Posted June 13, 2025 by leonulty Motorsport

Creighton heads home to tackle Ireland’s biggest rally showdown in Donegal

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver William Creighton is set to make his long-awaited return to Irish stages this month as he lines up for one of the most prestigious events on the motorsport calendar; the legendary Donegal International Rally [June 21–23].

Whilst 2025 has already proven to be a strong season for the Moira driver, including British Rally Championship victory at the East Riding Stages and a hard-fought second place at the Carlisle Stages, this outing on the high-speed tarmac roads of Donegal will be special for Creighton, as he debuts his Castrol-backed Melvyn Evans Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 on home soil.

Not only does it mark Creighton’s first Irish rally since West Cork in 2024, but it also pits him against the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship (ITRC) regulars in a battle that many are eager to witness.

With co-driver Liam Regan alongside, Creighton will face an intense three-day challenge through some of the most iconic rallying terrain in Europe. From the rapid yet flowing Fanad Head to the unwavering commitment required for Knockalla, Donegal’s stages are as thrilling as they are challenging.

“This is a rally that I’ve always wanted to contest in a Rally2 car, it’s such a special event for Irish rallying and the atmosphere is second to none,” says Creighton.

“To be competing on such an iconic event, on home ground, with the support of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and in the Castrol GR Yaris, really means a lot.”

Creighton will go head-to-head with some of the toughest opposition in Irish rallying, including multiple ITRC winners and local specialists with deep knowledge of the Donegal roads. This rally will demand a shift in mindset and technique, as he has recently been more accustomed to the stages in Europe and the UK, where he is currently joint leader of the overall British Rally Championship standings.

“The pace at the front of the ITRC is very strong. There’s no room for error, and it’s important to find a good rhythm from the beginning of the rally. But that’s what makes it such a brilliant challenge”.

Despite not having rallied competitively since his BRC outing at Carlisle Stages in April, Creighton remains upbeat about jumping back into the driver’s seat and has been using the downtime to continue his development outside of the car, with extensive training to ensure he is as prepared as possible for his return.

The Donegal entry offers not just an exciting standalone opportunity, but also a valuable way to stay sharp ahead of his next BRC round at the Grampian Forest Rally in August.

“This is a great opportunity for me, both in terms of contesting such an iconic rally and in staying sharp during the gap in the BRC schedule. Three days in Donegal offers very useful seat-time ahead of our next asphalt BRC round at Rali Ceredigion later in the summer. It’s a huge boost to be back behind the wheel and to do it on Irish soil, I’m grateful to the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and the team for making it happen.”

“We’ve had a good run so far this year. I think Donegal will be a huge test, not just because of the pace of the competition, but the intensity of the rally and how much the local knowledge comes into play. I did the rally last year but in the co-driver’s seat of Liam’s [Regan] Skoda, but this will be a world away from that. Looking forward to enjoying the weekend and putting on a show for the fans.”

The Donegal International Rally takes place across three days; each leg packed with iconic Irish rallying stages totalling over 270 competitive kilometres before the finish podium celebrations in Letterkenny on Sunday afternoon.