Top 20 debut for O’Brien brothers

PATRICK O’Brien was delighted to mark his World Rally Championship debut with a top 20 finish, but he feels had man and machine worked in harmony from the off then he would have done even better.

The reigning Irish Forest Rally champion was competing in the sport’s top flight for the first time ever and he was making his debut in the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy Hyundai i20N Rally2 machine and he admits that both the overall experience and the new vehicle took some getting used to.

“It could have been even better but we had a small issue with the car on the first day, so we were driving around in road mode for four stages, which was a bit frustrating.

“And then I had two spins myself, so I can’t say anything about that!,” explained Patrick after sealing 19th position overall and sixth in the WRC2 Challenge.

The Mountfield man continued: “There were differences in the car compared to my own, even the handbrake. The handbrake in the Skoda just has a different feel to it but that’s part of the learning process.”

Another part of the acclimatisation process of coming to terms with competing with, against and being surrounded by the world’s best was just being in the company of the top crews.

As to were the incredibly long days, which Patrick admits he and co-driving brother Stephen took some getting used to.

“They were long, long days, brutal long days!,” he exclaimed. “But it was some experience and it was unbelievable.

“We had a regroup where we stopped for about an hour and they brought us up this hill to a big hall where they had food laid out and there was Sebastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville and the rest of them just standing about chatting so it was a bit made for me and Stevie to walk into that!

“It was nuts, absolutely mad but it has certainly whetted the appetite for more. I think the first one is the most difficult, just to get your head around the length of the days.

“For example we finished one day and by the time we got to bed it was 11.30pm and we were back up again at 4am and we didn’t get rallying until 8.30am. I think it’s a test of man and machine to see if you can turn back on and go again!”

While his overall first WRC experience as a competitor was positive, like the entire Irish rallying fraternity, Rally Croatia was also incredibly difficult following the passing of Craig Breen in the lead-up to the event.

And while there were thoughts of withdrawing from the event, Patrick was glad he didn’t because he got a first hand sight of the fans tributes to the popular Waterford man.

“It was a good weekend for the Irish after what happened, which was tough, it wasn’t easy,” Patrick acknowledged.

“There was thoughts about not competing, we didn’t really know what to do but we’re glad we went ahead because the support for Craig on the stages was unreal. The amount of Tricolours, banners and the road paintings, it was mad.

“At the start it was surreal because you’re coming to a crest and you see all that, you’re nearly braking so you can take it all in because it was just fantastic because the amount of detail they went to was incredible and really nice to see.”