ERC 4
Ciprian Lupu will be an FIA ERC4 Championship hero again when the 2025 season begins on this week’s 42nd Rally Sierra Morena - Córdoba Patrimonio de la Humanidad.
Lupu, who is tetraplegic, made his FIA European Rally Championship debut in 2024. Despite his physical challenges, the Romanian has established himself as a consistent points-scorer in ERC4, which caters for Rally4, Rally5 and Rally5-Kit cars.
Equipped with a Renault Clio Rally5, Lupu is one of 24 ERC4 contenders entered for the Spanish season opener, which includes the 21 drivers chasing points in the Hankook-equipped Junior ERC category, plus his compatriot and ERC newcomer Catherine Radulescu (Renault Clio Rally4) and Germany’s Tom Kässer.
After finishing runner-up in 2024, Calle Carlberg returns to bid for an ERC4/Junior ERC double driving an ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team Corsa Rally4, which heads the 24-car entry.
The 24-year-old prepared for the new season with an entry on last month’s Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, a round of the North American championship. Switching to a Peugeot 208 Rally4 he took the class win in fifth overall. And while it was an all-gravel event, the event has helped to get Carlberg ‘rally-fit’ for the new ERC campaign.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Stellantis for this opportunity,” Carlberg said afterwards. “It was a fantastic experience to rally in the US, and it provided invaluable gravel testing before the Junior ERC season. The 100 Acre Wood Rally was perfect for getting back up to speed.
“There was a lot of interest from American drivers in competing in Europe, and I hope this project encourages more collaboration. We’ve seen drivers like Sean Johnston pave the way, and I’d love to see more American talent in the ERC.”
Meanwhile, Sergi Pérez and Jordi San Andrés will fly the Spanish flag in ERC4 in their respective Peugeot 208 Rally4s. They are among 14 drivers taking part in the category who’ve never previously been registered for European championship points.
Visit FIAERC.com later this week for the Junior ERC preview.
How to watch?
Fans across the globe can experience the excitement and drama of the ERC with every stage of every rally broadcast Rally.tv platform. In addition, the ERC is broadcast in a number of countries around the world and fans are advised to check local listings for details.
Rally Sierra Morena 2025: the key numbers
Stages: 13
Competitive distance: 209.96 kilometres
Total distance: 664.04 kilometres
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