Suninen, co-driven by Antti Haapala in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, took the lead on Friday’s night stages and ended the opening day in first place. He subsequently remained among the frontrunners, managing a rally made particularly demanding by rain on some stages and constant changes in grip. The Finn finished second and sealed the title by winning the concluding Power Stage, making his championship lead over Andrea Mabellini, at the wheel of a Pirelli-equipped Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale and his direct rival in the title fight, unassailable.

Suninen’s success crowns a season built on consistency and the ability to be competitive on very different surfaces and routes. The Finn claimed his first ERC victory at Rally Poland and three second places at Rally di Roma Capitale, Barum Czech Rally Zlín and in Wales.

For reigning champion Pirelli, its second consecutive tyre manufacturers’ title comes at the end of a season contested on different surfaces, from asphalt to gravel, but almost always in high temperatures. Its drivers claimed three victories in the first four rounds and scored decisive points throughout the championship. Further adding to this tally are Ville Vatanen’s achievements: as well as winning the Fiesta Rally3 Trophy at the Barum, he was crowned ERC3 champion in Wales at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally3. Winning the Trophy will enable him to make his debut in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 at the final round of the season in Portugal, thanks to the prize offered by Pirelli and M-Sport.

“Winning the title with one round to spare is a result of great significance,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “Suninen put together an extremely solid season, combining speed, consistency and race management, as he also demonstrated here in Wales. His results, together with those of Andrea Mabellini and all our drivers, enabled us to retain the tyre manufacturers’ title. These results, together with Vatanen’s achievements, reward the work carried out throughout the year by a close-knit and passionate team, as well as our ongoing commitment to innovation in products capable of delivering performance and reliability for cars from different manufacturers and on widely differing surfaces.”

Following their double podium at the Barum Czech Rally Zlín, Suninen leads the championship with 108 points at the wheel of the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, while Mabellini lies second on 83 points in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.

Although created only a few years ago, the rally offers a traditional-style challenge, with narrow and technical roads, uneven surfaces and constant changes of pace. Fast sections through the valleys and across the uplands alternate with stretches where driving precision and the ability to read the surface become crucial. The 16 special stages cover a total of 196 competitive kilometres across the counties of Ceredigion and Powys.

The weather represents one of the main uncertainties of the rally, with highly variable conditions and moderate to low temperatures, at least during the first part of the weekend. The latest forecasts indicate light, scattered rain and the possibility of alternating wet, damp and dry asphalt.

The rally will immediately get under way in earnest on Friday evening. Following the shakedown and Qualifying Stage, the crews will tackle two runs through the Aberystwyth Street Stage before the night-time Elerch and Blaenmelindwr stages. Saturday, the longest day of the rally, will feature two runs through Cwm Elan, a 21.8-kilometre stage across the Elan Valley. On Sunday, the second run through Ty Glyn will award Power Stage points.

For the Welsh rally, Pirelli will make the medium-compound P Zero RA7E and soft-compound P Zero RA7+D available to its crews, together with the Cinturato RWD in the event of rain.

“Ceredigion is a particularly complex rally because it does not have one single defining characteristic,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “The drivers must constantly switch from very fast sections to narrow and technical stretches, often on uneven surfaces. This year there is also a degree of weather uncertainty that we have not encountered at the previous rounds, all of which were characterised by high temperatures. The alternation between rain, damp conditions and dry asphalt will make it difficult to identify the best compromise in terms of both tyre choice and car set-up. Friday’s night stages may also influence the decisions. The medium provides consistency and precision on the faster and more demanding sections, while the soft offers a solution suited to lower temperatures and reduced grip.”

In addition to Suninen and Mabellini, newly crowned ERC3 champion Ville Vatanen, at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally3, and Max McRae in a Škoda Fabia RS will also compete on Pirelli tyres.

Andrea Mabellini produced a thrilling finish. Having opened the rally by winning the Zlín city super special, the Italian ended the weekend by also claiming victory on the Power Stage. By doing so, he made up the deficit to his direct rival in the title fight and took the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale onto the third step of the podium.

The result consolidates Suninen and Mabellini’s positions at the top of the drivers’ standings and strengthens Pirelli’s lead in the tyre suppliers’ classification.

“The Barum subjected tyres and cars to a particularly severe test, with 13 special stages and more than 200 competitive kilometres tackled on demanding surfaces and in unusually high temperatures,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “The hard compound, selected as the primary option for the weekend, delivered consistent performance and reliability through to the final stage. These results confirm the competitiveness of our product and allow us to approach the closing phase of the championship from an even stronger position.”

The Barum Czech Rally Zlín also decided the Pirelli-supported ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy title. Ville Vatanen claimed the crown after also winning the Trophy classification at the rally.

Twenty-three of the 73 crews entered for the ERC round will use Pirelli tyres. They include the leading contenders in the title fight: Teemu Suninen, who heads the standings with 80 points following his victory in Poland in the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, and Andrea Mabellini, second on 57 points in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. Marco Bulacia will also line up on Pirelli tyres in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.

The Barum Rally features 13 special stages covering a total of 205.79 timed kilometres. The route alternates very fast sections with narrow and twisty stretches, on asphalt ranging from smooth surfaces to uneven and deteriorated sections. It also includes several gravel sections, where significant time gaps were recorded last year. Unlike previous editions, this year the route is completely dry on the eve of the rally, with high temperatures forecast for the weekend.

