Jersey’s rallying sensation Sam Touzel made his presence known on the continental stage, showcasing electric pace to finish ninth overall alongside co-driver Max Freeman.
With the Jerseyman Touzel now stepping up to compete in the European circuit, the ninth place finish in his debut at Galway has made for a great start, showing he’s a force to be reckoned with on the continental stage.
“The rally went amazing, the atmosphere and support was great, the organisers were brilliant and we can’t wait to return to Ireland for more rallying throughout the season,” said Touzel.
Although they struggled to properly settle and find a good rhythm on the opening loop – with two of the three stages ending up as red-flagged following incidents – day one was a pretty consistent day for the duo as they finished up in 14th place, still very much in the hunt.
However, day two was where all the action was, as Touzel put his foot on the gas and showed immense pace, clocking his highest speeds of the weekend in SS14 at 120.4 km/h.
Day two was massive for Touzel and Freeman, as their pace helped them climb a whopping five places on the leaderboard, in just six stages, to finish ninth overall.
“My experience in Galway honestly trumped all expectations – we aimed to finish within the top 20. So, to achieve a top 10 finish in our first time is just unbelievable,” Touzel exclaimed.
“It’s really got me excited for the rest of the year as I could have found a lot more speed out there, so we just have to keep pushing on.”
2026 is going to be a huge year for the Caesarean, as Sam Touzel and Max Freeman will be competing against some of the fastest guys on tarmac in the European Rally Championships, marking a big step up in their careers.
“This year I’m going to be competing against Europe’s fastest guys on tarmac, these are top-tier guys who I’ve looked up to and the only faster drivers are all at the World level – which is where I’m hoping to get to,” Touzel continued.
“I’m super excited to be taking on all these new challenges, I’m ecstatic really as it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. The step up is all in the preparation, at this level you have to eat, sleep, breathe rallying, and there’s limitless opportunities.
“We’re definitely looking to improve and hone in on our skills. We wouldn’t be this far if we didn’t have the pace, so we’re excited to go into this window of opportunity.”