Kris Meeke to race in Portugal in memory of former team-mate Craig Breen

Northern Ireland's Kris Meeke will take the place of the late Hyundai driver Craig Breen in this weekend's Terras d'Aboboreira Rally in Portugal.

Meeke will also compete in the WRC's Rally Portugal in May in what will be his first rally at world level since the end of 2019.

Breen and the Dungannon driver spent three seasons as team-mates with Citroen from 2016 to 2018 prior to Meeke’s sacking midway through that year. Meeke then retired from the WRC after a poor year with Toyota.

Breen was due to compete in last weekend's Rally Croatia and the Terras d'Aboboreira Rally as part of his third-car duties deal with Hyundai.

"I first accepted the offer because it was my desire to get back into racing, but I also thought about what Craig would say to me, and I know that he would tell me to accept," Meeke said.

"This is how I will honour Craig. I will continue to compete as he always has – I will try to win and enjoy it."

Meeke will drive the i20 N Rally2 in the Portuguese championship, allowing Team Hyundai Portugal to continue to field a two-car line-up for the event. Ricardo Teodosio will be the 43-year-old’s team-mate.

Meanwhile, the fourth round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship will see drivers, cars and crews head to Kerry this weekend for the 42nd running of the Access Ireland Killarney International Rally of the Lakes.

It's likely to be something of a sombre affair after the passing of Breen, who won the event in 2019 on his way to winning the Tarmac title.

Last year's winner Callum Devine is the top seed in his Volkswagen Polo R5 and he is very much in the championship hunt after taking victory on the Circuit of Ireland.

Devine led from the opening stage and had a 10.2-second win over championship leader Josh Moffett.

Galway