The rally will begin on Friday with qualifying and the ceremonial start, followed by the traditional night-time super special stage through the centre of Zlín. Saturday will feature two passes over the Pohořelice, Troják and Bunč stages, while Sunday will take in Pindula, Semetín and Kateřinice, whose second pass will host the final Power Stage.

“The Barum is one of the most complete and demanding asphalt rallies in the championship,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “High speeds, constant changes of pace, an often uneven surface and the presence of several gravel sections require tyres capable of delivering precision, durability and grip in very different conditions. We will make the hard and soft options from the P Zero range available to our crews. Given the current conditions, with dry roads and high temperatures, the hard is the reference compound, while the soft completes the allocation. We arrive in Zlín leading the tyre suppliers’ standings and with Suninen and Mabellini occupying the top two places in the drivers’ standings: the objective is to continue what has so far been a very positive season.”

The Barum Czech Rally Zlín will also host the final round of the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, a competition supplied exclusively by Pirelli and dedicated to developing young drivers. P Zero tyres in hard and soft compounds will also be available for the Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars.

Suninen’s Škoda Fabia moved into the lead almost immediately at the revamped Rally Poland, leaving even the specialists of Silesian asphalt roads facing a hard-pressed but ultimately futile pursuit. The Finn, who won five of the 14 special stages contested, never looked likely to relinquish the lead, delivering a measured and strategically flawless drive while keeping the Lancia Y of Mabellini, his direct rival for the FIA ERC title, at a safe distance.

Pirelli also helped Adrien Rzeznik to victory in the classification for drivers competing in the Polish championship.

“The season is proving extremely positive and highly rewarding for us. The fact that we have won three rallies so far with three different tyre combinations confirms the strength of our entire product range,” said Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “In Poland, our strategy of nominating the softer tyres from the P Zero asphalt range proved successful: the soft RA7+D and the medium RA7E enabled our drivers to secure victory in their respective categories. The medium tyre was particularly decisive thanks to its versatility and reliability in all racing conditions, proving to be the right choice both in the cooler morning temperatures and in the warmer conditions of the afternoon.”

Finnish driver Ville Vatanen won the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, for which Pirelli is the sole tyre supplier and technical partner.

Pirelli heads to Poland leading the tyre suppliers’ standings following the one-two finish secured by Roberto Daprà and Teemu Suninen at Rally di Roma Capitale. The Milan-based company also equips the top three drivers in the provisional European Championship standings: Suninen leads with 48 points, ahead of Giandomenico Basso on 45 and Andrea Mabellini on 33.

The leading Pirelli-equipped drivers competing in Poland include Suninen and Marco Bulacia, both in Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars, and Andrea Mabellini at the wheel of the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF.

“Rally Poland has changed completely compared with its most recent editions,” said Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “The move from Masuria to Silesia presents an entirely new challenge for everyone. Speed will remain a defining feature, but long stages such as Gmina Jasienica and Hażlach will alternate with highly technical sections and changes of surface such as the one at Ochaby. The medium RA7E is likely to be the benchmark choice thanks to its balance and consistent performance, while the soft RA7+D will provide an effective option in cooler conditions or when grip levels are lower.”

For the Polish event, Pirelli will supply its crews with P Zero asphalt tyres in the medium RA7E and soft RA7+D compounds, together with the Cinturato RWD wet-weather tyre in the event of rain.

Rally Poland is also the fourth round of the season for the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, for which Pirelli is the sole tyre supplier and technical partner. The Milan-based company thus reaffirms its commitment to supporting competitions for young talent and entry-level categories in international rallying.

Roberto Daprà secured Pirelli’s fifth consecutive victory in as many editions and consolidated its lead in the ERC tyre manufacturers’ standings. He finished ahead of Teemu Suninen and Boštjan Avbelj, all driving Skoda Fabias. Giandomenico Basso, last year’s winner, finished behind them, also in a Skoda Fabia equipped with Pirelli tyres. At the end of the Rally di Roma Capitale, Suninen and Basso are first and second respectively in the provisional European Championship standings, followed by Andrea Mabellini, whose Lancia Ypsilon is also fitted with Pirelli tyres.

Daprà won four of the eleven special stages, including the second runs through the two most feared sections of the new route, Piana di Rascino (SS3 and SS6) and Vallecupola (SS2 and SS5), confirming his particular competitiveness on the roads of the Rieti area.

“It was a thrilling rally, which ended for us with a fifth consecutive victory in five years and six drivers in the top ten, achieved on a route that was completely new compared with previous editions,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “Our new P Zero Hard RA5C tyres demonstrated strong reliability and performance on these highly demanding stages, characterised by significant elevation changes and constant changes of pace.”

In the categories supplied exclusively by Pirelli, Craig Rahill won the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy round, while Gabriel Di Pietro, driving a Peugeot 208, claimed victory in the Pirelli Star Rally4 Trophy.

A total of 110 crews will start the event, 34 of them running on Pirelli tyres. This figure underlines the confidence placed in the Italian manufacturer, which has enjoyed numerous successes on the roads of the Rally di Roma Capitale and has already played a leading role in the 2026 FIA European Rally Championship season.

