Armstrong and McErlean End M-Sport’s Points Streak

WRC, Sportrik Media - Jon Armstrong and Josh McErlean were forced to retire from Rally Monte Carlo on the penultimate stage, a result that brought an end to M-Sport’s 24-year manufacturer points-scoring run in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

The last time the Ford squad failed to score a single manufacturer point dated back to Rally GB in 2001, when Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz crashed out and Mark Higgins was withdrawn. Since then, M-Sport had maintained an unbroken record of points finishes across more than two decades—until the demanding conditions of Monte Carlo 2026 brought that streak to a halt.

For McErlean, the rally had been compromised from the outset. The Irish driver retired during both the Thursday and Friday legs before rejoining under rally regulations. His weekend deteriorated further on Sunday when he understeered on one of the final corners of SS16, sliding into an Armco barrier. The impact destroyed the front-left corner of his Ford Puma Rally1, leaving him unable to continue despite reaching the end of the stage.

“We got caught out in the slush and understeered into an Armco,” said McErlean.
“I’m sorry to the whole team. It’s been a disaster of a weekend.”

Armstrong’s Monte Carlo had followed a markedly different trajectory until the closing stages. On Thursday evening, he delivered a standout performance with the third-fastest time on an early stage, briefly placing him third overall on his Rally1 and Monte Carlo debut. He subsequently settled into a measured rhythm in sixth position before retiring very early on the same stage that claimed McErlean, ending what had been a promising run.

The double retirement proved decisive for M-Sport’s manufacturer ambitions at the season opener. Losing two cars so late in the rally eliminated any remaining opportunity to salvage points, underlining the fine margins that define Monte Carlo—particularly in mixed winter conditions where grip levels can change corner by corner.

Elsewhere, Grégoire Munster also retired his Ford Puma Rally1 on Sunday after encountering a technical issue on the road section. However, Munster was not nominated to score manufacturer points, meaning his retirement did not factor into the official team classification.

With Monte Carlo setting the opening benchmark of WRC 2026, the absence of manufacturer points represents a significant early setback for M-Sport. The focus now shifts to the next round, where reliability and consistent finishes will be critical as the Ford team looks to recover ground in the manufacturers’ championship and prevent further early-season damage.