Jon Armstrong delivered an outstanding performance at Rally Poland, securing his first gravel podium in the European Rally Championship (ERC). The Motorsport Ireland driver finished third, just 9.5 seconds behind second-place finisher Mikolaj Marczyk of Poland. The rally was won by Latvian driver Martins Sesks, who dominated the event with a lead of one minute and six seconds.

Armstrong, driving for M-Sport, started the event strong, ending the opening day in fourth place. He moved up to third after Roope Korhonen rolled out of second place on the 10th stage. The Northern Irish driver then challenged Marczyk for second but incurred a 10-second penalty for clipping a bale at a chicane on the 12th stage. Despite finishing just 0.5 seconds ahead of Marczyk, the penalty kept Armstrong in third.

"What a weekend in Poland," said Armstrong. "I'm so pleased to have claimed my career-first gravel podium here, put down some good pace, and come away with this great result for the team."

Armstrong’s performance also earned him four additional bonus points for being second quickest on the final stage, propelling him to sixth in the championship standings after four of the eight rounds. The next event in the ERC series will take place in Rome at the start of July.

In other news, Jos Verstappen, father of reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, crashed out of the rally on the final stage, ending his campaign prematurely.

This result marks a significant milestone for Armstrong, who continues to build momentum in the ERC season. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how he performs in the upcoming rounds.