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Term
brake disc
The brake disc is the part that the brake pads squeeze to slow the car down. In this case, it broke off, so the driver couldn’t brake normally anymore.
Term
no front brakes
If the front brakes are gone, the car can’t slow down the way it normally would. That makes it much harder to control speed into corners, so the driver has to use other methods to slow down.
Term
hub
The hub is the center part that the wheel attaches to. If it’s badly broken, the wheel can end up hanging on by the drivetrain instead of being properly supported.
Term
driveshaft
A driveshaft is the part that sends power from the gearbox to the wheels. If the wheel is only held on by it, that means the rest of the wheel mounting is damaged.
Term
throttle
The throttle is the pedal that controls engine power. If you can’t slow down with brakes, you have to back off the power earlier to avoid going too fast into corners.
Term
handbrake
The handbrake is a lever that can lock the rear wheels. Here, the driver tried using it to slow the car down since normal braking wasn’t available.
Term
gearbox
The gearbox is what changes the gears to control how the engine drives the wheels. If you lift off the gas, the engine can help slow the car down, especially when you’re in the right gear.
Term
service
In rally racing, a service is the planned break where the team can work on the car between stages. They may fix damage or make setup changes, and they have limited time to get everything done.
Term
power stage
A power stage is a special stage in a rally where the fastest drivers get extra points. It usually happens near the end, so teams have to decide how hard to push while still managing the car for the finish.
Term
tarmac
Tarmac is the paved asphalt surface used for some rally stages. Because it’s solid and consistent compared to gravel, the car grips and brakes differently, so it feels like a different kind of driving.
Term
grip
Grip is how well the tires can hold the road. If the grip changes a lot, the car may slow down or turn differently than you expect, especially when braking.
Term
braking
Braking is slowing the car down, but in rallying it also affects how the car turns. Different surfaces make braking feel different, because the tires may grip more or less as you slow down.
Term
recce
Recce is when the driver and co-driver go over the rally route before the race. They take notes about what the road is like so they know what’s coming during the timed stages.
Place
Donegal
Donegal is a region in Ireland. In this episode it’s where the rally is happening and where the referenced events took place.
Term
rally three
“Rally three” is a category of rally car with a particular specification. The driver is saying this category feels more stable on tarmac, so it’s easier to keep the car under control.
Term
rally four
“Rally four” is a different category of rally car. The driver is saying that on tarmac it can feel less settled, so you have to be more careful and rely more on the car staying planted.
Term
seed time
A “seed time” is an estimated time that helps decide where you start in a rally. It’s basically a reference for how quick you’re expected to be.
Place
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Goodwood Festival of Speed is a big car and motorsport event in the UK. People go to watch racing/hillclimbs and also see famous drivers up close.
Topic
WRC drivers
WRC drivers are rally racers from the top world championship level. The host is saying you can meet famous top rally people at big events.
Term
pace notes
Pace notes are like a rally “cheat sheet” for the driver. They tell you what the road is coming up next—turns, bumps, and where to slow down—so you can drive quickly.
Place
Acropolis rally
The Acropolis Rally is a well-known rally in Greece. It’s famous for being tough and technical, with narrow roads and changing surfaces that punish mistakes.
Term
gravel
Gravel is loose rock on the road. In rallying it usually means the car slides more and it can be harder to keep control—plus it can be tougher on the car.
Place
Hungary
Hungary is mentioned as a rally location the speaker has experience with. They’re using it to compare how rough different rallies feel.
Topic
European Championship
The European Championship is a rally competition series across Europe. The speaker is saying their closest experience to a rough gravel rally came from that kind of event.
Place
Greece
Greece is mentioned because the speaker compares other rallies to how tough Greece is. They also say they’ve watched it every year.
Concept
Junior World Rally Championship
The Junior World Rally Championship is a training/stepping-stone rally series for up-and-coming drivers. The speaker is saying it can feel like a gamble whether you even make it to the finish.
Concept
mechanical damages
“Mechanical damages” means the car gets broken or worn out by the rally. In rough events, it’s not just about driving fast—your car has to survive too.
LIVE
Thank you for listening to Spin, the rally pod, brought to you by Dirtfish Rally School.
For your chance to experience life behind the wheel of a rally car, head to drive.dirtfish.com
to find the course that's right for you. What are you waiting for? We're right here waiting
for you.
Seven rounds in and seven to go. The 2026 World Rally Championship resumes this week at the
iconic Acropolis Rally Grease for its second half of the season. Thankfully though, you're
not just going to listen to me today to talk all about it. We have a very special guest
in Dirtfish, women in motorsport driver, Itha Raftery. Joining me again, Itha, fresh from
plenty of rallying yourself. It's been a very busy year so far, haven't you?
Hi, Luke. I know it's been a fantastic year so far. Incredible and delighted to join you again
on the podcast today. As I say, we will talk about grease. That's kind of the nucleus of
the podcast, but it would be wrong to have Itha on and not discuss her latest rallying adventures.
