More than 100 guests were in attendance at the Polish city’s Fabryka Porcelany venue 24 hours after Rally Silesia hosted a thrilling title decider.
Hayden Paddon and John Kennard collected their trophies for winning the FIA European Rally Championship for Drivers and Co-Drivers respectively two years in a row. Gabriele Palmitesta accepted the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams on behalf of BRC Racing Team.
The inaugural FIA European Rally Championship for Tyre Suppliers was presented to Michelin’s ERC rally manager Tim Hoare.
Mille Johansson took to the stage twice, firstly to be presented with his trophy for winning the FIA ERC4 Championship along with co-driver Johan Grönvall, and then to be handed the first-place trophy for winning the FIA Junior ERC Championship from official tyre supplier Hankook’s Manfred Sandbichler.
Filip Kohn accepted the FIA ERC3 Championship trophy via video message with the Czech currently preparing for this week’s Central European Rally, which he’s contesting as his prize for winning the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy.
As well as the various championship trophies, four awards chosen by fans were presented.
Castrol MEM Rally Team won the online vote for the Livery of the Year, the Stage-end Quote of the Year went to Efrén Llarena, Team MRF Tyres’ Andrea Mabellini was the fans’ choice as Most Improved Driver for the second season running, while Alejandro Cachón’s performance on Rally Islas Canarias earned him the Drive of the Year accolade.
Llarena’s quote at the end of SS6 of Rally di Roma Capitale, the Santopadre - Fontana Liri test, appealed most to the fans. On an event where the 2022 ERC champion returned to the podium for the first time in more than a year, the Spaniard was in a hurry, as he told stage-end reporter Peter MacKay live on Rally.tv: “I come in so fast because I need to go to the toilet.”
There was a special presentation to Alberto Ferloni following the completion of his tenure as Pirelli’s ERC manager.
ERC Sporting Delegate Miikka Anttila represented the FIA, motorsport’s world governing body.
Eight-time FIA World Rally Championship-winning co-driver Julien Ingrassia joined Rally.tv’s Becs Williams to co-host the evening. The French legend also made several trophy and award presentations.
Mathieu Franceschi and Andy Malfoy were presented with their trophies for finishing running up in the FIA European Rally Championship for Drivers and Co-Drivers respectively.
The brothers of Miko Marczyk and Szymon Gospodarczyk accepted the trophies for the Polish crew’s achievement of finishing third in the FIA European Rally Championship for Drivers and Co-Drivers. Marczyk and Gospodarczyk could not attend as thy are currently completing the reconnaissance for Central European Rally.
Trophies were also handed to Calle Carlberg, the FIA Junior Championship runner-up, and Max McRae, who finished third in the final standings.
Igor Widłak, who finished second in the FIA ERC3 Championship, was another top-performing driver from 2024 present on the night. Dora Ravenščak, who co-drove her brother Martin in FIA ERC3, completed the season as the second-placed co-driver, also attended along with Daniel Dymurski, the third-placed co-driver.
The following championship trophies were presented on the night:
FIA European Rally Championship: Hayden Paddon and John Kennard
FIA ERC3 Championship: Filip Kohn and Tom Woodburn
FIA ERC4 Championship: Mille Johansson and Johan Grönvall
FIA Junior ERC Championship: Mille Johansson (co-driven by Johan Grönvall)
FIA European Rally Championship for Teams: BRC Racing Team (award accepted by Gabriele Palmitesta)
FIA European Rally Championship for Tyre Suppliers: Michelin (award accepted by Tim Hoare)
ERC Drive of the Year: Alejandro Cachón, Rally Islas Canarias
ERC Livery of the Year: Castrol MEM Rally Team
ERC Most Improved Driver of the Year: Andrea Mabellini
ERC Stage-End Quote of the Year: Efrén Llarena, Rally di Roma Capitale
All results are subject to final FIA confirmation
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