Tempestini withdraws from Barum Rally, Llarena and Fernández crowned

The package arrived a little earlier than expected at Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández. The Spanish duo was titled in ERC…from home, even before the start of the Barum Rally, the penultimate event of the season. Already well ahead of the championship, the Team MRF crew took advantage of the withdrawal of their closest rival, Simone Tempestini, before the Czech round to be crowned.

🙌 CHAMPIONS! @efren_llarena and @FernandezSara14 are the 2022 #FIAERC champions! 🏆 🏆

With the late withdrawal of Simone Tempestini from Barum Rally, the Spanish @MRF_Racing pairing cannot be overtaken!

— European Rally Championship (@FIAERC) August 23

Efrén Llarena, who finished second to Andreas Mikkelsen in 2021, becomes the first Spanish ERC champion since Antonio Zanini in 1980. Sara Fernández meanwhile wins the co-drivers' championship for the second time in a row. Their coronation will be celebrated during a presentation on Friday in Zlín, before the start of the Barum Rally.

“Getting the title is fantastic” says Llarena

“I don’t have the words, marvels Llarena, freshly titled. It’s a dream, a dream that started four years ago when we were the first crew to compete in the ERC under the colors of Rally Team Spain. We won the ERC3 Junior championship and the ERC3 championship. Now to get the title is fantastic. This is a very important year for the MRF team. We put all our efforts into tire development. I think we worked very hard in the same direction. Everyone did a great job: the engineers, the team and everyone involved. »

Arun Mammen, general manager of the MRF Tires team, was delighted with the title of the Spanish duo. “It’s a memorable day, winning this first European Rally Championship for us, MRF Tyres. (…) I would like to congratulate Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández for achieving this feat, as well as our other drivers who supported our team in this historic effort. It’s a very prestigious moment, we are very proud to be crowned European Rally Champions. »

Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández also received congratulations from ERC manager Iain Campbell. The crew will be at the start of the Barum Rally (August 26-28) looking for a second victory this season.

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