Itha, I make it nine starts so far this year already, which is more than the WRC is doing,
which is quite intense, isn't it? Obviously, a bit of a split program, mostly in the America
with the American Rally Association, but you've been doing other events here and there as well,
in the UK, in Ireland, as far as China as well this year, so you've got plenty of very miles on
your belt. Yeah, definitely a lot of air miles. Actually, thanks for counting it up because I had
no idea that I had done lines this year. But yeah, I'm very lucky to get the chance to rally, as you
said, mainly in America this year, but the experience of going to China, which was something
very, very different. Then yeah, we've been doing the British Rally Championship and we did
our first termic rally in Ireland that we've first rally back in Ireland, and I think over two years
on termic. Yeah, it's been busy, but very, very lucky to get this chance and just trying to
take every opportunity I get. One of the most recent events you did was, of course, the Southern
Ohio Forest Rally in America, which some people may have noticed was actually under a bit more
scrutiny than normal as well with some FIA and promoter officials there as part of the candid
event for Rally US. That was all very exciting, but for you, your focus was obviously on your own
weekend. The first time there, of course, as it is for plenty of rallies for you in America
this year, you and I spoke about it a little bit before the event, and it seemed like a podium
was maybe possible. Probably shouldn't have been in your car to rally too, but after Friday,
you were up in the top three. Yeah, it was an incredible weekend. The stages are incredible
over there. Every rally I've done has been, you know, the gravel stages are so smooth and so fast
that you get so much enjoyment out of it, but yeah, the, as you said, the FIA officials there,
which was incredible to see because the event, first of all, was run incredibly well. One of the
best rallies I've run on, everything was on time, so it was just, it was really good to see that.
The work that's being put in to get obviously the WRC round over to the US,
and that would be really exciting. But yeah, in terms of results and our goals before the rally,
I think we had a quick chat on the, on the goal. But yeah, so Friday, we were holding third overall
in the rally three car versus, you know, good for your rally twos. And, you know, the pace was
good. The commitment was good from the beginning. I suppose there was a couple of drivers that had
missed out on this round, which meant then we were running up the field a bit more than we usually
are. And I couldn't get over how loose the stages were because they're quite loose anyways. But
when you're running further up, of course, it's not that clear of a line. And yeah, it was a
challenge, but we had a good start and we tried to keep that up for Friday. And yeah, we were
leading our class as well. And then going into Saturday, we were third for most of the day.
Unfortunately, then in the second last loop of the day, we dropped a fifth after a little incident.
Thing is, rallying is there a straightforward, is it? And this is the thing, but I don't know
us all in media and stuff, we'll look at that and we'll always try and focus on positives and
think, right, that was a great thing. But as a competitor, is it easy to kind of like
park that behind you? Or is it just frustrating that you were, I guess, in a better place than
you finished? If you know what I'm asking, like, what is the mindset when you're in your shoes?
Well, while it's happening, like during the event, you had happened on the first age after
service. So we still had that stage and then three more in the loop to do. So all that was in
my head was what happened was we cut a corner and there was these concrete like culverts on the
inside of them. And a few drivers got caught out, you might have seen Gruske and Donnelly.
Same thing happened then, but we were just supposed to get luckier. And we just clipped it, but
the tires stayed on, the wheels stayed on. And I came around the corner and I was like,
how are we still on the road? And then I felt something coming passing my feet. I was like,
I didn't know what it was, but then I went to break and there was no brakes, but it was the
brake disc that had broke off and that I could feel. So we had to manage the rest of the loop
then with, you know, we tried our best to do what we could, but we had no front brakes. And
the hub was like three quarters of the way sheared. So it was just holding on by the
driveshaft. So the wheel was completely sideways and every stage we'd get to the start of the
next stage and Alex, um, Leah's co-driver in front of us would come and lock and he'd go,
he'd just shake his head cause it was getting worse every time. During that, there was just so
much going on. I think I was just trying to maintain getting back to service. Um, trying
not to lose too much time, but just try to keep it on the road as well.
It's amazing how that instinct kicks in though, isn't it? Because you could never prepare for
that. Suddenly having no brakes, they're fairly critical problem. So it's, it's, yeah, it must,
what is that like to the layman, to me, everybody else listening is never really driven a rally car.
What's that feeling like when you're suddenly missing that, that safety comfort blanket,
I guess, if nothing else? Yeah, it's very difficult. Of course, you can't really
commit and it's coming down to slow corners. You have to come off the throttle earlier.
Um, like we're trying to use the handbrake to slow it up as well, but it's not that easy,
to actually do that and then try and, I suppose, use the gearbox as well to slow us down. But
it's just, yeah, it's difficult trying to manage it because you just feel the time
crawling away, not even crawling, just running away. So you're just trying to, it's very
frustrating because at the same time, you're still thinking about, oh, I was, you know,
in third overall and it's quite disappointing. But, um, yeah, it's part of the game and we try
to manage it as best as we could. You obviously did end up with the class win as well. So it's
not like the weekend was a total disaster. So I think I haven't actually looked at the
challenge at points for recording, but it puts you right up there, doesn't it, for,
for the class title this year? Yeah, it definitely gives, it gives us a better chance at the running
to get the, you know, to win the class for the championship. So, um, yeah, it's actually our
first class win. So we've been on the podium, um, for, I think each event we've done in the U.S.
