Lukyanuk returns to ERC in his Citroën

Alexey Lukyanuk will aim for a second title in ERC after narrowly losing to Chris Ingram last year. The “Russian Rocket” will evolve in the same configuration as last year, remaining registered on a Citroën C3 R5 from Saintéloc Racing. On the other hand, his former co-driver Alexey Arnautov preferred to take a break after a decade of collaboration and he will be replaced by Dmitriy Eremeev.

“I know I'm fast, but I regret that it doesn't always translate into good results, comments the 39-year-old pilot. I still have great passion and the energy to attack. I must continue my progress. »

“Modern cars are great to drive, they're easy to get to grips with and it's a lot of fun to attack, adds the nine-time ERC winner. The title is obviously important, I can't deny it, but we put a lot of pressure on ourselves if we want to win it. I prefer to concentrate on my driving. We gain experience and get stronger each season and we learn to stay relaxed and enjoy it. »

Alexey Lukyanuk is also banking on the experience acquired with Saintéloc Racing with whom he will be playing for the second year.

“We started from a clean sheet last year and now know a lot more about the car and the team. It will clearly be easier for everyone, he rejoices. I think we can still improve the car in terms of speed and reliability. We constantly looked for the right balance last year and to have more grip, especially on the asphalt. The car remains very solid and powerful while being easy to control. »

Alexey Lukyanuk should start his program at Rally Azores (Portugal) on the weekend of March 28.