Among the leading drivers competing on Pirelli tyres are Teemu Suninen, Giandomenico Basso, Marco Bulacia and Roberto Daprà in Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars, Alessandro Mabellini and Andrea Crugnola in Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF cars, and Simone Campedelli in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

"This year's Rally di Roma Capitale is significantly different from previous editions," said Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. "The new stages combine very fast sections with more technical stretches, featuring major elevation changes and constant variations in pace, making tyre choice and management even more crucial. On paper, the hard compound looks set to be the reference choice, but our P Zero range gives teams all the options they need to adapt to the different characteristics of the stages. We arrive in Rome after a very positive start to the European Championship season, with several crews capable of fighting for the leading positions."

For the Italian event, Pirelli will supply its P Zero asphalt range in hard (RA5C) and soft (RA7+D) compounds, together with the Cinturato RWD wet-weather tyre should rain affect the rally.

In Rome, Pirelli will also support the crews competing in the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, of which it is the exclusive tyre supplier, reaffirming its commitment to championships dedicated to young talents and the development categories of international rallying. Competitors in the series will have access to P Zero tyres in hard (RA5B), medium (RA7B) and soft (RA7+A) compounds, together with the Cinturato RW1D for wet conditions.

The Scorpion AT tyres, making their debut on the Swedish event, proved decisive in the victory. On Saturday, when light rain affected part of the day, Heikkilä was able to rely on the consistency and performance levels of both the soft AT6 and supersoft AT8 compounds. On Sunday’s dry gravel stages, the soft-compound AT6 was the dominant choice.

In the opening part of the rally, another Pirelli-equipped driver took centre stage: young Estonian talent Jaspar Vaher, of Toyota Gazoo Racing, before a small mistake dropped him down the order. A similar fate befell Teemu Suninen, who, in his Pirelli-equipped Škoda Fabia, had taken the lead on the second leg until special stage 14.

“It was an exciting rally and an important test bench for our tyres, with a more than positive outcome,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “Victory at Rally Scandinavia already consolidates our leadership in the dedicated tyre manufacturers’ standings after just the second round. In just over a month’s time, at the beginning of July, Rally di Roma will provide another opportunity to test our technological solutions and our ambitions on asphalt.”

The M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, supplied exclusively by Pirelli, was dominated by Ville Vatanen.

In addition to the many local drivers, the crews entered in the rally number more than 60, including Andrea Mabellini in a Lancia Ypsilon, Teemu Suninen and Mikko Heikkila, both in Škoda Fabia cars, all equipped with Pirelli tyres.

“The Rally Scandinavia is one of the most spectacular events of the entire international rally season and never disappoints,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “This year too, the route is extremely demanding, with terrain that can prove treacherous even for the most experienced drivers, and weather conditions that are even more unpredictable given the cold spring we are experiencing. Our crews will be able to rely on the Scorpion range, which has consistently proved both high-performing and reliable on these road surfaces.”

To tackle the 17 special stages and around 180 timed kilometres, Pirelli is making available to its drivers the two softer versions of the new Scorpion gravel tyre range, the AT, which makes its debut in the European championship: the AT6 soft and the AT8 super soft. Under the regulations, each crew may use a total of up to 16 tyres, including those selected for qualifying.

Rally Scandinavia also hosts the second round of the season for the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, supplied exclusively by Pirelli. The Trophy cars will be equipped with Scorpion K6A soft and K8B super soft tyres.

Pirelli begins the 2026 season as the reigning Tyres Manufacturer champion. Among the drivers competing in Andalusia on Pirelli tyres will be Andrea Mabellini, who finished third in last year’s overall championship standings, at the wheel of a Lancia Y HF; reigning Italian champion Giandomenico Basso, who will compete in a Skoda Fabia RS; and Teemu Suninen, also driving a Skoda Fabia RS.

To tackle the 203.80 timed kilometres across the 13 special stages of the Rally Sierra Morena, Pirelli is making available to its crews entered in the European championship tyres from the P Zero range in hard (RA5C) and soft (RA7+) compounds. These dry-weather tyres are complemented by the Cinturato RWD wet-weather tyre.

Pirelli will also play a leading role, as sole supplier and technical partner, in the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, now in its third season, with 11 crews entered for the Rally Sierra Morena.

The tyre allocation available to all drivers during the rally is 16 tyres for RC2, RC3 and RGT cars, and 12 tyres for RC4, RC5 and RC6 cars. For crews eligible to take part in Qualifying, the tyres used will count towards the overall allocation, while those used for Free Practice and the Shakedown will not be included in the total.

Having secured the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) drivers' title for two consecutive years with Hayden Paddon's Hyundai, Pirelli now adds the 2025 official Tyre Manufacturers' classification victory to its palmarès. This success was sealed by a commanding win for Jon Armstrong in his Ford Fiesta at the Rally Croatia, which concluded today as the finale of a season that saw Pirelli-equipped drivers take victory in four out of eight events.

On the cold and slippery Croatian roads, Armstrong set the pace from the outset on Friday. The tyre strategy proved decisive for the Irish driver's victory – he finished second in the final drivers' championship standings, just six points behind the winner Mikołaj Marczyk and ahead of Andrea Mabellini (in a Škoda Fabia, also on Pirelli tyres). During the opening day, characterised by low temperatures, the Ford driver opted for a mix of P Zero RA7E and P Zero RA7+C tyres. On a Sunday of heavy rain, he was able to rely on the new Cinturato RWD tyres, making their official debut.

