ERC - Ralfs Sirmacis wins Rally Estonia

Latvian Ralfs Sirmacis scored his second success of the year in the European Rally Championship, after Alexey Lukyanuk retired with two stages to go.

Published on 17/07/2016 à 14:03

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Sunday was supposed to be a walk for Alexey Lukyanuk on the roads of Rally from Estonia. Solid leader of the event at the end of the first stage, the Russian had imposed his Ford Fiesta R5 on the first four SS of the day and seemed to be heading towards a new one in 2016.

But the leader of the event was reported stopped with a wheel less in SS15. A steering arm gave way on the landing of a jump, sending Lukyanuk into a tree, contact which tore off a wheel. The Russian thus lost any chance of the general against Ralfs Sirmacis, who finally imposes his Skoda Fabia R5 at the end of the Baltic round with 1'34″5 ahead of the Pole Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Ford Fiesta R5) who thus retains the reins of the championship.

Rainer Aus (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) completes the podium and wins the category ERC-2. Raul Jeets (Skoda Fabia R5) and Jaroslaw Koltun (Ford Fiesta R5) climbed into the top 5. In Junior, victory went to local Miko-Ove Niinemäe, seventh overall on his Peugeot 208.

Final ranking

Find the full report of the Estonian Rally in issue 2072 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.