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Breen’s WRC co-driver Nagle announces retirement

Experienced co-driver Paul Nagle has announced plans to retire from the World Rally Championship after Rally Spain later this month.

Podium: Craig Breen, Paul Nagle, Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

Podium: Craig Breen, Paul Nagle, Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

Fabien Dufour / Hyundai Motorsport

The 44-year-old has become a familiar voice in the WRC, enjoying a top flight rally career that began in Spain alongside Donie O’Sullivan in 2004, and will coincidently end at the same rally, which will mark his 102nd event.

Nagle went on to win five WRC rallies, all alongside Kris Meeke, and score 18 podiums, his last to date being a second in Sardinia while calling the notes for M-Sport’s Craig Breen.

The news will see Breen team up with a new co-driver for the season ending Rally Japan in November. Nagle’s replacement is due to be announced in the coming days.

It will see a partnership end that initially began in 2012 when the pair won the SWRC title before joining forces again for a part-time programme with Hyundai (2019-2021) that yielded four podium visits.

“It’s has been one hell of a rollercoaster and the memories and friends I made will last a life time,” wrote Nagle on his Facebook page.

“Big thank you to everyone who followed us around the world over the last 20 years. To my family and friends and especially my wife Cathy, thank you for being there for all of it, in the good days and bad. Ye [sic] always had my back.”

“To Craig [Breen] and Kris [Meeke], thank you both for making the dream happen. We have made amazing memories.”

Nagle’s most successful partnership came alongside Northern Irishman Meeke, as the pair lifted the Intercontinental Rally Challenge title in 2009, scoring four wins and a further two podiums finishes.

The duo teamed up back in 2011 for a part programme in the Mini WRC Team, before a five season stint at the factory Citroen squad, beginning in 2014. It was there they recorded five victories and a further eight podiums.

In between stints sat alongside Breen and Meeke, Nagle also called notes for Andreas Mikkelsen at Volkswagen for two WRC events in 2013.

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