“This has been a tremendously exciting European Championship for us in many respects, and winning the overall classification is the crowning achievement of a great team effort,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “The greatest satisfaction comes from the confirmed performance and reliability of our product range across all event types and in every condition. The latest proof came from the highly positive debut of our new wet weather tyre, the Cinturato RWD, which this morning on very wet surfaces allowed our drivers to perform at their best.”

In the Rally3 category, Pirelli tyres were also fitted to the Ford Fiesta of Poland's Tymek Abramowski, who claimed the 2025 title, finishing ahead of his compatriot Hubert Kowalczyk in a Pirelli-shod Renault Clio.

Andrea Mabellini (Skoda Fabia, Pirelli-equipped) also put in a strong performance, winning the Power Stage and collecting valuable points towards the overall championship standings. With just one round remaining in the 2025 season, Mabellini now lies second overall, ahead of Armstrong. Thanks to the Welsh one-two, Pirelli has moved into the lead of the Tyre Manufacturers’ standings.

The decisive factor in the outcome of the Rally of Ceredigion was the performance and consistency of the full P Zero range – used in its entirety for the first time this season – as well as the Cinturato wet tyre, called into action due to the heavy rain.

“Our products for both dry and wet conditions once again demonstrated their versatility across all surfaces, in extremely variable and challenging conditions,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “We are heading for a thrilling championship finale: both Mabellini and Armstrong remain firmly in contention for the title. In Croatia, for the final round of the season, we will undoubtedly witness a fierce battle – and tyres will once again prove decisive. In the meantime, congratulations to Jon for his victory here in Wales: he showed authority and composure, as well as talent. Our congratulations also go to Romet, another promising young driver selected through the FIA Rally Star programme, supported by Pirelli.”

In Wales, Pirelli supplied its crews with P Zero tyres in hard (RA5B), medium (RA7E) and soft (RA7+C) compounds, which were the prime choice for this rally given the cool temperatures and weather conditions. These dry-weather tyres were complemented by the Cinturato RWC wet-weather option, used to tackle the rain-soaked surfaces.

Pirelli’s successful weekend was rounded off by Jari-Matti Latvala’s victory on Pirelli tyres in a Toyota Celica at the Greek round of the FIA European Historic Rally Championship.

The Veneto-born driver, currently leading the CIAR standings, finished ahead of Andrea Mabellini—also in a Pirelli-shod Škoda Fabia—who was the fastest among the European Championship entrants.

The outcome of an intensely fought battle was ultimately decided by a 20-second penalty imposed on Andrea Crugnola in SS11, Guarcino–Altipiani 2, the third-to-last special stage before the afternoon loop following service. Crugnola, driving a Pirelli-equipped Citroën C3 and Basso’s closest rival in the CIAR, had led after the morning stages, just ahead of Basso. However, he ultimately finished fifth, behind Roberto Daprà in another Pirelli-equipped Škoda Fabia.

"As predicted, and as expected by the fans, who always turn out in large numbers for this rally, it was an intense and thrilling competition," commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli’s Rally Activity Manager. "For us, it was another success, our fourth consecutive win in four years, and our P Zero tyres once again demonstrated their reliability and performance across all competing cars."

In the categories exclusively supplied by Pirelli, Tymoteusz Abramowski claimed the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy stage win, while Michael Rendina took victory in the Pirelli Star Trophy.

There are 13 special stages, totalling 207.8 timed kilometres. With the exception of the one in Rome, all stages take place on the fast and twisty tarmac roads of the Ciociaria region.

There are plenty of Pirelli-shod crews entered. Apart from the three who have taken part in all the ERC rounds to date, namely Jon Armstrong in a Ford Fiesta along with Jos Verstappen and Andrea Mabellini in Skoda Fabias, also on the entry list are Giandomenico Basso, also in a Skoda Fabia, Andrea Crugnola, winner of the past two editions in a Citroen C3, and Fabio Andolfi at the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris.

“The Rome event is always one of the most eagerly anticipated of our rally season,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Rally Activity Manager Pirelli. “It’s also one of the rallies where we have always done well. We’ve won the last three editions and again this year, our drivers also have a good chance, at the very least of making it to the podium. They can rely, not only on knowing the stages but also on a very reliable and high performance product in the P Zero tyres.”

Pirelli is supplying its runners with tyres from the P Zero range in the RA5B hard versions, the prime for this rally given the expected high temperatures and based on past experience, the RA7E medium and the RA7+C soft. Along with the dry tyres are the Cinturato RWC tyres in the event of rain.

Pirelli is also the sole supplier for the Italian Junior Championship cars and those in the Trofeo M-Sport Fiesta Rally 3 category which, in Rome, are tackling the fourth round of five this season.

Italian driver Andrea Mabellini also delivered a strong performance in his Pirelli-equipped Škoda Fabia, finishing fourth in a race that lived up to expectations: fast-paced and treacherous due to the slippery gravel roads of the Swedish forests.

In the early stages, rain necessitated the use of the Scorpion K8B super soft, but the tyre that ultimately secured Brynildsen’s victory was the Scorpion K6A soft, the designated prime compound for this rally. Its proven performance and reliability on gravel, demonstrated in previous rallies, made the difference.

"Congratulations to Eyvind for his exceptional driving skills and the composure he showed in fending off his rivals in what remained a closely contested rally until the very end," commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. "We are extremely pleased with this first 2025 ERC win, which came only in the third event due to the misfortunes our drivers faced in earlier rallies—though we deserved it sooner. Now, our focus shifts to the upcoming events before the summer break: Poland and, above all, Rome, our home rally."

