Sierra Morena Rally: Victory for Suárez – Iglesias, Zielinski – Leenhardt triumph in ERC3

Undisputed leaders since the official start of the event yesterday morning, José Antonio Suárez and Alberto Iglesias held firm under pressure and secured their first career victory together in the European Rally Championship on Sunday, April 19th, at the Sierra Morena Rally (Córdoba, Spain). With a 20,1-second lead, they placed their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 ahead of the Toyota Iván Ares and Borja Rozada's GR Yaris Rally2, while Giandomenico Basso and Lorenzo Granai (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 – initially 4th but a 10-second penalty was ultimately removed – Ed.) overtook their rivals on this final loop of the rally, finishing ahead of Teemu Suninen – Antti Haapala (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) by 3,4 seconds. The surprising duo of Álvaro Muñiz – Alfonso Estévez (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), competing outside the European Rally Championship, lost everything in the afternoon due to a puncture and conceded ground while in contention for a podium finish, causing them to plummet down the order. The battle was certainly intense, as behind the winners, only 54,5 seconds separated Ares – Rozada, in second place, from Jakub Matulka – Damian Syty (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), in eighth.

A successful start for Lucas Zielinski and Ewen Leenhardt in the ERC

France that wins is also in ERC that we find her again! For their first international appearance aboard the Renault Driving the official Clio Rally3 prepared by the David Automobiles team, the 2025 Clio Trophy France Junior winners Lucas Zielinski and Ewen Leenhardt triumphed in the ERC3 event, ahead of Casey Jay Coleman and Killian McArdle (Ford Fiesta Rally3). The Irish crew had closed in on the French pair earlier in the day, but the latter regained the lead on the final loop, building a comfortable 33,2-second advantage. Three other French crews also started the event: Tristan Charpentier and Loris Pascaud, in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, finished 12th, while Pierre Ragues and Julien Pesenti, in a similar car, finished 17th. Earlier that morning, their young teammates Paul Evrard and Maxime Roulland, in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally4, were forced to retire. The next round of the ERC will take place in Sweden from May 22nd to 24th.

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ERC – Sierra Morena
The final (provisional) general classification