The 2016 FIA European Rally Championship begins next week (10-12 March) on Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés, where drivers take on the asphalt roads of Gran Canaria.
One of the world’s leading drivers has signed up for the island-based challenge with Mads Østberg making his ERC debut. The strong entry also includes reigning champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz beginning the defence of his crown, on what is the first of 10 rounds the series will take in across Europe during 2016.
The challenge
Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés is being run for the 40th year in 2016, and the milestone is celebrated with a highly-anticipated return to the ERC after two years away. The rally takes place on the island of Gran Canaria, where the stages undulate over the mountainous terrain. For the drivers, this means having to take care with their speed and lines through corners in order to maintain momentum.
The itinerary is made up to 13 special stages totalling 215.2 competitive kilometres. The Qualifying Stage will take place on Thursday 10 March to help determine the starting order among priority drivers, followed that evening by a superspecial stage in the island’s capital Las Palmas. Friday begins with the longest stage of the rally, the 24.73km Moya, which is the first of a loop of three tests that are repeated later in the day. The rally concludes with two runs over another three-stage loop on Saturday, including the 22.84-kilometre Ingenio.
The contenders
Dávid Botka (Botka Rally Team Citroën DS3 R5): last year’s ERC2 champion steps up to compete for overall honours. He’ll be adapting to his new machinery in the Canaries but should be fast nonetheless.
Kajetan Kajetanowicz (LOTOS Rally Team Ford Fiesta R5): the Polish star returns to defend the ERC crown he won in 2015. Like many, he’s doing the rally for the first time but is looking to maintain an impressive podium streak lasting over 12 months.
Alexey Lukyanuk (Ford Fiesta R5): the Russian driver brings momentum into the opening rally of 2016 after proving his speed on asphalt with a win in Valais at the end of last season.
Luis Monzón (Auto Laca Competición Citroën DS3 R5): while most ERC regulars are new to the event, Monzón is a Las Palmas local and three-time winner of his home rally. He’s also a double Spanish champion and came third on the ERC’s last visit in 2013.
Mads Østberg (RMC Motorsport Ford Fiesta R5): M-Sport’s world championship star makes his ERC debut. Asphalt isn’t the Norwegian’s favoured surface but his class is evident, and both his co-driver Ola Fløene and his Spanish team have event knowledge.
The challengers
Frequent ERC frontrunner Robert Consani returns, with the Frenchman swapping his DS3 R5 for a Peugeot 208 T16 R5. The ŠKODA Fabia R5 is likely to feature prominently in the hands of Dutchman Hermen Kobus, Hungary’s János Puskádi (Eurosol Racing Team Hungary) and Czech driver Antonín Tlusťák (Tlusťák Racing), while Polish drivers Jarosław Koltun (C-Racing) and Tomasz Kasperczyk (Tiger Energy Drink Rallye Team) rely on the Fiesta R5. Lebanon’s Gilbert Bannout contests his first European rally in a DS3 R5, which is also the car of choice for Switzerland’s Federico Della Casa, while Italian Giacomo Costenaro has upgraded to a 208 T16 R5. Those carrying Spanish hopes include Iván Ares (Peña Autocross Arteixo), now in a Fiesta R5 after several years driving Porsches, finishing runner-up in his national championship last year.
The reward
A total prize fund of 200,000 Euros will be on offer to competitors in the ERC again this year. A sum of 20,000 Euros will be available at each of the 10 events on the calendar and be shared between the seven highest-placed eligible drivers in the final rally classification regardless of category. This year, all drivers that have registered for the ERC will be eligible as long as they are using tyres from one of the championship’s partner suppliers (Michelin and Pirelli). In 2015, 38 ERC drivers earned prize money.
The class acts
The ERC is split into three categories: ERC1 for top-of-the-range R5 machinery, ERC2 for production-based models and ERC3 for two-wheel-drive cars. The ERC Junior Championship begins on round two, the Circuit of Ireland Rally, with its contenders also eligible for ERC3 points.
Subaru’s Chuchała takes on the Mitsubishi men in ERC2
The 2014 Polish champion Wojciech Chuchała starts among the favourites in ERC2 after joining Subaru Poland Rally Team for a title assault. He’s up against a number of Mitsubishi drivers including Argentine Juan Carlos Alonso, who’s aiming to go one better in the ERC after finishing third and then second in the WRC’s production class. Italian Giacomo Scattolon arrives in ERC2 with promise after winning the Italian junior title in 2014. Two Hungarians will be hoping to succeed compatriot Dávid Botka as ERC2 champion: Tibor Érdi, who has pedigree in the class after winning in Ypres last year, and Péter Ranga.
Champions go head-to-head for ERC3 spoils
ERC3 is well-supported for the opening round despite it not counting towards ERC Junior. Zoltán Bessenyey makes his comeback with the goal of adding to the titles he won in the two-wheel-drive class in 2013-14, now driving a Renault Clio R3T for Eurosol Racing Team Hungary. Hoping to rival Bessenyey will be Murat Bostanci (Castrol Ford Team Türkiye Ford Fiesta R2T), who won the FIA European Rally Trophy last year and has also claimed the last two Turkish titles. Another national champion graduating to the ERC is Poland’s Łukasz Habaj, who’s joined in one of two RallyTechnology Peugeot 208 VTI R2s by Tomasz Gryc, while Aleks Humar (Oktan Sport 208 VTI R2) steps up as a four-time champion in Slovenia. Aleks Zawada (Red Opel España Adam R2) will aim for a repeat of his ERC3 win in Ypres last year, as fellow Pole Łukasz Pieniążek drives his new Adam R2 in anger for the first time. He’s preparing for an ERC Junior campaign, as is the Portuguese two-wheel-drive champion Marco Cid (208 VTI R2). Gil Antunes and Joao Correia will also fly the flag for Portugal in a pair of Clio R3Ts, while Hungary’s Szabolcs Várkonyi (Ritmus ASE 208 VTI R2) returns to build upon his 2015 appearances.