Apart from the local drivers, there are 33 entrants, including Jon Armstrong at the wheel of his Ford and Jos Verstappen and Andrea Mabellini both driving Skodas, all fitted with Pirelli tyres.

“Every year, the Scandinavian Rally is pure spectacle and I expect nothing less this time,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. “As usual, the route is very demanding with tricky terrain and unpredictable weather, which tests even the most experienced drivers. Our crews will be able to rely on a range of Scorpion tyres which, even on these surfaces, have always proved to work well and be reliable.”

The rally is run over 17 special stages, totalling 185 timed kilometres. Pirelli’s drivers can rely on three versions from the gravel Scorpion range: the K4A hard, the K6A soft, the prime tyre for this event, and the K8B super soft. As per the rules, each crew can use up to 16 tyres, including those chosen for qualifying.

“Congratulations to Hayden and Hyundai who have repeated last year’s success, once again thanks to using our products,” commented Terenzio Testoni, Rally Activity Manager Pirelli. “The Scorpion gravel tyres, the asphalt P Zeros and Cinturatos once again proved to be versatile and reliable partners for the drivers both in a high-level open market championship such as the ERC, where performance counts the most and in the WRC where teams are looking for consistency and durability. Overall, the 2024 FIA ERC has been a positive experience for Pirelli and we can now look ahead with optimism to next season’s rallying commitments.”

In this year’s European championship, Pirelli has set a record for special stages wins, with 66, along with three out of eight rally wins with three cars and three different drivers: Oliver Solberg and Skoda on gravel in the Scandinavia Rally, the Citroen of Andrea Crugnola on tarmac in the Rome Rally, as well as Paddon and Hyundai on the tarmac Rally Cederigion. There were a total of eleven podium finishes with eight drivers (Miklos Csomos, Alejandro Cachon, Solberg, Paddon, Robert Virves, Crugnola, Simone Campedelli and Armstrong) and five marques (Citroen, Ford, Hyundai, Skoda, Toyota).

With fellow countryman John Kennard in the co-driver’s seat, Paddon started Sunday’s decisive stage with a lead of 1 minute 18 seconds, built up over the day, in part thanks to a well thought out choice and management of tyres, which meant he was able to deal with the slippery and treacherous surface when rain fell in SS13.

 “It was a great weekend,” commented Paddon. “It all went like clockwork. The credit goes to the team for the way it set up the car, to the tyres that worked well in difficult conditions and of course to my co-driver.”

Another noteworthy performance came from Jon Armstrong and his Pirelli-shod M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2, who on Sunday made up the ground lost on the first day to finish sixth, also taking the win on SS12, his first in an ERC event, which brought Pirelli’s win total to 13 from the 14 on the schedule.

THE TYRES
The tyres fitted to the winner’s car and to those of the other Pirelli drivers were from the P Zero tarmac range, made up of the hard RA5A, the medium P Zero RA7D, the soft P Zero RA7+C and the RWC rain tyre. The RA7D saw the most use over the weekend, and on Saturday it played an important role in combination with the hard.

Pirelli-shod drivers also dominated in the other categories: in ERC3 Kohn won, while in ERC4 victory went to Cogni in a Peugeot 

Testoni: "The hard version of the P Zero, the same as the Rally2 cars in the WRC, once again ensured performance and reliability".

Again Andrea Crugnola in a Citroen C3, again Pirelli. For the second year running, these were the names on the top step of the podium at the Rally di Roma Capitale, a round of the Fia European Rally Championship and the Italian Asphalt Championship, which, as is often the case, provided a great show, not only in the first leg at the Colosseum, but also on the winding roads around Fiuggi.

Together with Crugnola, who drove a well planned and strategically sound rally there was another Pirelli runner on the podium, namely Simone Campedelli, who finished second in a Skoda Fabia thus ensuring the Italian Championship battle is still wide open.

Sixth was reigning champion Hayden Paddon in a Hyundai i 20, thus retains the lead in the championship standings. 

The fate of the rally was decided on Saturday morning, especially in the first long stage (the 28.74 km SS3 Santopadre - Fontana Liri) and in the following one, in which Crugnola extended his lead over his pursuers, thanks also to the excellent performance of the P Zero Hard RA5A tyres, which ensured grip, resistance and low wear in very challenging stages, marked by high temperatures. On Sunday, the Lombardy driver managed his lead, while still winning most of the stages, including the 32.30-kilometre Rocca di Piave-Subiaco and the Power Stage.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager: "Once again this year the already challenging conditions of the Rally of Rome were particularly severe due to the extremely high temperatures, and once again the RA5A version of the P Zero, the same one used by the Rally2 cars in the world championship, allowed Crugnola to win and our other drivers to obtain excellent placings. In particular, the performance characteristics and resistance to abrasive asphalt and high temperatures of the hard tyre proved to be crucial in both the long and short stages. This Rome Rally win is the second well-deserved victory of the season in the FIAERC, which makes us look forward to the continuation of the championship with confidence". 

OTHER CATEGORIES
Pirelli-equipped drivers also dominated in the smaller categories. The ERC3 was won by Czech Filip Kohn, who also won the Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, sponsored by Pirelli, while in ERC4 the top of the podium was taken by Giorgio Cogni in a Peugeot.  Also noteworthy is that in the CIR Junior, supported by Pirelli, Matteo Doretto won, while in the GR Yaris cup, a series also supported by Pirelli, Thomas Paperini won. 

