Kajetan ‘Kajto’ Kajetanowicz has a great chance to extend his lead in the FIA European Rally Championship when round eight, the CNP ASFALISTIKI Cyprus Rally 2015 (25-27 September), gets underway next week.The Polish LOTOS Rally Team Ford Fiesta R5 driver lands on the sun-kissed Mediterranean island with a 23-point lead in the standings – and with second-placed Craig Breen (Peugeot Rally Academy 208 T16) not going to Cyprus, Kajto has a golden opportunity to extend that advantage.
And Kajto knows the rally, having finished second last year. However, his task will not be an easy one, as the mixed-surface event will be typically hot, rough and extremely challenging. It’s also predicted to be the fastest Cyprus Rally ever. In addition to the tough terrain and high temperatures, there is the ERC competition to beat as well. And once again the quality field includes all four R5 cars currently eligible for competition, namely the ŠKODA Fabia R5, Ford Fiesta R5, Citroën DS3 R5 and Peugeot 208 T16.
Alexey Lukyanuk will make his Cyprus debut on top form and aiming to spoil Kajto’s points-gathering ambitions. The Russian has scored 62 points in the last two ERC rounds, with victory in Estonia and fourth place in Czech Republic moving him into a strong third position in the series. Thanks to the continued support of Russian Performance Motorsport, the Czech H-Racing team and Pirelli tyres, Lukyanuk will be a serious threat for victory in his Ford Fiesta R5.
Following his monster roll last time out on the Barum Czech Rally Zlin, Robert Consani will have a new Delta Rally-run Citroën DS3 R5 and a new co-driver in the form of experienced Belgian Lara Vanneste – who has navigated for Robert’s brother Stéphane as well as ERC event winners Craig Breen, Freddy Loix, Kevin Abbring and Bryan Bouffier. After three retirements in a row, the Frenchman will be hoping for a change of luck and a return to the podium.
Peugeot’s hopes of victory lie with Bruno Magalhães. The Portuguese has good experience of Cyprus and the mixed-surface route will suit his driving style and his 208 T16 well. Magalhães finished fifth in Cyprus last year.
ŠKODA will be well represented by the privately-entered Fabia R5 of Jaromír Tarabus and the Fabia S2000 of Antonín Tlusťák. The two Czech drivers bring a vast amount of ERC experience with them and will both be up to full speed – Tarabus after getting acclimatised to his R5’s turbocharged engine first time out on the Barum Czech Rally Zlin, and Tlusťák because of the number of both Tarmac and gravel events he has done in his trusty Fabia S2000. Tlusťák finished 10th in Cyprus last year.
Cyprus is a rally that Estonia’s Raul Jeets has been looking forward to for some time, and his hard-charging style should reap rewards in his MM-Motorsport Fiesta R5.
ERC2 top three face tough test from Cypriot stars
Vojtěch Štajf takes a 12-point ERC2 lead into the CNP ASFALISTIKI Cyprus Rally and the Subaru Czech National Team Impreza WRX STI’s driver’s aim is to leave the island with that advantage intact. His closet rival, Hungarian Dávid Botka, arrives on great form having won last time out on the Barum Czech Rally Zlín in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Both drivers prefer Tarmac, however, so this might be a great opportunity for third-placed Dominykas Butvilas to close the gap in his Subaru Poland Rally Team Impreza WRX STI, as the Lithuanian won on gravel at SATA Rallye Açores. Tibor Érdi’s last ERC2 appearance in Ypres ended with victory and you can’t discount the Mitsubishi driver on gravel either – and the same can be said for his Hungarian countryman Peter Ranga, who also returns in his Topp-Cars Rallye Team Evolution IX. The five visitors face tough competition from three seasoned and speedy Cypriot drivers, all in Lancer Evolution IXs. Christos Demosthenous clinched victory in the ERC Production Car Cup last year and finished sixth overall, and he returns hoping to repeat that success. Stavros Antoniou is also back having finished second and seventh overall last year, while Panikos Polykarpou completes the three-way local challenge.
Ogryzek honours promise to return to ERC3 battle
When Sławomir Ogryzek’s Peugeot was destroyed by fire on the Ypres Rally, he promised to return to the ERC as quickly as possible. And true to his word, the Pole is aiming to rocket up the ERC3 leaderboard when he drives a new Rallytechnology-run 208 R2 in Cyprus. Ogryzek’s season had started brilliantly with victory and maximum points on the Jännerrallye, and while he is currently ninth in the standings there are still enough points available for him to finish runner-up, behind Emil Bergvist, in the ERC3 championship. His ERC3 rival this time out will be experienced Cypriot driver ‘Dimi’, who drives a Suzuki Swift Sport.
Fastest route promised for legendary Cyprus Rally
This year’s Cyprus Rally is expected to be the fastest one ever with 16 spectacular stages, covering a total distance of 664.18 kilometres, lying in wait for the competitors. The ERC crews will get their first speed test on the 4.46km Qualifying stage, which takes place at Agios Sozomenos just outside Nicosia, starting at 09h43 on Friday 25 September. That is followed later the same day with the road selection process in Nicosia and the ceremonial start beside the Mediterranean on the beautiful seaside road of Finikoudes in Larnaca. Leg one on Saturday 26 September contains eight stages totalling 109.2 competitive kilometres and includes the Lythrodontas test, which at 22kms is the longest of the event. The day finishes at 21h00. The second and final leg on Sunday 26 September features a further eight stages totalling 95.3kms before the finish in Larnaca at 18h30. The total competitive distance is 204.5kms, with 62% (126.8kms) run on gravel and 38% (77.7kms) run on Tarmac. Rally headquarters will be located at the well-known Filoxenia conference centre in Nicosia, and the service park will be situated close by in Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis street.
Nicosia super special stage returns to the buffer zone
The super special stage in Nicosia will once again include a section through the United Nations-controlled buffer zone between the historic city’s Greek Cypriot and Turkish inhabited areas. Last year’s super special stage was such a success that it broke the boundaries of sport after being referenced within a report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations as ‘the most successful measure in the building of trust between the communities since 1974’. This year’s urban stage will take place in the early evening of Saturday 26 September, starting from the Griva Digeni and Dimostheni Severi Avenues. The 6.48km stage will finish outside the Nicosia District Court.