jon developed his skills through rally simulators, building an instinct for pace and car control that crossed seamlessly between virtual and real environments. That dual ability led to a remarkable milestone in 2018 when he won the official WRC eSports World Championship, becoming the first driver to combine a world-level sim racing title with a serious career on the stages. He went on to work with Codemasters and EA Sports on the DiRT Rally and WRC game series, helping bring authentic rally handling to millions of players worldwide.

While sim racing played an important role in Jon’s early development and continues to inform his coaching work, it is the real-world results that tell the story of where he is heading.

Rally Career Highlights

Rallying is at the core of Jon’s story. Over the years, he has steadily progressed through the sport’s classes, from early two-wheel-drive championships in Northern Ireland to Rally1 machinery at world championship level.

Junior WRC (2021-2022)
Jon finished as runner-up in the FIA Junior WRC Championship in both 2021 and 2022, accumulating six podiums and over 50 stage wins across two seasons. These results, against the best young talent in the world, confirmed he belonged at international level.

European Rally Championship (2023-2025)
Moving to the ERC, Jon won the ERC3 Championship in 2023, proving his consistency across diverse European terrains. He stepped up to the top class in 2024 with M-Sport Ford, earning podium finishes and fifth overall in the championship.
The 2025 season was the breakthrough. Jon and co-driver Shane Byrne claimed their first ERC overall victory at Rali Ceredigion in Wales, a career-defining moment on home soil. They followed it up weeks later with a second victory at Rally Croatia, reading mixed conditions perfectly and making smart tyre calls to take a commanding win.

WRC Rally1 with M-Sport Ford (2026)
Two victories in a single European season earned Jon what every rally driver dreams of: a factory seat at the top level of the sport. In December 2025, M-Sport Ford confirmed Jon alongside Josh McErlean as their driver lineup for the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship.
Jon now drives the Ford Puma Rally1, the most advanced rally car in the world, with Shane Byrne alongside him calling the pace notes. The early rounds of 2026 have already shown flashes of remarkable potential. At his debut in Rallye Monte Carlo, Jon ran as high as third overall after stage two, ahead of nine-time world champion Sebastien Ogier. At Rally Sweden, he scored his first WRC championship points as the leading M-Sport runner. And at Rally Croatia, he set nine top-three stage times and came within a tenth of a second of a maiden WRC stage win.
The pace is there. The consistency is building. And the story is only just beginning.

View jon’s timeline
jon armstrong white fiesta rome coliseum erc 2024 (1)
jon armstron sim racing wrc champion 2018

Sim Racing Champion

The Role of Sim Racing
While rallying remains Jon’s primary focus, sim racing has played an essential supporting role in his journey. He is a former WRC Esports World Champion and has worked with Codemasters/EA to bring authentic rally handling to the DiRT and WRC game series. Today, he views simulators as valuable tools for training and coaching, rather than the core of his story, for now.

The Team

Co-driver: Shane Byrne has been alongside Jon since 2023, and together they have built a formidable partnership. Shane’s precise pace notes and calm communication complement Jon’s speed and instinct perfectly.

Team: M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, based in Cockermouth, England. Founded by Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport has been a cornerstone of the World Rally Championship for decades and continues to develop the Ford Puma Rally1 for the sport’s top category.

Supported by: Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, SafetyCulture, Castrol, Seacon UK, C&M Motorsport, MS-RT, and a dedicated group of personal sponsors and partners.

jon armstrong & m sport team rali ceredigion
jon armstrong rally driver winner of rali ceredigion 2025
jon armstrong next tenth rally coaching square logo

Evolution:
Next Tenth – Rally Coaching

Alongside his competition programme, Jon has launched Next Tenth, a rally coaching initiative designed to help drivers at all levels find extra performance. His experience spanning grassroots rallying, European championship racing, and now the WRC means he can offer insights grounded in real, current competition at the highest level.

Through Next Tenth, Jon offers:
– In-car coaching and pace-note development
– Stage reviews and data analysis
– Mental preparation and rallycraft workshops
– Half-day and full-day rally experiences across Ireland, the UK, and Europe
– Performance analysis for both real-world driving and sim racing

The name reflects Jon’s philosophy: in rallying, the difference between winning and losing comes down to finding the next tenth of a second.
The name reflects Jon’s philosophy:
“In rallying, the difference between winning and losing comes down to finding the next tenth of a second“

Vision

Jon’s mission is twofold: to compete and win at the highest level of world rallying, and to use Next Tenth to mentor the next generation of drivers.

His blend of competitive experience at WRC level, technical knowledge, and approachable coaching style makes him both a rising force on the world stage and a trusted guide for aspiring rally drivers.

Jon Armstrong sitting in Ford Puma1, competing in the WRC Rally1 2026 Croatia

Jon Armstrong competes in the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship for M-Sport Ford WRT, driving car #95, the Ford Puma Rally1, with co-driver Shane Byrne.

jon armstrong rally signature

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