THE TYRES AT THE ROME RALLY
The P Zero Hard RA5A, the star of the Rome Rally, is a tyre also intended for WRC Rally2 cars and is designed to cope with dry abrasive asphalt. It features a tread compound and construction that ensure performance and reliability in the toughest rally conditions and longest stages, even at high temperatures, without sacrificing a quick warm-up. Also completing the range available to drivers at the Rome Rally are the medium P Zero RA7D, the soft P Zero RA7+C and the wet RWC tyre.

Tyres for the car of the winner and the other Pirelli drivers were the Scorpion gravel range in K8A (supersoft), K6A (soft) and K6B (medium) versions, of which the latter was practically the only choice for the crews on Pirelli tyres.

"The Scandinavian Rally confirmed that it is a highly spectacular and challenging race," commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. "Congratulations to Oliver and Hayden who were able to make the most of the characteristics of our Scorpions. What made the difference was the soft K6A which, thanks to its versatility and versatility, ensured grip on both dry and wet surfaces, allowing our two drivers to extend their lead over their competitors".

Pirelli is the only tyre manufacturer to win on all road surfaces and always on the podium

Testoni: "Our team has brought the quality and experience of the WRC to the European Championship"

Pirelli closes the FIA ERC 2023 championship with yet another victory to round off a season in which it dominated the European rally championship by accompanying Hayden Paddon to the title with two races to spare and winning a total of four out of the eight races on the calendar and 55 out of 106 special stages. 

The last rally won by the Italian tyre manufacturer was the closing one of the season, held last weekend in Hungary. The umpteenth success came aboard the Citroen C3 driven by Mads Ostberg, who also won the power stage, making a full haul. The Norwegian driver is the fourth driver that Pirelli has driven to victory in the eight races of the championship. Before Ostberg the P Lunga victories came with Paddon in a Hyundai i20N (Serras de Fafe), Oliver Solberg in a Polo GTI R5 (Scandinavia) and Andrea Crugnola in a Citroen C3 (Rome). 

"We have opened and closed the FIA ERC with victories that seal a championship that has been exciting for us, not only for the number of overall successes, but above all because we have consolidated our position in such a challenging context as the European one, in which our products have imposed themselves on all terrains, with different cars and very different drivers," comments Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli's Rally activity manager. “The work of our team of engineers and technicians has become a point of reference for teams and drivers, setting standards of service and assistance never seen in the European Championship and very similar to those we provide in the WRC. The experience we are accumulating in the World Championship also makes itself felt heavily in the evolution of products and in the development of strategies for approaching races, just as the European Championship makes itself felt in the development of increasingly high-performance tyres. It is no coincidence that we are the only tyre manufacturer to make the podium in all races, the only one to make the en-plein, as in the Rally of Roma, and the only one to have won on both gravel and asphalt. My compliments this time go not only to the drivers who achieved success with us, but also to our entire team, which supported them at their best”.  

These are the main tyre statistics of the ERC season:

• Overall wins were 50% Pirelli, 4 out of 8 races, with the remainder going to the other 3 tyre manufacturers in the race
• Of the 4 wins, 2 were on asphalt (Rome and Hungary) and 2 on gravel (Fafe and Scandinavia), achieved with 4 drivers and 3 different cars (Citroen, Hyundai, Volkswagen)
• In the eight championship races, at least one Pirelli-tyred car finished on the podium. A total of 11 cars finished on the podium.
• Out of a total of 106 special stages, Pirelli-tyred cars won 55, or 52%, with a 55% spike in gravel stages (30 out of a total of 55) with 10 drivers and 5 cars (Citroen, Hyundai, Ford, Skoda and Volkswagen)

Testoni: “This new title is confirmation of the quality in our product even in a championship that demands performance”

Pirelli adds a new trophy to its already extensive international rallying palmares. The new title comes together with New Zealander Hayden Paddon, who in a Hyundai i20 became European champion with one race to spare, in the Barum Rally that ended yesterday.

Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager: "I would like to congratulate Hyundai and Hayden, who has proved to be a great champion also on European roads. This success crowns a long-standing relationship between our company and the New Zealand driver, who has brought to European success the products developed by us for the national championships, in which they have already proved successful. The European title confirms the quality and versatility of our rally solutions, which show themselves to be excellent road companions for drivers both in the WRC, where reliability counts, and in a high-level open-market championship like the ERC, where performance is the key to success".

In the FIAERC Pirelli supplies tyres for gravel and asphalt racing in the Scorpion and P Zero lines, which make use of the technological solutions developed for the WRC's Rally1 cars.

The other Pirelli-tyred cars also did well, taking the entire podium, with Basso's Skoda Fabia in second and Paddon's Hyundai i20 in third

Testoni: “Despite extreme conditions, due to the extremely high temperatures, the hard RA5A version of the P Zero, also developed for the WRC, ensured performance and reliability”

Pirelli again dominated the Fia European Rally Championship. In the eagerly awaited race in the capital of Rome, the P lunga scored a hat-trick, taking the entire podium and bringing the total number of victories in the European competition to three out of six races. 

Not only that. The Rome Rally, which opened with a spectacular stage under the Colosseum, was dominated from the start by the Pirelli-tyred Citroen C3 driven by Andrea Crugnola, who with this victory not only won the Capitoline Rally but also the CIAR Italian title, for the third time in his career.

