British champion Creighton ready for 'next level' in ERC

Reigning British champion William Creighton says it is the "right step" to step up into the European Rally Championship.

The 28-year-old, who is a former Junior British and World champion, starts is season in Andalucia in Spain from 17-19 April.

After two wins and two further podiums in his title-winning British Rally Championship campaign last year, Creighton said he is excited to move up to the "next level".

"It's a very high level of the sport, so it's going to be a big challenge.

"We would have loved to be doing more international events last year, but we wanted to use the British Rally Championship as an opportunity to get that title and then move back into European events, and that's worked quite well."

"Fingers crossed we can do a good job this year."

• 'It hasn't sunk in' - Creighton wins British rally title

Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan will compete for Stellantis Motorsport in the ERC, and will start the season in a Citroen C3 before switching to a Lancia midway through the season, and he will run Michelin tyres throughout the campaign.

After the season opener in Spain, the series will have rallies in Sweden, Rome, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The campaign ends in the autumn with Rali Ceredigion in Wales before the final event in Portugal in October.

"We've got really good brands with a huge heritage there of success within the sport,' said Creighton, who grew up on his family's farm and started his sporting journey with horses, before switching to a different type of horse power.

"Hopefully we can feed off all of those people and use it to our advantage.

"Just to be in the ERC to begin with is really exciting, but it puts us in a good position to do a good job, which is very important."

Creighton warmed up for the ERC opener in Spain by taking part in Rallye da Llana , where he finished in seventh place.

Two other drivers from Northern Ireland, Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong, are currently competing in the top tier of the World Rally Championship for M-Sport, with the backing of Motorsport Ireland.

While his immediate focus is on the ERC, Creighton says his long-term goal is to make it back onto the world stage.

"The guys at the top level of the sport are getting younger and younger, so you need to strike while you can," Creighton said.

"The rules and the sport as a whole at the top level are changing next year.

"We've got this opportunity now, we'll try and make the most of it and if it opens things up in the future, then that would be amazing."