Fresh off a dominant British Rally Championship title defense, William Creighton is shifting gears to a continental challenge. The 28-year-old Northern Irishman, a former Junior British and World champion, has confirmed his step up to the highly competitive European Rally Championship (ERC), calling it the natural "right step" in his career.

Creighton's confidence is built on a stellar 2023 BRC campaign, where he secured two wins and two additional podiums. "We wanted to use the British Rally Championship as an opportunity to get that title and then move back into European events," he explained, highlighting a deliberate and successful career path. Now, he's fully focused on the "next level," acknowledging the ERC presents a "very high level of the sport" and a "big challenge."

He won't be tackling it alone. Creighton, alongside co-driver Liam Regan, will campaign for the prestigious Stellantis Motorsport team. Their season will feature a fascinating mid-season car switch, starting in a Citroën C3 before transitioning to a legendary Lancia, all on Michelin tires. "We've got really good brands with a huge heritage there of success within the sport," Creighton noted, eager to tap into that winning legacy.

The ERC calendar is a true test of versatility, launching on the asphalt of Andalucia, Spain (April 17-19) before traversing the snow of Sweden, the historic roads of Rome, and the fast gravel of Poland and the Czech Republic. The season culminates with a home-soil event at Rali Ceredigion in Wales before the final round in Portugal this autumn.

As a warm-up, Creighton recently finished seventh at the Rallye da Llana, shaking down the car and shaking off any rust. His move to the ERC continues a strong showing for Northern Irish rally talent, following in the tracks of compatriots Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong who are currently competing in the premier World Rally Championship.