It's our first class win. So that was a nice touch as well.
Obviously you are doing a program over there with the dirtfish women in motorsport
program. It's something you've been involved with for, I think that is over a year now,
isn't it? Certainly last year at some point, the whole thing was started. I should know the month,
I can't remember it, but have you felt, I guess, both progressing yourself, but also
this movement that Josie Rimmer is, is very much behind it and pushing it. I think it's
definitely working in its goals, isn't it? We can see, I guess, the representation that's going on
and the engagement with it. Have you felt that being an ascent of this program as well?
Yeah, for sure. It's been a fantastic year and a half so far with Josie and the dirtfish women
in motorsport program. I think from the very beginning, Josie showed her belief in me and
what we could do and the goals of the program and that meant a lot. And it kind of gave me the
confidence then as well when I was, you know, rallying as part of the team. And I think we can
see that even in my pace is developing every rally and we're getting closer and closer.
And just to have that support has been massive. You know, there's a lot that goes on behind the
scenes of it and preparation work and there's, you know, big goals for the future with the
whole program and it's a really exciting time to be part of it, but it wouldn't be kind of possible,
of course, without, you know, all the work that's been put in by Josie and the team,
as well as the belief that, you know, it's there from the beginning was quite special.
But yeah, it's a whole, it's a whole package, you know, even when we go to the rallies and we're
running, let's say at Ohio and elements there, you know, they'd put in some work in the last
service to get us back out for the, for the last stage, which was a power stage. So we were able
to get some points on that as well. But yeah, you know, it's a whole team effort. And it's just
an honor to be kind of, I suppose, representing it and getting this chance. And of course,
the goal is to try and, you know, do as much as I can with it and take it as far as I can. And,
you know, you've only got the one chance to make it happen. So that's our goal.
This is it. I mean, you talked about the team there is obviously you said element rally sport
or running your fiesta rally three this year. How important is that? I know it's a cliche question
in some respects, but again, for those of us that maybe don't operate in this kind of environment,
yes, you've still got a car on your co-driver and you do the job on the stages, but it's so much
easier when everything is consistent and you can trust everybody around you, isn't it? It makes a
big difference psychologically to have an amazing team behind you. Yeah, of course, it's incredible.
They're a great team and, you know, we've had lots of experiences with them and they've always
been fantastic and cars always been been prepared very well when we've landed over to any test
or any rally. But I think, you know, when something like that happens in a service and
everybody's under pressure and you get to see how they work in that environment, it's very
impressive as well. And yeah, they managed it really well, changed the 20 minute service to
change the corner of the car. And yeah, I think they did a fantastic job and it was just really
nice to be able to see that teamwork happening. But yeah, it is really important. And of course,
then Hannah, beside me, we spent the last two weeks together. So I'm probably wrecked her head
by now, but yeah, it's the whole package is so important. Yeah, I was going to say, you were on
a flight fairly quick out of Ohio, weren't you? On to, on to Donegal for, for last week's event.
This is nothing new to you, of course. You had a run of, I think, three different events,
three different countries all over the world, didn't you, Ellie, this year? So you're not,
you're not unaccustomed to this kind of travel schedule. But how difficult is that to go from,
and obviously the objective is the same wherever you go, isn't it? But to go from a gravel event
in America to a tarmac rally in Ireland. Yes, they're rallying, but they're totally different
environments, aren't they? Yeah, so different. The whole environment is very, very different.
Both are good in their own ways as well. And for me, the biggest, I suppose, difference in
challenges like coming back to tarmac, the surface, especially Irish tarmac, it's quite
unique, it's bumpy, it's gravelly. It's quite difficult sometimes to read the grip as well,
because it changes quite a lot. And then of course, you're braking. And yeah, the braking
is the biggest difference I found from gravel to tarmac in the feeling. But yeah, we got back to,
we flew into Dublin on the Monday, went straight to Donegal, and then we did our recce.
And we went straight into the rally. But yeah, it was really, really enjoyable in terms of the,
of course, the first couple of stages. You know, we wrecked the Friday and thought it was going
to be quite a difficult event. It was very, very bumpy. And it was my first, second rally
on tarmac in that rally three car. And the first one we had done was Jim Clark, which was a completely
opposite side of roads, fast, smooth. Whereas this was, you know, bumpy, choppy, gravelly. And
yeah, I thought it was going to be very difficult on the Friday, but I really, really
enjoyed it. The rally three is very stable car. And it was a big difference from being on the
rally four on tarmac, where you're just hoping the car was going to come around on here, it's
going to follow you. And just hoping it was going to stay on the road. So we didn't have that feeling
as much in the rally three. It was a lot more enjoyable. But yeah, of course, Saturday came to
an unfortunate end, which was very, very sad for, you know, of course, everybody involved.
Absolutely. Everyone's thoughts here at Derbyshire with those affected by the tragic events on Saturday
in Donegal. But for you as a driver, Eva, what's it like to, I guess, test yourself against so many
different rivals in so many different environments? I guess the negative of that is you maybe don't
have the same obvious benchmark that you might do if you're doing constantly the same events against
all the same drivers all the time. But the flip side is you're getting so much different experience
against different people on different rallies, different services. And I guess different cultures.
