Pirelli hits back in race to lift ERC Tyre Supplier crown

The Italian manufacturer started the event 23 points behind Michelin but Hyundai i20 N Rally2-driving Hayden Paddon’s first-place finish on JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, coupled with Jon Armstrong’s capture of fifth-place points in a Ford Fiesta Rally2, means the gap has been reduced to 16 points heading to next month’s Rally Silesia title decider in Poland.  

“It was a great weekend,” Paddon said. “It all went like clockwork. The credit goes to the team for the way it set up the car, to the tyres that worked well in difficult conditions and of course to my co-driver [John Kennard].”  

The tyres fitted to Paddon’s BRC Racing Team entry and to those of the other Pirelli drivers were from the P Zero Tarmac range, made up of the hard RA5A, the medium P Zero RA7D, the soft P Zero RA7+C and the RWC rain tyre. The RA7D was used the most during the weekend, and on Saturday’s first leg it played an important role in combination with the hard, according to Pirelli.  

Meanwhile, maiden ERC stage wins for Jon Armstrong, Matt Edwards and James Williams allowed Pirelli to celebrate 13 fastest stage times during the all-asphalt event.

Pirelli also equipped FIA ERC3 winner Jakub Matulka (above), the Pole claiming victory in a Ford Fiesta Rally3, with Filip Kohn securing championship honours in a Pirelli-equipped Fiesta Rally3.  

Michelin also scored strongly in Wales with third place for Mathieu Franceschi (below) and fourth for fellow Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver Miko Marczyk netting 40 points.

MRF Tyres banked a season-best second place courtesy of Andrea Mabellini’s (below) fine drive in a Fabia RS Rally2. The Italian also set the pace on SS11.  

JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion also marked the resumption of the Hankook-supplied FIA Junior ERC Championship following its summer break. Max McRae (bottom) took victory in a Peugeot 208 Rally4 as Mille Johansson secured the title driving an Opel Corsa Rally4. McRae also won the FIA ERC4 category with Johansson adding that title to his list of achievements in Wales.

Ahead of the all-asphalt Rally Silesia from 11 - 13 October, and without dropped scores being taken into account, Michelin leads the FIA European Rally Championship for Tyre Suppliers on 325 points followed by Pirelli (309), MRF Tyres (189) and Hankook, which is focusing its efforts on Junior ERC in 2024 and has scored 120 points so far.