SS21 Rally Portugal 2026: Josh McErlean Secures Breakthrough Stage Victory at Fafe

Josh McErlean secured his first-ever stage victory in the top class of the World Rally Championship after setting the fastest time on SS21 of Rally Portugal 2026 at Fafe on Sunday (10/5/2026). The M-Sport Ford driver delivered an impressive performance in extremely wet and slippery conditions on one of the most iconic stages in the WRC calendar.

The 11.18-kilometre Fafe stage once again produced extreme challenges after heavy rain continued to affect northern Portugal. The mountain sections were covered in mud and standing water, creating very low grip levels, especially through the fast sectors and blind-crest corners that define the famous gravel stage.

McErlean mastered the difficult conditions perfectly and recorded the fastest stage time to achieve a major milestone in his WRC career. The result also represented a significant reward for the hard work carried out overnight by the M-Sport team following Saturday’s dramas.

Read AlsoSebastien Ogier Dominates Rally Portugal 2026 With Toyota

“It is pretty wild even in normal conditions, but up in the mountains when the wheels are spinning in fifth gear, everything becomes extremely intense,” McErlean said after the stage.

The stage victory also highlighted improved wet-weather performance from the Ford Puma Rally1 package. M-Sport had struggled for consistent pace earlier in the rally, but a more aggressive setup approach at Fafe appeared to help McErlean maximise traction on the muddy surface.

Meanwhile, Sami Pajari responded strongly after experiencing problems on SS20 earlier in the morning. The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver managed to closely match the pace of team-mate Oliver Solberg, finishing only 0.1 seconds behind the Swedish driver.

However, Pajari again complained about issues with his Rally1 car after completing the stage. The Finnish driver admitted the ongoing problem was beginning to affect his confidence in the extremely difficult conditions.

“The car felt terrible again. Sorry, I do not want to keep complaining, but there is still an underlying issue that is starting to affect me mentally,” Pajari admitted.

At the front of the rally, Sebastien Ogier adopted a cautious approach in order to protect his overall lead. The eight-time world champion recorded the fourth-fastest time and lost 4.2 seconds to McErlean, but still maintained control of the rally standings.

“It was difficult to really enjoy a stage like that, so I am happy we got through it without problems. Hopefully we can finish the rally in slightly better weather conditions,” Ogier explained.

Ogier was also outpaced by team-mate Elfyn Evans and Ford driver Martins Sesks on SS21. Despite that, the Frenchman still leads the rally overall by 17.3 seconds over Thierry Neuville.

Pajari remains third overall despite now trailing Ogier by 30.6 seconds. Solberg continues to hold fourth position ahead of Evans in a tight intra-Toyota battle.

In the Super Sunday classification, Evans currently leads by four seconds over Solberg. Neuville, Ogier, and Takamoto Katsuta also remain inside the additional Sunday points positions.

Rally Portugal 2026 now heads into its final two stages, including the decisive Fafe Power Stage that will conclude the event. With weather conditions remaining highly unpredictable, both the rally victory and bonus points battles could still change dramatically before the finish.

Rally Portugal 2026 standings after SS21/23:
1. Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) – 3:30:58.8
2. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) +17.3
3. Sami Pajari (Toyota) +30.6
4. Oliver Solberg (Toyota) +42.6
5. Elfyn Evans (Toyota) +47.2
6. Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai) +1:32.8
7. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) +1:39.2
8. Dani Sordo (Hyundai) +4:00.5
9. Martins Sesks (Ford) +6:53.7
10. Teemu Suninen (Toyota) +9:59.0