I think for me, that's a real benefit of your 2026 program is all that experiences is going to help
you going forward. Yeah, of course. And, you know, as I said, being in America is our main championship,
but it's really good. But it's all gravel. So I also need to kind of like, then keep doing some
events on time, like as well to build kind of, you know, not let that side fall down and keep
working away on that side and try to build the improvements there as well. So yeah, it's been,
you know, challenging as well with all the fights and everything, but it's still been an incredible.
And as you said, then there's the challenges of different competitors. And yeah, as I said,
I didn't kind of know maybe where it's going to be coming into Donnie Goldberg. It's always a good
way to, you know, get the first stage under your belt and see then where you're going and how everything
is. How do you feel you have progressed as a driver? Maybe we're better to ask you this question at
the end of the year rather than halfway through it. But to me, I think what's my opinion matter,
I don't know, but I've seen great progression in the last five months. I think it's not so much
the speed that was always there, but it's the consistency of that speed. I don't know if you
feel the same, but it just feels now like everywhere you go, you are a victory contender in your
class. And that must be a really nice feeling. Yeah, of course it is. I think, you know,
definitely the confidence is built this year. Yeah, we're stringing it together a lot better
as well, you know, starting to get better results. But I just still feel like I know
that there's more there that we can work on and improve on. And that's probably the most exciting
bit is that we're still improving, but I still see a lot more to go and just trying to get
better and better every rally. Yeah, I've always been kind of, I suppose, more confident on gravel,
enjoyed it. And luckily enough, the American Championship is all gravel. But as I said,
just trying to get that seed time on tarmac, I'm starting to enjoy that a lot more and building
the pace on that as well. That I suppose we're always a bit further away. Whereas now I can see
we're definitely getting closer. Up next for you, if I will be rally Colorado or anything in between
that? The week before is the Goodwood Festival of Speed. So we should be there at that. Very good.
Straight to Colorado. Very good. I mean, you've done good with before, haven't you? I think a couple
of times now, I forget. So many drivers turn up and you sort of, there's so many people there that
you forget. It's an amazing experience, isn't it? Not just for obviously the driving you get to do,
but to be around all these motor sport legends. It's incredible. I've been twice already and
I had no idea what I was missing out on until I went for that first year. You know, you see,
like, I've seen Sebastian Osier just walking past me eating an ice cream and I couldn't believe
like, it was just that close. But yeah, to see all your like the WRC drivers,
you know, I got the chance to sit in with Danny Sordo, which was incredible.
Vlad Vala as well. And he did the proper warm up and everything before going into the Goodwood
stage. But yeah, like even for, you know, the dirt fish women in motorsport program and getting
involved in that it was just being a good word at the right place time and it's
evolved into this. And it's incredible event. Last year, we had a bit of bad luck at it. So
try and keep it a bit cleaner this year and enjoy it.
It's a properly tricky stage out there, isn't it? Like it's one of these things that it doesn't
really matter how quick you are, but you're a rally driver. You're not going to go in there and not
but it is. It's probably if anyone hasn't seen it, it's properly narrow, like in the trees,
like everywhere. It is challenging. It's quite technical stage actually and the surface changes
a lot. It is one that if you haven't been before, you'd want to learn it or have pace notes for it
because every time I come back and like, oh, it's more technical than I always remember to be. So
yeah. Well, fingers crossed for this year, but you mentioned the WRC guys there. So I think this
is a good chance to transition a little bit towards this week's Acropolis rally grease. And
I'm sure Eva, that's something you'd love to tackle in the future as an event like this,
but that's kind of where what to start here is. I don't really know if you've done anything quite
like Acropolis, but this sort of rough sweltering European summer gravel rally, does that appeal
to you? Or does that sound like your worst nightmare doing that kind of event? No, I think
no, I wouldn't mind it at all. I suppose the closest I've ever done to a really rough gravel
rally is Hungary in the European Championship. And I think John Armstrong made a comparison
a couple of years ago about it nearly being as rough as Greece, which I was very, very surprised
at because you've watched Greece every year and you're just, I always felt very bad for the
Junior World Rally Championship drivers because it was usually the last round of their championship.
And I always felt like it was a lottery of, you know, getting to the finish, not purely based on
like speed and performance, but yeah, our, what is it, what would I say, our many kind of
mechanical damages at Hungary, I suppose was one of the things that helped us at Ohio.
But yeah, it's difficult. I think it's also exciting to see the rally one car is back
on gravel again. Obviously, they're done the tarmac now for the rest of the season.
But yeah, I must get out to a rally before the end of the year to see a rally one car before
it's gone for good. And I think we all feel like that, don't we? Like my mom, she's got a bit of
a renaissance in her interest in rallying. She's kind of liked it when I was small and then kind
of lost a bit of interest. And now she's mad obsessed again. And she's sexy this September.
So she's going away to Finland with her partner, which is great. I'm sad I can't join them actually.
