Motorsport news on young Scotlish rally driver, 22-year-old John MacCrone

MacCrone from the Isle of Mull, finished fifth in the latest round of the World Rally Championship Academy in Finland.

Run over the same ultra-fast stages as the WRC Rally Finland, MacCrone backed up his fifth-place finish in the last round in Greece with another mature drive.

"I've got to be happy with that," MacCrone, co-driven in his Palletforce and Tunnocks-backed Ford Fiesta R2 by Glasgow's Stuart Loudon, admitted.

"I set myself the target of a top five finish before the event started, so I'm pretty chuffed to finish fifth again, on my first year in the WRC Academy and first time in Finland."

MacCrone bagged the top five position despite being forced to nurse his damaged car through one of the longest stages of the rally.

"We clattered a rock fairly heavily at high speed midway through the stage," MacCronealso backed by Musto, Bespoke Distribution Aviation, Glengorm Castle, S&S Joiners and TSL Contractorsexplained, "and the impact bent the car's front-left wishbone.

"After that we were forced to back-off and just get the car to the end of the stage. If it hadn't been for that, we'd probably have finished fourth."

And MacCrone's impressive performance was praised by Rally Team Scotland boss Richard Moore.

"No one should underestimate what John and Stuart achieved on their first outing in Finland," Moore explained.

"It's one of the top-five toughest rallies in the world, so to finish fifth, and just miss out on fourth, on their debut in Finland is terrific.

"As a duo, they are building their experience and knowledge of tackling the most demanding rally stages in the world, and it puts them in a great position for 2013."

MacCrone and Loudon return to action in the Rally Team Scotland Ford Fiesta R2 on August 24-26, for the next round of the WRC Academy, Rally Germany.