MOIRA’S William Creighton has issued a “massive thank you” to those who backed him in a public vote that has seen him named the FIA World Rally Championship’s Most Improved Driver for the 2023 season.
Creighton – who scooped the FIA Junior World Rally drivers’ crown last September at Acropolis Rally in Greece with Belfast team-mate Liam Regan – secured 36% of the total vote share in the online poll.
His impressive wins at February’s Rally Sweden and June’s Rally Italia Sardegna were enough to help him shade Diego Dominguez (32%) and finish comfortably ahead of Hamza Anwar (18 per cent).
“When I shared the news on social media the response I got was really quite unbelievable,” said Creighton, “and the fact so many people shared it shows just how strong the motorsport community is at home.
“I knew throughout the whole of 2023 that Liam and myself had so much support and to see it again is great – I don’t think there was a motor club or rally page that hadn’t shared the link asking people to vote for me, so I want to say a massive thank to you all of those who did. It really is appreciated.
“It is really nice to be recognised for what we did last season and fingers crossed we can now carry this forward into the 2024 season. We knew we were strong and we had improved last year but to be recognised with this award – and for people I don’t know to vote for me – is a really nice feeling,” he added.
Creighton’s title joy was extremely hard fought, however, as he had to fight back from sustaining early radiator damage at the season finale in Greece to make sure of the Championship. In the process, he became the first Irishman since the late Craig Breen back in 2011 to secure the trophy and with it a career boosting prize.
His reward is four arrive-and-drive outings in this year’s WRC2 – the second tier to the FIA World Rally Championship – with his first expected to come on the snow- and ice-covered roads of Sweden next month.
Crucial to Creighton getting his hands on the title was his speed and consistency on snow, gravel and Tarmac. He chalked up more stage wins than anyone else – 34, in fact, including 11 in Estonia in his Ford Fiesta Rally3 – to bag not only crucial extra bonus points but also the Wolf Lubricants trophy.
Reflecting on his Most Improved Driver accolade, Creighton says he owes a lot of his success to Motorsport Ireland.
“I have worked with the team at Motorsport Ireland’s Rally Academy throughout the year. The aim is always to see how we can improve in all areas and we will continue to do this in 2024,” he said.
“The award means a lot ,so fingers crossed we can keep the momentum going and keep improving.”