I've got work to do. Yeah, it's a great one, isn't it? But I think we all have this feeling
that's like, wow, these cars need to appreciate them when they're here. But as I'm sort of
bona fide tarmac man, I always have been. I just love tarmac. I love the way the cars look. I just
love the kind of idea of tarmac rallying, but I've missed gravel as well. It's weird to think
we're halfway through the year and there's only been two events. It's quite a unique structure
of the calendar. Obviously, Alvin Evans does lead the way currently from Takamoto
Katsuta. It has, if I kind of been a little bit of Toyota domination, but do you think we could
maybe see a slight switch in that going forward? The Hyundai has seen more competitive noise.
Yeah, I think, you know, obviously Toyota have a very, very strong team, very strong drivers in it,
but also does so does Hyundai and I think coming back to gravel now gives them a better chance
of getting back closer to Toyota and fighting again for the title. I don't know how close
they're going to get, but I definitely think for the remaining of this season, they have a better
chance at getting on the top step, getting more podiums, and they've shown that the car is more
capable on gravel than it is on tarmac. So it's going to make it a bit more exciting as well.
I think, of course, having Sebastian Osier back in for this round, if I put my money on someone,
it's always going to be him. So he makes it a bit more exciting as well.
How impressive is he though? Like, I know, obviously, you're at a very opposite end of your
career compared to OJ, but for a driver like you, you see this guy, he's 42 years old, and he still
is probably the best driver in the world. Like, that must be so aspirational for you. It's like
it's a benchmark of like, I don't know, of like peak performance, isn't it? It's like, it's like
assuring, I guess, for you, you're what, 25, 26 or region? So there's still plenty of years.
I've actually born on the same day as Sebastian Osier. So I just need to have another 20 years
in me to guess. You know, he's an absolutely incredible driver, you know, to be able to put
in the performances he still is at his age, and he's not sitting full time. You know, he's, for me,
you know, a lot of people's role model, I think growing up was maybe low, but I think OJ was
competing at the exact time when I was really watching it and following it. And he was always
kind of my idol looking up to. So to still have him in the championship competing at the level is
insane. I think so. That's cool that you share the same birthday though, actually. I get fascinated
with these kind of things. I don't know why, because it's meaningless to say, isn't it? I always
think it's quite cool. Incidentally, I share my with Josh McElaine, but it's always depressed me
because he's two years younger than me. So every year we send happy birthday texts and I just feel
old. It's never good. Not that with Sebastian yet, but maybe next year. We mentioned obviously Evans
leads the championship. It's been another typically consistent year for Melvin, but I think there's
been almost a changing approach as well. He said a lot at the start of the year about how he didn't
want to make the same mistake as last year and not consider Sebastian as a championship rival.
He's going to try and take every point he can. And he's not only done that from the rallies,
he's also taken the most from Super Sunday. He obviously now has the disadvantage of going
first on the road in Greece, which will be painful. But do you think this is potentially his year,
Eva? I would hope it is. I think he's definitely a deserving driver to on the championship.
Of course, he's looking in a good position at the minute, but as you said, we're only halfway
through. So there's still a long way to go from. But I think, yes, thoughts are in his favor for
this season. And he's, you know, every year, I feel like he's such a deserving driver to win
the championship. He's put in so much hard work. He's always there, thereabouts, and he's just
never gotten, I suppose, the last bit of it to win the championship. So I really do hope it is this
year. I think he's got everything he can to make it happen. So let's see. Yeah, I was going to say
it almost feels too early. I don't have a fair question to ask you. So who knows what's going
to happen? But I would agree, actually. And it's always a difficult thing to talk about people
who deserve or don't deserve things because things will always tend to happen in sport for
a reason. Sometimes it's painful and you don't know why, but the gods just decided otherwise.
But yeah, he's certainly been there for the last five years. So it was kind of like Thierry before
he won his championship, wasn't it? He was constantly knocking on the door. But he's doing
everything he has to. Other drivers in Toyota, I think they've interested me particularly this year.
Oliver Solberg, mixed year, brilliant pace, maybe not so much consistency. Sammy Paiari,
arguably has had both. That's really impressive on a podium form from him.
Yeah, no, he's really shown consistency this year and the pace. I think he's had a very,
very strong year. And I think he quite surprised me on terms of how consistent he's been on the
podium. And he's still very young, fresh into the team. Yeah, it's really exciting to see
what Toyota and he will do in the future. As well, obviously, it's been really nice to see
get to the win. Not one, but once this year, he's another, I suppose, I would say a deserving
driver of running around. And that was quite special to see that happen too.
Just thinking about Paiari in his form though, and I don't know, obviously, it's a different
level to you're at currently. But just in general terms, when you're a driver and you're on this
roll of results, because you've all obviously got a natural ability. Everybody can see yours,
and that doesn't go away if you have a bad event. But if you start building a run of good events,
just how much of a difference does that make to, I guess, your confidence? Because it's like this
roll momentum, isn't it? And you just keep going, like, okay, I've done that, I'll
just keep doing the same thing and you hope it works. Yeah, definitely the consistency comes
into it. And I think as well, the mindset, it kind of nearly starts to become like a habit.
