From the breakfast table to the ERC3 podium for Chorbiński

Chorbiński was called up as a late replacement for Igor Widłak when his fellow Pole fell ill in the build-up to the asphalt counter.  

Although Chorbiński, 24, had never competed outside his homeland – or at Rally3 level – he beat champion Filip Kohn to the runner-up spot behind winner and compatriot Jakub Matulka.  

“It’s great to be on the finish line and to be on the podium is even better,” said Chorbiński, who was competing in a Grupa PGS RT-entered Ford Fiesta Rally3 alongside co-driver Michał Marczewski for only the second time. “We are very pleased and happy to finish the rally like this, I’m just so, so happy.”

Of his late call to compete on the penultimate round of the ERC season, Pirelli-equipped Chorbiński explained: “It was Wednesday, I was in Poland, I was eating breakfast and I was supposed to do some work. But then I got the call telling me, ‘okay, you can do the ERC rally’, and I said, ‘okay, that’s probably the opportunity of a lifetime’. So I said, ‘okay, I need to do it’, and here we are, at the end of this super, super tricky rally.  

“I took the plane in Wrocłav and I came to Manchester. I had to travel on my own for three and a half hours to Ceredigion. I was alone, and I also had some difficulties to rent the car because of the age. I arrived at the hotel around 11pm and the next day already at 6am we were on our feet and starting the recce, absolutely crazy.  

“I did one rally before with Michał, but we are friends, we know each other well and it wasn’t difficult to get on well with my co-driver. He did well and I was very happy with his work.”  

Chorbiński is set for more ERC action next month when Rally Silesia in Poland hosts the championship showdown from 11 - 13 October.   

“It’s the plan to do the rally in Poland but we will do it in the Rally4 Peugeot,” said Chorbiński, who has competed in one of the French machines in the Polish championship this season. “Of course, it will be our home rally, I will have more time to prepare for it. For sure and I will try to do a good job there.”