Behind the Lombardy driver came two other drivers supplied and assisted by Pirelli: Giandomenico Basso in a Skoda Fabia and Hayden Paddon in a Hyundai i20, who thus strengthened his leadership in the overall European Championship standings. 

The fate of the race was clear right from the first of Saturday's two long stages (SS3 Rocca di Cave-Subiaco, 32.30 kilometres), in which Crugnola extended his lead over his pursuers, thanks also to the excellent performance of the P Zero Hard RA5A tyres, which ensured grip, resistance and low wear in a very challenging stage marked by high temperatures. A dominance that Crugnola also confirmed in the afternoon repetitions. On Sunday, the Lombardy driver administered the advantage, without giving up on winning the morning long stage (SS10 Santopadre of 29.08 kilometres). Paddon also did well, who improved his position in the Santopadre repetition and took advantage of his direct competitor's tyre problems to move into third place overall behind Basso.

"The Rally of Rome confirms itself as a race not only of great charm, but also very challenging. - commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager - The asphalts around Fiuggi due to their winding nature require great driving experience and precision, and do not forgive mistakes. Despite extreme conditions, due to the very high temperatures, the hard RA5A version of the P Zero allowed Crugnola to dominate the race and Pirelli to occupy the entire podium, guaranteeing reliability and performance, both on the crucial long and short stages. Congratulations to Andrea for his victory in the CIAR and to Hayden for his perseverance".

The P Zero Hard RA5A made its successful debut last year in the FIA ERC as an evolution of the RA5, the protagonist in previous years of numerous victories in the top continental trophy. The Pirelli hard tyre, also developed for the WRC World Championship, is designed to cope with dry abrasive asphalts and features a renewed tread compound and construction compared to the past, with the aim of providing better performance and reliability in the toughest race conditions and longest stages, even at high temperatures, without sacrificing a quick warm-up.

Pirelli dominated the Bauhaus Royal Rally Scandinavia with Oliver Solberg in the Volkswagen Polo GTI winning a race full of champions, that lived up to expectations. The only, relative, worries for the young home driver came from New Zealander Hayden Paddon, who at the wheel of his Hyundai i20 N never gave up his attempt to regain the lead, lost in the third special stage. In the end, the two Pirelli-tyred drivers won all the special stages, leaving the pursuers with only crumbs. In particular, thanks to his second place and victory in the Powerstage, Paddon strengthened his lead in the FIAERC European Championship.

From the point of view of the challenges faced by drivers and tyres, the rally presented two faces over the two days of competition. On Friday, the special stages were very fast and took place on mixed wet-dry gravel; on Saturday, more summery temperatures made the terrain drier for much more technical and demanding stages than on the previous day.

Tyres for the winner's car and the other Pirelli drivers were the Scorpion gravel range in K8A (supersoft), K6A (soft) and K6B (medium) versions, with the first two alternating in different ground conditions.

"It really was a very enjoyable and exciting race," commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. "Congratulations to Oliver and Hayden, who were able to make the most of the characteristics of our Scorpions, which came out on top in all the special stages, with two very different cars like the Polo and i20. The K6As, the only ones used by Solberg and Paddon throughout the race, made the difference on both the wetter roads on Friday and the drier ones on Saturday, allowing the two drivers to extend their lead over their competitors".

The opening round of the ERC with the Serras de Fafe Rally could not have gone better for Pirelli, who made it a trio by winning in all categories, but above all by bringing Hayden Paddon, at the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 and with navigator John Kennard at his side, to the top of the podium.

Paddon, who drove a flawless race, always within a few seconds of the leaders, took advantage at the end of a puncture suffered during the Power Stage by Mikko Heikkila in a Skoda Fabia Rally2.

Craig Breen's performance was also good (again on a Hyundai) who finished in sixth place, winning not only the Power Stage on Sunday, but also three other special stages out of a total of eight, while Robert Virves on a Ford Fiesta Rally2, again on Pirelli tyres, won two and Paddon one.  Breen finished victorious in two other special stages on the previous days, contributing to Pirelli's success in the single stage tally as well. Overall, cars on long P tyres were first 10 times out of the 14 valid stages run, including the opening stage, which went to Teodosio Ricardo in a Hyundai.

Tyres for the winner and the other Pirelli drivers were the Scoprion gravel range in the K8A, K6A and K6B versions, which alternated in different ground conditions, very similar to last year's, in a tight race, always won by Pirelli. The wet and muddy surfaces on Saturday meant that the K8As were favoured, while on the final day the K6As also took the field, on the drying terrain.

"Congratulations to Paddon for a great race and the final victory," commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager. "It is not usual to see a New Zealander and, in general, a non-European win on the roads of our continent, but he showed he believed in it right to the end. From a technical point of view, I am very satisfied with the seasonal debut of our tyres in the European championship: the Scorpion range in the Erc, as well as in the version optimised for the World Championship, confirms its absolute validity in terms of performance and reliability. It will not be an easy championship, in fact I expect it to be very hard fought, but we will know how to play our part as we did last year, when we won 5 out of the 8 rallies of the season".

In RC3, Jon Armstrong in a Pirelli-tyred Ford Fiesta won, while in RC4, Roberto Daprà in a Peugeot 204 (Pirelli) was victorious.