And you just kind of carry that with you through the events. And he's doing a really good job of
that. Of course, as you said, in rallying, you know, anything can happen anytime, but he's been
managing it very well so far. Yeah, and Oliver a similar age as well. Having, as you said,
very, very strong pace, just unfortunately, not the consistency this year, but he is definitely
showing what he's capable of. And it'll be interesting to see what he does for the rest of
this year as well. Your home country, Ireland is obviously very well represented in rally one at
the moment. You mentioned Taka Katsuta, obviously his co-driver Aaron Johnson became, I think,
the first Irish co-driver since Paul Nagel in 2018, I want to say, to win a round. So that was nice.
Somebody, in fact, check me with that, if I'm wrong. And obviously M Sport as well with two
drivers in that team, John Armstrong and Josh McElaine. McElaine, probably quite a difficult
first half of his season is second during rally one. Some misfortune on the mechanical side,
some events maybe didn't go his way. John, I think, has made a very big impression.
Hasn't he? Is that the fueling guess amongst everyone back home in Ireland as well that
Armstrong has really announced himself as a WRC driver? Yeah, definitely. I think everyone was
very impressed with how his season began. He was showing really good pace for his first year in rally
one care and carrying that through. Bit of bad luck and I suppose just trying to get the consistency
for him as well. But yeah, himself and Josh and the Mordsport Ireland Rally Academy are really,
kind of, I suppose, showing to the world different countries what, you know, getting young drivers
into the WRC like that is what they're capable of doing. It's really incredible. But yeah,
Josh, tough year so far, I think, but he's worked in developing his pace as well. And I think we
can see that, which is really exciting to have two Irish drivers in the WRC, of course, and you're
always kind of following them a bit more. Irish spectators, yeah, everyone here that follows
it. Of course, they're acknowledging what they're both doing. And John's pace has been incredible.
And as well as John, he's quite down to earth. And I find him very, very like, you can ask him
anything in terms of, you know, struggling with something inside the rally care. What's on board,
he's very, very good that way. And yeah, been exciting to watch them and continue to follow
them for the rest of the season. Am I right in saying that that John has sat in a car with you
before? So he had some nice things to say about you. We spoke to him in Croatia,
and he was very confident about your progression. But I think he told us that he'd been in the car
with you. Is that correct? Yeah, he has been. So that was quite cool to have John and his
empath beside me, because of course, as well, John has so much experience of so many rally
four car, rally three, rally two, and now on the rally one, but he's been involved in rallying for
so, so long. And just his wealth of experience and knowledge is always very much appreciated to
get any feedback he has. And yeah, had him in the car beside me, and that was quite cool. And
I got to sit alongside him as well. So, yeah, getting any of these chances to learn from somebody
else is always, you know, you always take something really cool from it.
I don't know if you're in the predictions game, if I'm going to put you on the spot here, because
you can see a smile cubicle across your face and almost nervous like, as you know, what's
there coming, don't you? And something we tend to do on preview podcasts ahead of WRC, right,
and just try and attempt to make a top three prediction. Now, sometimes you look like a genius
when this comes off, and I watched the Formula One once and somebody came up with Gasly for
third in Monaco. And somehow that happened. And you know, these things, we don't, it's just a bit
of fun, isn't it? And if I can, I've given, I'm stalling and saying many things, give you a chance,
think about it. If you were to try and predict a top three for this weekend's Acropolis rally
grease, who would you go for in third place? I think you're going to ask me 123
That's easier to do, isn't it? I'll go, I'll go from first. I was trying to be all dramatic and
suspenseful. It is easier to think from the top down. So we'll go that way. Okay, first I'm going
to put Osir. Okay. I actually don't agree. And I'm saying that just to be deliberately spicy.
For me, I'm going to put Adrian Formo in first for me. I think he's Giro Wynn. I think he's led,
I think it's four of the last five gravel rallies or something. So it's just, everything's there.
It used to happen. So I'm going to channel some good luck for the other Frenchman in the field.
It would be nice as well to, of course, see Ayanna get back.
I forget those points for the championship too.
Second place, Anifa, had a bit more time to think.
Okay, can I keep it? I suppose not so exciting. I would say Elvin in second.
But you know, from first in the road, that would be some effort if you managed to do that.
So actually, I would say that that's perfectly valid. That's not boring. That's good.
For that reason, I haven't put OJ first of all.
Yeah, OJ will be second to me if I'm not putting him first. And I'll take third first.
I'll go in a row. I'm going to say it'll be Formo, OJ, and then Solberg. That's my prediction.
I think Evans will do as well as he can with what he's got. But I do think it could be.
There's a lot of first past ages on Friday as well. I think that could be a struggle for him.
But we will see. Third place for you then, Anifa. You've got first, OJ, second Evans.
Is it Old Toyota? No, I'm going to have to put someone Irish third. So we'll go Irish strong third.
We'll just have to back the Irish on it. That would be a huge result, wouldn't it,
if you could pull that off? Yeah, of course. John is quite dominant,
I think, on the Tarmac, especially. But it'd be nice to see.
Josh is a very strong pace too on gravel. So it would just be nice to see one of the Irish
Evans workers on the podium. We'll talk a little bit about WRC too, as well then. Because I think
for me, often, that's where the best battle can happen. There's so many cars in that field.
This weekend is no exception. I think it's seven at the top 10. The championship are all there.
