PRESS RELEASE
Armstrong and Byrne head to Concepcion for WRC round twelve as Rally Chile’s flowing gravel stages close out the South American double-header
Concepcion, Chile – 8 September 2026
Jon Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne conclude their South American double-header this weekend as they tackle Rally Chile, round twelve of the FIA World Rally Championship and the fifth edition of the event on the WRC calendar.
The M-Sport Ford duo head to Concepcion following a challenging Rally del Paraguay, where a stellar recovery drive from Friday misfortune ultimately ended in retirement on Sunday due to rear-left suspension damage.
Further updates throughout the weekend will be published at jonarmstrongrally.com.
Rally Chile marks Armstrong and Byrne’s first visit to the event, presenting a fresh opportunity as the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy pairing look to prove their pace once again. Crews will tackle 16 stages covering 311 competitive kilometres across the region’s flowing gravel roads, with changeable weather and surface conditions expected to make for a challenging weekend.
The event is shorter than Paraguay in terms of stage count, but the tests themselves are longer, particularly on Saturday, and road cleaning is expected to play a significant role on Friday depending on how the weather falls in the days before the start.
Speaking ahead of the event, Armstrong outlined his expectations for the Chilean stages and his approach to the shorter but demanding event.
Quote – Jon Armstrong
“I’m looking forward to Rally Chile,” said Armstrong. “The stages look a little bit like Wales Rally GB and seem to have a really nice rhythm to them, so I’m excited to get out there.
“It also looks like road cleaning could play quite a big role, especially on Friday, so we’ll have to see what the weather does over the coming week and how much we can make use of that effect with our road position.
“The event is a little shorter than Paraguay in terms of the number of stages, but the stages themselves are generally longer, particularly on Saturday, so it will be a different kind of challenge.
“Our focus will be on taking it stage by stage, enjoying the event and really concentrating on being precise with our driving. Hopefully we can find a good rhythm early on and build from there.”
Notes to Editors
- Event: Rally Chile (Round 12 of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship)
- Location: Concepcion, Chile
- Stages: 16 stages, with the longest tests concentrated on Saturday
- Distance: 311 competitive kilometres
- Surface: Flowing gravel, with changeable weather and surface conditions and a road-cleaning effect expected to be significant on Friday
- Schedule: Shakedown Thursday 10 September; competitive stages Friday 11 September to Sunday 13 September
- Driver / Co-driver: Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne
- Car: Ford Puma Rally1
- Team: M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
- Academy: Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy
- Context: Armstrong and Byrne’s first visit to Rally Chile and the closing half of their South American double-header, following retirement from Rally del Paraguay on Sunday with rear-left suspension damage. Rally Chile is the fifth edition of the event on the WRC calendar.
Links for editors
- Official website (home): jonarmstrongrally.com
- Press hub: jonarmstrongrally.com/press
