Breen won't "re-invent the wheel" to get WRC 2022 back on track

The M-Sport driver began his first full-time season in the WRC this year on the front foot by scoring a third at January's Monte Carlo season opener behind the duelling part-time drivers Sebastien Loeb (M-Sport) and Sebastien Ogier (Toyota).

But Breen’s season has stuttered since then, most notably when he crashed out of Rally Sweden. The Irishman bounced back with a fourth in Croatia but was left frustrated after a combination of a puncture, poor team tyre choice and brake issue dropped him to eighth overall in Portugal last month.

Breen heads to Sardinia this weekend lying sixth in the championship, 72 points adrift of runaway leader Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera, but only four points behind third-placed Takamoto Katsuta.

Although frustrated by his recent results, Breen doesn’t feel a radical change of approach is needed having shown glimpses of strong pace.

“It was difficult [in Portugal]," Breen told Autosport.

“There were not too many positives at all. We had a problem with the car pretty much all day Sunday, it's frustrating.

"There was some good speed at times. Friday was exceptionally good and we were right in the fight, so I was pleased. But things out of our control let it slip.

“I don’t need to re-invent the wheel. The speed is there, it's just a case of finding a bit more luck.

Craig Breen, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

"For sure, we made some bad decisions on tyre choice on Saturday and I think without that the rally could have been a lot different for us. It put us on the back foot all of the time.

“We don’t need to do anything crazy, we just need to try and prepare for the rally a little bit better.

“I don’t have so much experience at these events, so I wasn’t as prepared