So it'll be another massive weekend for everyone fighting for that series. And I guess it's
hopefully giving us a glimpse into how things will be next year. We still don't know quite
how that will work with rally one versus rally two. But the idea is we'll have more cars in the
fight. And it's what we all want, isn't it, Eva? As fans, we want to see more drivers. As drivers,
you want to beat everyone. You don't want to just beat 10 or 11 others. You want to be
the best of the whole bunch, don't you? Yeah, and I think it's so important for the championship
to have, I think, more manufacturers involved at the top level of rallying. I think that's
nearly the most important thing is to see, you know, Lancia, Citroen, them hopefully coming up.
Will they be competing in the top level? I hope so. You know what I mean? It'll just bring more
and more involved. Yeah, it's going to be exciting. This weekend, I don't know. It's very hard to call.
Impossible, I think, to be honest. It is been a very exciting championship. It's always nearly,
between that and watching the European Championship and the rally two guys, it's always
really exciting to see, I suppose, who's going to win the round. And they make it a lot more
interesting and exciting as well. You've obviously driven a rally two car as well, haven't you? Maybe
not as much as you'd have liked to. Everyone wants to be in the fastest car they could possibly get,
but obviously, as someone who's effectively going through that rally pyramid there, you're not going
to quite get to, sadly, the top one is rally one at the moment, but you've been through rally four,
you're now in rally three, you've had a sample of rally two. How difficult is it to jump up these
classes, always all quite linear and straightforward when you progress as a driver? I think step from
rally four to rally three was not too bad. The rally three car just felt a lot more stable.
What the rally four cars were capable of doing and competing in the Junior European Championship
was extremely high pace and extremely high level. I think that brought me on a lot as a driver,
but stepping into the rally three, a lot more stable, of course, the four-wheel drive,
and a very enjoyable car to drive. And then when we got the chance to test the Skoda rally two car,
I just couldn't believe it was, I wouldn't say easy to drive, but how responsive it was,
and it would do everything you told it to do instantly, which was really incredible.
So in one way, yes, it was a really easy car to drive, but I know, obviously, anybody knows
as following it is the absolute pace and commitment that the guys in the rally two
is carrying is just a whole nother level. It's crazy. We're mentioning it around,
this wasn't a test last year, wasn't in the Skoda from 2C competition at the time it was
Connor Martel was there, wasn't it as well? It was his car. There is a video on our YouTube
channel if you want to go check that out when he forgets chance to drive it, but I guess for you
as a driver, that must be such a motivating thing to, I guess, sample what is hopefully the next
step. Like, you know what you're shooting for now, and you just want it now, don't you?
Yeah, of course, I'm mad to get back into rally two and the first chance that I get.
It's just, it's so incredible what it's capable of doing, and I just had so much fun driving it.
But as you said, yeah, it was actually with Connor Martel and 2C competition here, we're
going to be at Greece this weekend as well competing, and that's Connor's first WRC round.
So it'll be interesting to follow them as well this weekend and see how they get on.
Looking ahead, then, to the rest of the year, there are a couple of important things I want to
bring up. First of all, IFA is Saturday, August the 22nd, arguably the most important day of the
year. Why is that? Yeah, it's super exciting to say that the Dirtfish Women's Motorsport
Summit will be happening that weekend. Yeah, Josie, the whole team, the Dirtfish have ran
this incredible event for a number of years now, and this year they're taking it to the
Dirtfish Rally School with different workshop programs, and I think it's going to be a really,
really exciting and interesting weekend. Hopefully we see lots of people there getting on board,
and the nice twist to it this year is that with the workshops that it's going to be a lot more
hands-on getting involved, and I think it's going to be another fantastic year.
You obviously went to the summit for the first time last year, didn't you, IFA? And I'm sure
you'd watched and seen everything that happened the years before. It is such an incredible thing,
isn't it? Because what you're doing with the program this year, with all the activation and
the stickers on the car is great, but this is a chance to really, as you say, get hands-on with
everything, and I guess show that nothing is impossible. Yeah, it's really important that
everybody that is getting the chance to go to this is going to get hands-on, and they're actually
going to get to do some work and see what it's really like, because it's great to listen about it
and hear people's stories, but then to get the chance to go and learn about co-driving,
working on the car, actually getting hands-on is another story, and I think it's going to be
really important for everyone that's there and involved, and I think that everyone will take
something from it and carry it forward. Last year was an incredible event with some great
speakers there, and hearing Claire Williams' story was so, so fascinating. We took a lot from
that event as well, and many, many people, especially one young fan and supporter that we've
seen at many events since, which is quite special as well. Yeah, I was going to say, I wanted to
bring her up, because you have, you've got a big fan club around the world, of course you have,
Eva, but this might be early contender for number one, and she's taking a real liking to you.
Yeah, there might not be many in the fan club, but she's definitely number one.
No, it's so special to see, you know, the interest and the passion she has already for rallying
in motorsport, and she's so young already, like, but she's already in Carrots and, you know, talking
about how she wants to be a rally driver when she gets older, and we've seen her at the Olympus
rally this year, and she had a t-shirt that said, it's pronounced Eva with E-F-A, because everybody
gets it wrong outside of Ireland, so it was, it was a nice touch to have.