The victory in the "Rally di Roma" is for Pirelli the fourth out of six rounds in the Fia Erc 2022 championship.

"It was a very intense rally," commented Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli's Rally Activity Manager, "in which we won not only the race, but all 13 special stages with four different drivers in three different cars, demonstrating the versatility of the RA5A, which adapts to any driving style and is reliable even in very stressful conditions like these. Our product was always the fastest and most stable, despite the very high temperatures that made the asphalt very slippery".

The RA5A is the evolution of the RA5, protagonist in the last three years of numerous successes in the top continental trophy. The new solution proposed by Pirelli to cope with the dry abrasive asphalts features a renewed tread compound and a new construction, with the aim of providing better performance and reliability in the toughest race conditions and longest stages, even at high temperatures.

Andrea Crugnola (Citroen C3 Rally2), fifth overall, also stood out among the Pirelli-tyred drivers, who gave up the lead to De Tommaso in Special 9 due to an accelerator problem.

Frenchman Laurent Pellier's performance was also excellent. In an Opel Corsa Rally4 he won the Rome Rally in the FIA JERC category, the junior European championship for which Pirelli is the sole supplier, and also came first in the overall ERC4 classification. 

All three drivers made the most of the reliability of the Pirelli Scorpion: first and foremost Marczyk, who took the lead after Hyundai driver Nils Solans – also running Pirelli tyres – encountered problems on SS6. He led home Kristensson and Torn: a full 13 seconds ahead of the fourth-placed crew.

The highly variable conditions of the roads in Poland put the Scorpion tyres to a challenging test. On Saturday morning, the mixed wet and dry surfaces required all the grip offered by the supersoft K8 compound, with a tread pattern especially formulated to evacuate loose mud and gravel, as well as the soft K6, with a more open tread pattern. These were used by the top four cars in the overall classification, led by Solans.

In the afternoon, with higher temperatures up to 20 degrees on dry and clean surfaces, the soft K6A tyre (also used in the World Rally Championship) came to the fore thanks to its resistance to wear and punctures, as well as its dependable consistency. On Sunday, the sandy base and shorter stages led the drivers to use mainly the K8 in the morning and then the K6A in the afternoon.

Pirelli’s Rally Activity Manager Terenzio Testoni said: “We are very satisfied with the result of the rally and the performance of the Scorpion, although it doesn’t come as a surprise to us. We know all the strengths of this range very well: especially its reliability in all conditions and on every car. This was very much a team effort, where not just the quality of the product counted, but also the contribution of our engineers and their ability to work with teams and drivers to extract maximum performance.”

Laurent Pellier, driving an Opel Corsa Rally4, won the ERC4 Junior category: the European Championship’s series for up-and-coming drivers, exclusively supplied by Pirelli.

***

Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit Pirelli web site for more information on the company: www.pirelli.com.

Pirelli Press Office Ph. +39 02 6442 4270 – pressoffice@pirelli.com – www.pirelli.com

The challenge: Taking place on the island of Sao Miguel in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores Rally is one of the most spectacular rallies in the world. The sandy stages are often narrow, leaving little margin for error, and the weather can change rapidly between sunshine, rain and fog.

The Pirelli drivers: Alexey Lukyanuk returns to the championship with Pirelli tyres on his Ford Fiesta R5 and begins among the favourites after leading the event last year. Pirelli equips a number of drivers in the ERC Junior Under 28 class, including the reigning Under 27 champion Chris Ingram and two-time German champion Fabian Kreim in Skoda Fabia R5s, with Pirelli-supported Italian Tamara Molinaro also stepping up in a Ford Fiesta R5 after winning the Ladies Trophy in 2017.

As well as exclusively supplying the ERC Junior U27 class, where 11 drivers are entered in the Azores in R2 cars, Pirelli is also well-represented in ERC2 including with last year’s champion Tibor Erdi Jr and runner-up Zelindo Melegari. A number of Portuguese drivers will rely on Pirelli, including Carlos Vieira, Jose Pedro Fontes and Bernardo Sousa.

The products: Pirelli will supply its Scorpion K and Scorpion KM gravel tyres. The soft compound KM6 in particular is likely to be popular on the sandy stages. The K6 will also be available for more compact stages, with the supersoft K8 on hand in case of rain. ERC Junior U27 drivers will be able to choose from the K6 and the harder K4.

The rules: Drivers in ERC1 (for R5 cars) and ERC2 (for Group N) can use up to 18 tyres during the event, while ERC Junior U27 drivers get a maximum of 12 tyres.

Key stage: SS6/SS9 Sete Cidades (23.87km). The longest and most famous stage of the Azores Rally, parts of this stage take place along the rim of a volcanic crater lake. There is no time for the drivers to admire the view, with the road almost as narrow as the width of a car in places.

Pirelli rally activity manager Terenzio Testoni: “The Azores is one of the most spectacular gravel rallies in the world, where having the right tyre makes a massive difference. One of the biggest challenges is the very variable weather conditions, which means that crews and tyres have to cope with both bright sunshine and heavy rain: often on more than one occasion in the same day. We’re delighted to see several young drivers make the step up to the top class of the European championship with Pirelli, in keeping with our philosophy, and we look forward to watching their achievements.”

***

For further information about Pirelli, please contact Anthony Peacock on +44 (0)7765 896 930 or anthony@mediaticaworld.com

For further information about the Azores Rally, visit www.fiaerc.com