Craig Breen

1. Who is Craig Been?

Craig Breen is an Irish rally driver, whose date of birth is February 2, 1990 in Waterford (Ireland). He played for the M-Sport team in the WRC. He will drive with Hyundai Motorsport on certain events in 2023.

Craig Breen had a complicated season with M-Sport in 2022 / © DPPI

2. Craig Breen’s junior journey

Son of Irish rally champion Ray Breen, Craig Breen first cut his teeth in karting at the age of 9. He discovered rallying in 2007, at the age of 17, and took part in his first competition two years later. Despite his rookie status, he won the Irish, British and international Fiesta Sporting Trophy championships. With these successes, he earned a one-year contract with the M-Sport team. He was also voted Best Young Irish Driver of the Year in 2009.

He made his debut in the British Rally Championship in 2010, where he took his first victory on the Ulster Rally driving a Ford Fiesta S2000. He also took part in his first rallies counting towards the WRC world championship, including a 12th place in the Rally of Great Britain. In 2011, Craig Breen joined the WRC Academy championship, which he won with two victories in Germany and Wales.

The Irishman moved to the next level with participation in the S-WRC championship (which has since become WRC-2) in 2012. A year mourned by the death of his co-driver at the time, Gareth Roberts, victim of a crash during a rally in Sicily. Despite this tragedy, Craig Breen won the title, and scored his first points in the WRC with a 6th place overall in Catalonia. He would then team up with Paul Nagle for the remainder of his career.

Between 2013 and 2015, the Waterford native competed in the ERC championship with a Peugeot 207 then a Peugeot 208, as part of the “Peugeot Rally Academy”. He finished 2nd in 2015 and twice 3rd in 2013 and 2014, before making the step up to the WRC.

3. Craig Breen’s WRC journey

The WRC adventure began in 2016 for Craig Breen. Citroën is integrating it into a partial program, with participation in 6 races, ahead of the brand's return to the rafters for 2017. The Irishman scores his first WRC podium in Finland with a 3rd place and scores 36 points with a DS3 aging. In 2017, Citroën kept him as the starting driver for the entire season. If he has to participate in the Monte Carlo Rally with the DS3, he will use the new C3 WRC from the second rally, in Sweden.

The experience with Citroën did not go as planned: the C3 was the slowest car on the field. Despite good consistency, Craig Breen has only scored one podium in two seasons (2nd place in Sweden in 2018). His career came to a halt in 2019, when Citroën decided to sacrifice the Irish driver in favor of Sébastien Ogier and Esapekka Lappi. Without a full WRC program, Breen found refuge with Hyundai Motorsport at the end of the season and participated in two rallies.

Breen will only achieve one podium with Citroën in the WRC, at the 2018 Rally Sweden / © DPPI

In 2020 and 2021, Craig Breen combines a WRC-ERC double program with Hyundai. Even if he only participates briefly in a few events in the premier category, the Irishman achieves excellent performances with 4 podiums in 7 rallies with the Hyundai i20 WRC! Enough to catch the eye of another team, that of its beginnings... In 2022, at 32 years old, Craig Breen joins M-Sport for the new hybrid era, with the Ford Puma and a complete program.

Craig Breen at the last Rally of Japan / © DPPI

4. AUTOhebdo's opinion on Craig Breen

Craig Breen hasn't had the straightest career. Despite a certain talent and exemplary consistency, he was often put aside for drivers with more cachet. The lack of confidence from Citroën in 2019 was a blow to his career. If his track record is not the best (no victories before the 2022 season), Breen still deserves his place in the WRC. At M-Sport, the team of his debut, the Irishman could finally have a chance to show himself in broad daylight. If the British team has secured his services this season, it is not for nothing... It is now up to him to become a team leader and seek his first successes.

5. Learn more about Craig Breen

Craig Breen hasn't had the straightest career. Despite a certain talent and exemplary consistency, he was often put aside for drivers with more cachet. The lack of confidence from Citroën in 2019 was a blow to his career. If his track record is not the best (no victories before the 2022 season), Breen still deserves his place in the WRC. At M-Sport, the team of his debut, the Irishman could finally have a chance to show himself in broad daylight. If the British team has secured his services this season, it is not for nothing... It is now up to him to become a team leader and seek his first successes.