That must be so special, because, I mean, at one point that would have been you,
so I noticed that it's the cliche thing that a lot of athletes go through, but,
and obviously you'll have a lot of eyes on your own career and going forward and everything else,
but to see the impact and, I guess, the inspiration you're having on others, that must mean everything.
Yeah, it's quite incredible, and sometimes it's hard to believe, because you're so involved and
focused in your own program and what you're doing and trying to become a faster and better driver,
and you're so, I suppose, focused on the job that, for me as well, I don't really see it like that,
and I wouldn't really think of, like, I suppose maybe being a role model for anybody, but then,
when you meet Searshire, you meet the young girls at Park Expose in the US, I kind of,
you see it in a different light, and it's quite special.
Now, if you want to rival a number one spot for Eva's fan club, you can yourself come to the
Dirtfish Women's Sports Summit on Saturday, August 22nd at Dirtfish Rally School. There is an
article right now on the dirtfish.com homepage explaining more. Alternatively, you can go to
drive.dirtfish.com forward slash whim summit 2026, and you can see your options to buy tickets there,
but what you said actually at the end of that answer, Eva, was the last thing I wanted to talk
about was, I guess, just more generally rallying in the US, because we know it's closing, nothing's
finalised yet, but everything seemed to go well last week in terms of the candidate event. It has
a real chance of joining the World Rally Championship, but I guess what can the world expect coming
to America for rallying? You've got a fair bit of experience over there now. What makes it different
and, I guess, special compared to other parts of the world? I think people don't realise how
actually good rallying is in the US. I think that the US kind of have a different approach,
but it's definitely still a good approach. Firstly, for drivers and co-drivers, the stages
are absolutely incredible. I think they're so good, and I think that'll be the biggest surprise for
a lot of people going over there, but then as well, park expose is something quite different. We
don't do it here in Europe, we don't do it in Ireland, we don't do it in the WRC, and it might
be a bit more struggle for drivers and co-drivers, because it means they have to spend more time
with an audience and spectators and fans, but I think it's really important for this sport as well
to show a bit more of a person and human side to the whole thing and give the chance for people
that want to come up, see the car's close up, see the driver's close up. I think the sport
is missing that side of it, and the US are doing a really good show of it at the minute, and I think
that'll bring a whole other experience as well, if the WRC gets over to the US.
And yeah, as I said, it's just so important to build our sport, build the fan base, and I think
this is one side to it that we can really work on, and the US is already there with that side of it.
Organization-wise, I said earlier in this podcast, it was one of the best rallies,
one of the best run rallies I've ever been to. There was no delays whatsoever, so it's a really
exciting time. They're really putting in the work in the USA to get the WRC round over,
and I think, yeah, if it happens and it gets confirmed, it's going to be a fantastic event.
Yeah, I would agree, actually. Embarrassingly, and I say embarrassingly given, obviously,
we work for dirtfish rally school, I've never been to a round of the ALRA,
so I need to somehow try and fix that over the second half of this year,
and get to experience it myself, but park exposé has always been the thing that's fascinated me,
and as you say, I think it's just that sort of typical US entertainment model,
that's finest, isn't it? It's like, why are we not doing that in other parts of the world?
It's so simple, but just so effective. Every time I see pictures of video from it, it's always
bustling with people just taking an interest. It's the amount of fans, kids, everybody that attends
is spectacular, and I think when you see that, and you have a WRC round, the crowds would be
incredible too, at that. Now, Eva obviously has plenty more rallying to come throughout the year,
and we're keeping track of her and the dirt between the motorsport driver programs progress
throughout the year, but Eva, if anybody wants to follow you specifically, what's the best way to do
that? Post everything on, of course, Instagram and Facebook, at Eva Raftery17 on Instagram,
so it's A-O-I-F-E.
Just get that in there. Very good. Well, Eva, thank you very much for your time on today's episode
of Spin the Rail pod. I'm sure it will not be the last of the year. We'll come and see if your
driving is as good as your predictions as well. Come the end of this, I'll be shooting you a text
if that top three thumbs in. It'll be quite incredible, but yeah, thank you very much for your
time and we'll catch up soon. Thank you very much, Luke. Chat to you.
About this episode
The SPIN, The Rally Pod crew previews the Acropolis Rally as the WRC resumes its second-half run, then digs into what makes Greece so demanding—narrow, technical stages with changing surfaces and a rough, attrition-heavy feel. Aoife Raftery shares her Rally US experience, from loose gravel and running order to a late incident that dropped her from third to fifth. They also compare tarmac vs gravel braking, discuss class progression, and look ahead to Hyundai’s gravel prospects and next year’s Rally One vs Rally Two shake-up.
Original notes
Will Toyota's domination end as the World Rally Championship heads for gravel in the second half of the season? Can Elfyn Evans deliver the championship title he's threatened to for years? And who's going to win the Acropolis?
Luke Barry is joined by DirtFish Women in Motorsport driver Aoife Raftery to preview round eight of the WRC, as well as look back on Raftery's most recent events in her Ford Fiesta Rally3.
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