ERC 2023: Towards a hotly contested first round

Souvent décrié pour son manque de compétitivité, le championnat d’Europe semble être à l’orée d’une splendide saison. Première manche du calendrier, le Rally Serras de Fafe (10-12 mars) a réuni 55 concurrents. Cela peut paraître peu, mais avec 44 voitures engagées dans la catégorie Rally2, un record vient sans doute d’être battu. Avec 24 exemplaires (dont 5 RS), Skoda est toujours le constructeur le mieux représenté, mais Citroën (7 C3) et Hyundai (9 i20) ont également des effectifs intéressants. Outre la richesse du matériel, le niveau des équipages a rarement été aussi élevé en ERC.

Among the favorites, there are two former winners of a world round. Mads Ostberg will discover MRF tires and Hayden Paddon will begin his program in Europe. Being the only one to race on a Rally1 this year, Craig Breen must be at the top of the serious contenders. If this trio stands out due to their experience, many of them want to beat them, first and foremost Efren Llarena who is the reigning champion. Noticed last year, Tom Kristensson who will debut a new C3, Simon Wagner, Martin Sesks and Filip Mares hope to shine. Having knowledge of the course, we must not forget the locals (Armindo Araujo, José Fontes, Ricardo Teodosio, etc.) who will have two objectives: the national championship and beating the Europeans.

The poster is magnificent, but you shouldn't be completely fooled. If the line-up looks so interesting it is also because several competitors are present to take their bearings on the special stages which are close to those which will be selected for the world championship (May 11-14). On this subject, given the number of great events that exist in Europe or even just in Portugal, is it not surprising that the ERC and the WRC take place in such a small geographical area? It is undoubtedly possible to have a little more imagination. This suits drivers like Erik Cais, Georg Linnamäe, Robert Virves or Fabrizio Zaldivar who will be able to gain experience on this terrain around Fafe and Cabeceiras de Basto.

On the French side, Yoann Bonato looks back on a round where he finished 8^e in 2021 after being slowed down by a puncture at the start of the weekend. The four-time French champion will count on his Michelin tires to do well. If Mathieu Franceschi will discover Portugal, Mathieu Margaillan will undoubtedly find the kilometers he took in 2015 when he competed in the rally of Portugal in the WRC. Finally, Pierre Ragues will use his Fiesta Rally3 in the ERC for the first time after already two races at the wheel.