European podium for Armstrong at Rally Poland

Jon Armstrong, representing M-Sport in the European Rally Championship, achieved his best result of the season by securing a third-place finish at Rally Poland. The event was dominated by Latvian driver Martins Sesks, who claimed victory with a substantial lead of one minute and six seconds over Poland's Mikolaj Marczyk. Armstrong, alongside his co-driver Shane Byrne, completed the rally just 9.5 seconds behind Marczyk, which marked a significant achievement for the Northern Irish driver. However, the rally was not without its challenges; notable incidents included Jos Verstappen, the father of Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, crashing out during the final stage, highlighting the competitive and often unpredictable nature of rally racing. Armstrong began the event in strong form, finishing the first day in fourth place and later capitalizing on an opportunity when Roope Korhonen rolled out of second place on the 10th stage, allowing Armstrong to move up in the standings.

As the rally progressed, Armstrong faced a setback when he incurred a 10-second penalty for clipping a bale at a chicane on the 12th stage. This penalty proved to be significant, as it limited his ability to challenge Marczyk for second place, ultimately resulting in a narrow finish just 0.5 seconds ahead of his closest competitor. Reflecting on his performance, Armstrong expressed his satisfaction with the result, noting, "What a weekend in Poland. I'm so pleased to have claimed my career-first gravel podium here, put down some good pace and come away with this great result for the team." This podium finish, combined with four bonus points for being the second fastest on the final stage, has propelled Armstrong to sixth place in the championship standings after four of the eight rounds, setting a positive tone as he looks forward to the next event in Rome scheduled for early July.