Nikolay Gryazin, who finished third on Delfi Rally Estonia in July, claimed top category honours on the cross-border event, which finished today (Sunday), with Filip Mareš and Miko Marcyk placing second and third respectively after four days of demanding asphalt rallying in Austria, Czech Republic and Germany.
Meanwhile, in the overall Rally2-based RC2 category, the top five finishers have all been in action on rounds of the 2024 ERC. Oliver Solberg, who won RC2 ahead of Gryazin, Mareš and Marczyk, triumphed on BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia in June. Kajetan Kajetanowicz, the triple ERC champion who took fifth in RC2, performed course car-driving duties on the ERC season-deciding Rally Silesia last weekend.
“Thank you to the team, the co-driver, the gravel crew,” said Citroën C3 Rally2 driver Gryazin, who was ERC runner-up in 2018 and has four event wins to his name. “I could not have done this without the information from them. Thank you for the team that did not let me slow down this weekend.”
Czech Mareš, who finished in the points on four of the five ERC events he tackled this season in addition to clocking two fastest stage times in a Hankook-equipped Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, was contesting a WRC event for only the second time.
“I’m really happy,” said Mareš, who became a father for the second time two weeks ago. “We didn’t expect this result. Our season was full of ups and downs and this is the present for everybody involved.”
Having secured third in the final 2024 ERC standings on his home event, Rally Silesia, last weekend in a Michelin-shod Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, Marcyk bettered his previous best WRC2 result of fifth on Rally Italia Sardegna in 2023 by completing the Central European Rally podium.
“It’s our first podium in WRC2 and I appreciate it,” Marczyk said. “Yesterday I was consistent with a good pace. Today we were playing to be on this podium and I am happy because this is a big success for us.”
There was more ERC success in the FIA WRC3 division with ERC4 champion Filip Kohn finishing second on his prize drive for winning the inaugural ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy. Visit FIAERC.com soon to find out more on Kohn’s Central European Rally adventure.
Estonia
Poland
Turkey